If “stupid” means “pointy” or “heart-shaped,” then the answer to why women wore those stupid-looking hats back in the Dark Ages is fairly simple: style.
The tall, pointed headdress was called a steeple cap and consisted of a wire frame, which was covered by linen or silk handkerchiefs. It was worn by the noble class only.
Other headdress designs for the female nobility included the butterfly-shaped, the heart-shaped, and the traditional turban style.
Noble women and nuns also wore wimples, cloth caps that covered the head and forehead and tied under the neck.
Many included what’s called a gorget: an added piece of cloth that wraps around the neck.
