Figure 1.--This cabinet card shows four Ohio children in their winter outfits. The children look to be about 1-8 years old. Notice the boys wearing caped overcoats. Girls also wore caped overcoats, although the girl here has a coat without a cape, but some fur trim. I think her headwear would be called a tam. Also notice the boys' caps. This is a style that was fairly common in the northern states during the late-19th century, but we are unsure about the proper name. The portrait is undated, but the seerated edges anbd smooth corners along with bright white mount suggest the early to mid-1890s. The studio was Seibert in Lake Fork, Ohio. Lake Fort is located in northern Ohio, a little south of Lake Erie and it does get cold there.

The capes that we see American boys wearing were cold weather garments. The ones we see in the photographic record are primarily made to be worn with overcoats. There are also overcoats they look rather like capes. These seem to be done in lighter fabric. The Nebraska boy on the previous page is a good example. The Ohio boys here are another good example (figure l). As they were done with overcoats, it mean that there was a regional factor involved. Children in the South did not need overcoats. In the North heavy coats were needed and this could include overcoats. There were various types of coats. Overcoats were a highend garments, most associated with the affluent in northern big cities. Working class children were more likely to wear heavy jackets or shorter coats. These were rarely done with capes. There were other types of capes, but we rarely see boys wearing them. The only ones we see to any extent are capes made to be worn with overcoats and these were seen only in a narow time period--the 1880s and 90s, although our archibe is still limited a this time. Other than these overcoats we rarely see boys wearing capes. They were made to be worn with some overcoats. They were done in the sanme material and color as the overcoat. The cape seems to be an elegant garment worn with overcoats. The ones we have seen were not decorated, but rather very plain garments.

Types

We notice two types of cape overcoats. The capes that we see American boys wearing were cold weather garments. The ones we see in the photographic record are primarily made to be worn with overcoats. They are matching garments so they would have been purcased as a single garment. The Nebraska boy on the previous page is a good example. The Ohio boys here are another good example (figure l). There were also overcoats they look rather like capes. These seem to be done in lighter fabric. So far we notice this second type in the 1860s. There were other types of capes, but we rarely see boys wearing them

Prevalence

Other than these overcoats we rarely see boys wearing capes.

Details

The capes we see were made to be worn with some overcoats. They were done in the same material and color as the overcoat. The cape seems to be an elegant garment worn with overcoats. The ones we have seen were not decorated, but rather very plain garments.

Regional Prevalence

As the capes were done with overcoats, it mean that there was a regional factor involved. Children in the South did not need overcoats. In the North heavy coats were needed and this could include overcoats.

Social Class

There were various types of coats for cold weather. Overcoats were a highend garments, most associated with the affluent in northern big cities. Working class children were more likely to wear heavy jackets or shorter coats. These were not sone with capes.

Chronology

The only ones we see in any numbrrs are the capes made to be worn with overcoats and these were seen only as best we can tell are in a narow time period--the 1880s and 90s, although our archibe is still limited a this time. So we do not yet have a lrge sample.

Created: 9:12 PM 6/27/2018
Last updated: 9:12 PM 6/27/2018