Aiguillette

An aiguillette, aguillette or aiglet is a decorative tag or tip for a cord or ribbon, usually of gold and sometimes set with gemstones or enameled. Small cords and ribbon bows tipped with pairs of aiguilettes were fashionable ornaments in the 16th and early 17th centuries.

In contemporary military and civil uniforms, an aiguillette is an ornamental braided cord with a similar metal tip, derived from armor fastenings, and the plastic or metal aglet on a shoe lace is also a direct descendant.

Aiguillettes were made in sets, and might be of silver, silver-gilt, or gold.

Surviving portraits show that aiguillettes could be functional or purely decorative, though many were used to "close" seams and slashes that are not always apparent on dark garments in portraits. They were made in matched sets and were worn in masses.