Figure 1.--This unidentified New York boy wears a sailor cap tat looks a bit klike a tam. Note the small bow at the side. He alzo wears a dark blouse with an Eton collar andf floppy bow. The portrait is undated, but looks like it was taken about 1905. It was taken at the Benedict Studio.

We have begun to build a chronology of American sailor caps. We are not entirely sure when American boys began wearing sailor caps. Quenn Victorian launced the style in England during the 1840s. We are not sure, however , how long it took to cross the atlantic. Presumbably some American boys wore sailor caps in the 1860s. We do not yet, however, have actual photographs demonstrating this. We do note the Webb boys in the the 1870s wearing caps like those worn by sailors in the 1860s and 70s. They were were living in Shanghai at the time. So the caps and sailor suits may reflect European more than American fashions. We do see quite a number of sailor caps in the 1880s. We see boys wearing sailor caps with both sailor suits and other outfits. Sailor caps were a popular and very common cap style in the 1890s. After the turn of the 20th century, we begin to see boys mostly wearing sailor caps with sailor suits. We note many boys wearing them in the early-20th century, but mostly younger boys. Quite a dew portraits were taken with boys dressed in sailor suits during the 1920s. And we begin to see swabie caps. They were a popular casual cap worn by boys not wearing sailor suits. We still see sailor caps in the 1940s, but very rarely by the 1950s, except for swabie caps.

The 1840s

We have begun to build a chronology of American sailor caps. We are not entirely sure when American boys began wearing sailor caps. Quenn Victorian launced the style in England during the 1840s. We are not sure, however , how long it took to cross the atlantic.

The 1860s

Presumbably some American boys wore sailor caps in the 1860s. We do not yet, however, have actual photographs demonstrating this.

The 1870s

We do note the Webb boys in the the 1870s wearing caps like those worn by sailors in the 1860s and 70s. They were were living in Shanghai at the time. So the caps and sailor suits may reflect European more than American fashions.

The 1880s

We do see quite a number of sailor caps in the 1880s. We see boys wearing sailor caps with both sailor suits and other outfits. We see two boys wearing sailor caps during 1880s church outing. Most of the boys are wearing the medium- narrow brimed hats that were a boys mainstay for decadeds. hats, but these two boys wear sailor caps and one boy wears a peaked cap.

The 1890s

Sailor caps were an even more popular cap style in the 1890s. Yhey were commonly worn by American boys.

The 1900s

After the turn-of- the 20th century, we begin to see boys mostly wearing sailor caps with sailor suits. We note many boys wearing them in the early-20th century, but mostly younger boys. Here we see an unidentified New York boy wearing a saucer sailor cap, but with an Eton collar qand double-breasted blouse not a sailor blouse (figure 1). .

The 1920s

Quite a dew portraits were taken with boys dressed in sailor suits during the 1920s, but mostly with sailor suits. We no longer see sailor capswirb=n with outher suits. And we begin to see swabie caps. They were a popular casual cap worn by boys not wearing sailor suits.

The 1940s

We still see sailor caps in the 1940s.

The 1950s

Very rarely by the 1950s, except for swabie caps. Here World War II war surplus was a factor.

Created: 10:07 PM 6/2/2010
Last updated: 10:08 PM 6/2/2010