Figure 1.-- These boys apparently came from Kansas. They look to be about 5-13 years old. They are probably brothers, but there may be a cousin involved. here is some text in written on the back in pencil, "This picture was taken at Great Grandma's May 17, 1927." The three older boys wear flat caps. The youngr boy looks to wearing a sailor hat. They were no longer very common by the 1920s. The boys wear short pants, long pants and knickers, the two youngest with long stockings.

We see American boys wearing both caps and hats in the 1920s, but caps were clearly dominant. Hats were not very popular for boys in the 1920s. Some boys wore hats, but most boys wore caps and one style dominated. We see juvenile style hats, including sailor hats, but no longer the wide-brimmed style. We do not yet see the fedoras that boys began wearing with suits when dressing up that began to appear in the 40s. Boys wore a variety of caps during the 1920s. The flat cap, however, became a universally popular style for boys in the 1910s and this continued after World War I (1914-18) in the 1920s. The snapshot here is a good indicator of jt how popular flat caps were in the 20s (figure 1). We have noticed a number of different names (newsboy, golf, motoring, and other caps). We note them being worn both casually for play, to school, and for dressy occassions with suits. There were many different stylistic variations to the flat cap. While there were several different cap styles, none were even approached the popularity of the flat cap. While not universal, the flat cap was by far the dominant cap style. Flat caps were more commonly worn with knickers, but we see some older boys wearing long pants, especially by the end of the decade. . We also see peaked caps like the British school cap. But the peaked cap did not have a school association in America. Another cap style worn was the beanie. After Lindberg solo flight across the Atlantic (1927), aviator-style caps called hemets became popular. And we see berets, but were not very common for boys.

Caps

We see American boys wearing both caps and hats in the 1920s, but caps were clearly dominant. And one style dominated. Boys wore a variety of caps during the 1920s. The flat cap, however, became a universally popular style for boys in the 1910s and this continued after World War I (1914-18) in the 1920s. The snapshot here is a good indicator of just how popular flat caps were in the 20s (figure 1). We have noticed a number of different names (newsboy, golf, motoring, and other caps). We note them being worn both casually for play, to school, and for dressy occassions with suits. There were many different stylistic variations to the flat cap. While there were several different cap styles, none were even approached the popularity of the flat cap. While not universal, the flat cap was by far the dominant cap style. Flat caps were more commonly worn with knickers, but we see some older boys wearing long pants, espepecially by the end of the decade. We also see peaked caps like the British school cap. But the peaked cap did not have a school association in America. Another cap style worn was the beanie. After Lindberg solo flight across the Atlantic (1927), aviator-style caps called hemets became popular. And we see berets, but were not very common for boys.

Hats

Hats were not very popular for boys in the 1920s. Some boys wore hats, but most boys wore caps. We see juvenile style hats, including sailor hats, but no longer the wide-brimmed style that was still popular in the 1910s. Notice the sailor hat the little boy is wearing. It has arather narrow brim (figure 1). We do not yet see the fedoras that boys began wearing with suits when dressing up that began to appear in the 40s.

Created: 12:56 AM 10/28/2017
Last updated: 12:56 AM 10/28/2017