Quick Medieval Veil Video Tutorial

Here- I made you a corny video.  Hope you like it!



I started doing this veil style about 3 years ago and it's been my go-to ever since.  Elina at Neulakko does the folding bit in her tutorial also.  If I think back, hers was probably my inspiration, so if you haven't checked hers out, I suggest you do so!

In my veil classes, I talk about using "head underwear"- my favorite of which is the huvet (or Saint Birgitta's cap)- and I also discuss how to properly use a fillet to keep your veil in place.  It occurred to me after the last teaching of this class, however, that only the "formal" methods of wearing a veil required the use of any underwear.  When I placed this quick veil on my head that same evening for court (in which I was actually called up, so thank god I decided to put a veil on!), I realized that if you secure the veil on your head using the tight-around-the hairline/pin-at-the-back method (which I utilize in the video), you can achieve a large number of looks and never need the assistance of an extra piece underneath.

I often grab a veil and some pins and "play" in front of the mirror- using the "non-underwear" technique to see how many styles I can come up with.  I've come up with well over a dozen that I would actually wear, and many more that were interesting to say the least.  In fact, just this evening, I created one that I aptly called "The Pretzel".  Is it period? No.  Is it fun to wear? Yes.  Sometimes it's difficult to draw the line.  Keep and eye out- The Pretzel might show up at an event near you.

The point is that, while there are certainly "rules" to follow if you're trying for authentic veil styling, those aren't the be-all end-all of possibilities, and they certainly don't hold the monopoly on beautiful, girly styles that are in keeping with the spirit of the Middle Ages.  The quick veil style in the video straddles that line.  And occasionally, I like setting up shop on that line.