Couvre-chef vs. coiffure
The French terms 'couvre-chef' and 'coiffure' refer to items worn on the head, but with some nuanced differences in their usage and context.
Couvre-chef
'Couvre-chef' is a French term that generally refers to any type of head covering. It covers a wide range of headgear used for various purposes, including protection, fashion, religious or cultural significance.
Il porte un couvre-chef traditionnel lors de la cérémonie.
(He is wearing traditional headgear during the ceremony.)
La toque est un couvre-chef souvent associé aux cuisiniers.
(The chef's hat is a head covering often associated with cooks.)
En construction, le port d'un couvre-chef de sécurité est obligatoire.
(In construction, wearing safety headgear is mandatory.)
Coiffure
'Coiffure' primarily refers to a hairstyle or the arrangement of hair on a person's head. However, it can also refer to headwear that is more directly related to hair or hairstyles, including decorative and styling aspects.
Sa coiffure a pris beaucoup de temps à réaliser pour le mariage.
(Her hairstyle took a lot of time to create for the wedding.)
Une coiffe de mariée peut être considérée comme une coiffure.
(A bridal veil can be considered as a form of headdress.)
Les diadèmes sont des coiffures populaires lors des concours de beauté.
(Tiaras are popular headpieces at beauty pageants.)
Summary
To summarize, 'couvre-chef' is a broad term for anything worn on the head for protective or formal reasons, while 'coiffure' focuses more on hairstyles and may include ornaments closely related to hair. Both terms describe items worn on the head, but differ in their primary connotations.