A doily (also doiley, doilie, doyly, or doyley) is an ornamental mat, typically made of paper or fabric, and variously used for protecting surfaces or binding flowers, in food service presentation, or as a clothing ornamentation, as well as a head covering for Jewish women and Christian women. It is characterized by openwork, which allows the surface of the underlying object to show through.
Doilies can be constructed in a variety of techniques, and the doily motif can also be represented in atypical non-textile formats.