Snood (headgear)

19th century painting of a woman wearing a snood (by Adolph Menzel)

Two women working at a Texas Naval Air Base in 1942, wearing hairnets (snoods)

A snood (/snuːd/) is a type of traditionally female headgear designed to hold the hair in a cloth or yarn bag.^[1] In the most common form, the headgear resembles a close-fitting hood worn over the back of the head. It is similar to a hairnet,^[1] but snoods typically have a looser fit,^[2] a much coarser mesh, and noticeably thicker yarn. A tighter-mesh band may cover the forehead or crown, then run behind the ears, and under the nape of the neck. A sack of sorts dangles from this band, covering and containing the fall of long hair gathered at the back. A snood sometimes was made of solid fabric, but more often of loosely knitted yarn or other net-like material. Historically (and in some cultures still in use today) a small bag of fine thread—netted, tatted, knitted, crocheted, or knotted (see macramé)—enclosed a bob of long hair on the back of the head or held it close to the nape.^[3]

Beard snood[]

Another similar garment which is also referred to as a snood is used to cover facial hair such as beards and moustaches when working in environments such as food production.^[4] Although it appears that "hairnet" has replaced "snood" as the common term for hair containment on the head, the term "beard snood" (essentially a "ringed scarf") is still familiar in many food production facilities.

Association football[]

Though popular for many years with European footballers like Gianluigi Buffon—in the 2010–11 Premier League season, a number of high-profile players, including Carlos Tevez and Samir Nasri, wore snoods. The fashion was derided by commentators.^{[citation needed]}

Whereas former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson said he would no longer allow his players to wear snoods,^[5] Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger defended their use, suggesting they serve a medical purpose when players have neck problems in the cold weather.^[6]

The International Football Association Board feels that snood scarves may pose a risk to a player's neck if jerked from behind.^[7] Players in the UK have been banned from wearing them during matches since 1 July 2011. IFAB had a meeting where the issue was brought up, and they were immediately and completely banned on 5 March 2011, due to not being part of the kit.^[8]

Religious use[]

Women's snoods are often worn by married Orthodox Jewish women,^[9] according to the religious requirement of hair covering (see Tzniut). Since these snoods are designed to cover the hair more than hold it,^[10] they are often lined to prevent them from being see-through. Contemporary hair snoods for Jewish women come in a wide range of colors and designs.^[11]

References[]