What do nuns wear on their heads?

Nuns typically wear a coif or a veil on their heads, but the exact form of dress depends on the order. For some orders, this is part of a set of garments known as the habit. Other orders may wear street clothes instead of the habit.

A nun's habit is worn to show her commitment to a spiritual life and can identify the order in which she belongs. For example, the Dominican nuns of Nashville wear all white with a white veil. The Benedictine nuns in Virginia Dale wear all black and include a white coif under their black veil. Other items that are part of the nun's habit include a tunic, belt and scapular.