Figure 1.--This CDV portrait shiows an unidentified English boy, we think in the 1880s, but we are not at all sure about that. The boy is pictured with his trusty jack russel. The boy erars a vested sack suit with a matching peaked cap. This may be his school uniform, but we are not sure about that. These caps becme called school caps, but they were not judt worn fior school. The peajked cap was fairly standard. The major characteristivs were the crise of the crown and the size of the peak. In this case the peak was attached a little differently than in most of these caps. In the 20th century we begin to see all sorts of colors as well as differently colored segmented sections and concentriic citcles to destingish their schools. The photograph was tsken in East Molesey. The studio was W.H. Deakin.

Caps are a complicated category because they are so many of them. They are an important garment strongly associated with boyswear. Strangely it was the youngest boys who were most likely to wear hats. Most boys wore caps. The peaked school cap was for many years an iconic symbol of English boyhood. Girls did not wears caps nearly as much, more commonly wearing hats and tams/berets. The major exception was sailor caps, although even here sailor hats were more common with the girls. Scottish styles were another exceotion, although to a lesser degree. Men did wear caps, but not as commonly and their were social-class conventions associated with men's caps. Boys of all social classes wore caps. Popularity has varied over time. The chrinology affected both the popularity of headwear as well as the styles worn. We see a lot of hats in 19th century, although not nearly as many as in America. And we see mostly caps for schoolwear. By the 20th century caps dominated. We rarely see English boys wearing hats. Cap popularity and the styles worn has varied from country to country. Several hat styles were created in Britain, both England abd Scotland. Some styles, especilly the peaked school caps are strongly associated with English boys. Another issue is that we are not always able to find names for all of them. Our approch here is to describe the characteristics until we find a proper name. As with mny styles for men and boys' wear, here is a military influence with some cap styles. We see both army and sailor styles, although the sailor styles were the most popular. Popular usage does not always follow the precide definition even if one exists. The cap is strictly speaking, headwear with a partial brim. Normally this means a front brim or bill, sometimes called a peak. Coloquially, we note the term cap used for a variety of often informal headwear without brims, such as stocking caps. Sometimes berets and tams are also included as types of caps. The cap is the headwear most associated with boys and is generally seen as an informal type of headwear. Scottish styles are all called caps, although somettines bonnets, even though there is no brim.

Popularity

The peaked cap is an important English garment strongly associated with boyswear. Strangely it was the youngest boys who were most likely to wear hats. Most boys wore caps. The peaked became a school style that for many years an iconic symbol of English boyhood. Men did wear caps, but not as commonly and their were social-class conventions associated with men's caps. Boys of all social classes wore caps, including the peaked caps. We are not sure to what extent peaked caps were worn outside of school as was the case in America. In the 19th century example here we are not sure if the boy is wearing his school uniform or a regular suit. In the 20th century, most of the peaked caps we see are school caps. Usually this is obvius, but there are a few examples we have archived we are not entirely sure about. One example is a 1940s beach scene.

Gender

Girls did not wears caps nearly as much, more commonly wearing hats and tams/berets. The major exception was sailor caps, although even here sailor hats were more common with the girls. Scottish styles were another exceotion, although to a lesser degree.

Chronology

Headwear was commonly worn in the 19th century. We see boys wearing bth caps and hats. The popularity of caps have varied over time. The cap is a type if headwear tht primarily aooeared in the 19th century. The chronology affected both the popularity of headwear as well as the styles worn. We see a lot of hats in 19th century, although not nearly as many as in America. We note several dufferent styles of caps. Olivr Twist and peaked military caps were popular in the early-19th century. We also notice Scottish caps, both balmorals and glengaries. They were not worn to any extent in the early-19th century by English boys, but thanks to Queen Victoria we begin to see them at mid-century. We see peaked school caps and sailr caps after mid-century. Flat caps and pill box capa appear in the late-19th century. And we see mostly caps for schoolwear. Mortar boards were a medieval school worn at some schools. By the 20th century caps dominated. We rarely see English boys wearing hats in the 20th century. Boaters were a rare exception, but were mostly worn by older boys on specil occasions. The peaked school cap dominated the first hlf of the 20th century. They were not universal, but very common. Boys wore them at both private and state schools and commonly wore them after school as welland over the weekends. Sailor caps dclined in popularity. After mid-century headwear in general declined. We see some boys wearing baseball caps, .

Country Trends

Cap popularity anbd the styles worn has varied from country to country. Several hat styles were created in Britain, both England and Scotland. Some styles, especilly the peaked school caps are strongly associated with English boys. Today boys all over the world now seem to wear the same cap style--baseball caps. Many boys do not wear caps at all, except in the winter. It is difficult to understand how diverse boys' headwear used to be. Boys from different countries once differed signicantly as to the caps they wore. American boys wore flat caps, British boys peaked school caps, and French boys berets. Some basic information about cap trends in different countries include the following. Caps like some other clothing items had strong age conotations in many countries.

Styles

Caps are a complicated category because they are so many different styles. An issue here is that we are not always able to find names for all of them. Our approch here is to describe the characteristics until we find a proper name. As with mny styles for men and boys' wear, here is a military influence with some cap styles. We see both army and sailor styles, although the sailor styles were the most popular. Popular usage does not always follow the precise definition even if one exists. The cap is strictly speaking, headwear with a partial brim. Normally this means a front brim or bill, sometimes called a peak. Coloquially, we note the term cap used for a variety of often informal headwear without brims, such as stocking caps. Sometimes berets and tams are also included as types of caps. The cap is the headwear most associated with boys and is generally seen as an informal type of headwear. Scottish styles are all called caps, although somettines bonnets, even though there is no brim. Much of our information begins with the mid-19th century when photograophy was invented. The two most importnt styles have been the sailor cap, itself done in different styles, and the school cap. Sailor cops had a sivil-class dimenion. Peaked school caps were worn by boys of all social classes. The flat cap was also importnt, oniy not nearly as iumportnt as in America.

Created: 12:31 AM 3/30/2016
Last updated: 8:52 PM 1/23/2024