The religious habit of the Congrégation de Notre-Dame: interview with Sister Patricia Simpson

Sister Patricia Simpson points out that in the beginning the Sisters of the Congrégation de Notre-Dame were dressed like all the other women of the 17th century. They wore a black dress, a kerchief over their shoulders and a scarf covering their head and knotted under the chin. The only distinctive element was the cross.

The habit we see here was worn until 1965 when it was modified. The parts that correspond to the original form of dress are the pleated skirt and the cincture. In the 19th century, the sisters began to starch and stiffen the kerchief, which until then had been soft. The scarf, at first used to cover the head, was lengthened, becoming a veil.

The cornet, very specific to the Congrégation de Notre-Dame, was made from a single piece of starched linen that was folded to frame the face. Two pieces of cardboard or wood were inserted in the side folds in order to maintain the shape of the cornet. At the top, a pin was inserted to form the characteristic peak. The linen was folded under the chin and secured with several pins. The cornet was attached to a headband worn around the head under a black cap and the veil.