United States Peaked Caps: Chin Straps and Ear Flaps


Figure 1.--This snap shot shows a boy named Tom Sawyer wearing a peaked cap with an ear flap buckled under his chin. Some winter caps had ear caps that did not need to be buckled, but the ear flaps with peaked caps did have to be buckled to work and so as not to look slovenly. Italmost looks like snowsuit hood, but if you look closely it can be seen to be a peaked cap with a chin strap. This snapshot is undated, but was probably taken about 1950.

We notice that some American peaked caps were done with ear flaps. As far as we can tell, American peaked caps were mostly done without ear flaps and we do not se them at all in Britain. We do not have a good idea yet on how common ear flaps were. Chin straps seem even less common. And we only see the chin straps with earflaps. We have never en American boys wearing peaked caps with chin straps, unless done with ear flaps. And even with ear flaps, we have seen very few boys wearing peaked caps with chin straps. The ear flps were done with and without chin straps. We are not sure about the relative prevalence. The Cub and school variants wre all done without ear flaps and chinstraps. . We have noted chin straps in Japan, but not in America. There was, however, a related American version. Some of these caps were one with ear flaps which buckled under the chin. Not all the peaked caps with ear flabs had chin strap buckled, but a few did. The ear flaps tucked inside the cap. This would have been a bother for a boy wearing the cap during the summer. The ear flaps of course were for cold weather wear when these caps were worn with suits and winter coats. We think these caps may have been made in summer and winter versions, but we are not sure. We are also nor sure when the ear flaps first appeared. The early caps did not have ear flaps. We do not see them until the 20th century. The examples we have found with ear flps date to the 1940s and 50s. The prevalence may have had aider chronological range, but we can not yet subtantiate that. We note one boys wearing his peaked cap and ear flps in 1948 with a pea jacket. This snap shot shows a boy named Tom Sawyer wearing a peaked cap with an ear flap buckled under his chin (figure 1). Some winter caps had ear caps that did not need to be buckled to work, but the ear flaps with peaked caps did have to be to work and so as not to look slovenly. We do not think that the caps were made with ear flaps after the 1960s. Hopefully we can develop the chronology in greater detail as HBC expands.

Seasonality

We notice that some American peaked caps were done with ear flaps. This was a seasonal style for cold weather wear. This would have been a bother for a boy wearing the cap during the summer. The ear flaps of course were for cold weather wear when these caps were worn with suits and formal winter coats like pea jackets and overcoats. We think these caps may have been made in summer and winter versions, but we are not sure. Hopefully some of our readrs will have insights on this. We only see the ear flaps when it looks cold out. In some cases like the boy here, monther probably did him up and buckled the cap. In the caps wihout chin strps, the boys may have pulled down the flaps on a really cold day.

Prevalence

We notice that some American peaked caps were done with ear flaps. As far as we can tell, American peaked caps were mostly done without ear flaps. This is apparent from the photographic record. And we do not see ear flaps at all in Britain. We do not have a good idea yet on how common ear flaps were. The Cub and school variants were all done without ear flaps and chinstraps.

Chin Straps

Chin straps seem even less common than ear flaps. And we only see the chin straps with earflaps. We have never en American boys wearing peaked caps with chin straps, unless done with ear flaps. And even with ear flaps, we have seen very few boys wearing peaked caps with chin straps. The ear flps were done with and without chin straps. We are not sure about the relative prevalence. . We have noted chin straps without ear flaps in Japan, but not in America. There was, however, a related American version. Some of these caps were one with ear flaps which buckled under the chin. Not all the peaked caps with ear flabs had chin strap buckled, but a few did.

Construction

The ear flaps tucked inside the cap. They were done in the same material bd color as the cap.

Chronology

We are also nor sure just when the ear flaps first appeared. The early caps did not have ear flaps. We do not see them until the 20th century. The examples we have found with ear flps date to the 1940s and 50s. The prevalence may have had aider chronological range, but we can not yet subtantiate that. We note one boys wearing his peaked cap and ear flps in 1948 with a pea jacket. This snap shot shows a boy named Tom Sawyer wearing a peaked cap with an ear flap buckled under his chin (figure 1). Some winter caps had ear caps that did not need to be buckled to work. These were fairly common in the 1940s and 50s. I recall eraringbjustvsuch caps. The ear flaps with peaked caps did have to be to work well and so as not to look slovenly. We do not think that the caps were made with ear flaps after the 1960s. Hopefully we can develop the chronology in greater detail as HBC expands.







HBC






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Created: 6:12 PM 4/28/2014
Last updated: 9:19 AM 6/10/2015