A type of headwear that typically covers the head in a similar fashion to a detached hood - that is, wound snugly around the head, leaving the face bare, but covering the jaw and ears. When worn in this fashion, it is also referred to as a barbette.
Derived from medieval times, the wimple is most often seen in depictions of traditional nuns, where it is worn under a veil, and often attached to a guimpe - this is a collar, usually white, that covers the shoulders.