Figure 1.--Here we see children wearing different headwear, including school caps, sailor caps, boaters, and a tam. This cabinet card is undated, but looks like the 1890s to us. Notice that both girls and women wear boters. We assume this was because fancier hats were not seen as appropriare for the windy seaside. The studio was Geo. Doran in Filey in North Yorkshire near Scarborough.

We have some limited headwear inforation on historical periods. The standard male hat was the tri-corner hat in the 18th century. Working classes might have wiore more modest styles like stocking caps. Women and girls wore a varirty of hats and bonnets. We have a more substantial chronological record beginning with the development of photography (mid-19th century). Headwear was very common in the 19th and early-20th century. Well dressed people wore headwer and this included all social classses. We see a lot of the same styles in America during the 19th century, but more differences in the 20th century. A much more important part of fashion and dress than is the case today. Thus we see many children with headwear in early photographs, even with indoor stydio portraits. At the turn-of-the 20th century with the introduction of the family snapshot we have outdoor images to add to the 19th century mostly studio images. We see English boys mostly wearing caps. This was somewhat the case in the 19h century, but particukarlt in the 20th century. Peaked school caps were aajor style in the late-19th century and the first half of the 20th century. Generally we see headwear going out of style after World War II, especially after the 50s. We see some schools, mostly private schools requiring caps for the boys and hats or berets for the girls, but even this was becoming less common by the end of the century. The sane was true of the Scout/Guide movement. We see some English boys wearing baseball caps in the late-20th century.

The 18th Century

The standard male hat was the tri-corner hat in the 18th century. Working classes might have wiore more modest styles like stocking caps. Women and girls wore a varirty of hats and bonnets.

The 19th Century

We know much more about the 19th century. We do not yet know much about the early 19th century, espcially the 1800s. We see Oliver Twist caps, a peaked military style after the Napoleonic Wars. We have a more substantial chronological record beginning with the development of photography (mid-19th century). And we see many new headwear styles. We see Scottish styles becoming popular, along with kilts and kilt suits. The peaked school cap also appeared. As sailor suits became popular so did sailor headwear, both caps and hats. The caps followed Royal Navy styles. The hats included both narrow and wide brims. White there were destinctive styles for boys. Girls tended to wear the same styles as their mothers. These hats could be quite elaborate. Younger girls might wear binnets. We see both boys and girls wearing boaters. Tams becane poplar fir girls. Headwear was very common in the 19th and early-20th century. Well dressed people wore headwear and this included all social classses. We see a lot of the same styles in America during the 19th century as most styles were set in Europe, but more differences in the 20th century as the Aamerican econmy began to generate styles of its own.

The 20th Century

Headwear continud to be a much more important part of fashion and dress in the early 20th century than is the case today. Thus we see many children with headwear in early photographs, even with indoor stydio portraits. At the turn-of-the 20th century with the introduction of the family snapshot we have outdoor images to add to the 19th century mostly studio images. We see English boys mostly wearing caps. This was somewhat the case in the 19h century, but particukarlt in the 20th century. Peaked school caps were aajor style in the late-19th century and the first half of the 20th century. Generally we see headwear going out of style after World War II, especially after the 50s. We see some schools, mostly private schools requiring caps for the boys and hats or berets for the girls, but even this was becoming less common by the end of the century. The sane was true of the Scout/Guide movement. We see some English boys wearing baseball caps in the late-20th century.

Created: 12:47 PM 9/16/2012
Last updated: 5:45 AM 10/19/2017