The hairstyle
Mona Lisa’s hairstyle is more complex than might appear at first sight. Her hair is covered with a transparent veil which, rather than a sign of mourning, was a customary accessory for bourgeois women of the Italian Renaissance. Except for a few wavy strands left loose at either side of her face, her hair is gathered into a chignon at the back of her head.
The outline of the figure’s head and the edge of the veil on her forehead are among the few forms in this painting that are delimited by a line.
The guarnello
Mona Lisa’s dress is covered by a guarnello─a large veil of sheer silk, attached with embroidery to the bodice of the dress. The guarnello is pushed back over her arms for greater comfort, and draped over her left shoulder to form a sort of shawl that adds to the elegance of her outfit.
Leonardo used multiple layers of glaze to convey the lovely transparency of this flimsy veil.
The embroidery
The gold thread embroidery on the neckline of Mona Lisa’s dress reflects the sophistication of her outfit. It forms a complex interlacing design with a series of intersecting circles, framed by two twisted cords, above a pattern of alternating diamond and cross shapes. The guarnello covering the dress is attached to it by means of this embroidery.
The sleeves
The sleeves of Mona Lisa’s outfit are separate from the dress, to which they are attached at the shoulders; this creates a lovely effect where the full white chemise worn under the dark dress shows through between the bodice and the sleeves.
In terms of composition, the folds in the sleeves seem to echo the meandering of the path in the background.