Figure 1.-- This family snapshot shows an unidentified family scene, father with his son and dog. The boy wears short pants with a side stripe. These shorts were commonly worn at summer camps. He also wears double-bar closed toe sandals. These were not common at summer camps. So this seem to be a summer home secne. The sporty roadster dates to the mid-1930s, although we can not yet date the make and year. The dog is a Boston terrier. While American industry was using steel, chrome, copper, rubber, and other strategic materials to turn out these wonderful cars, in Europe the German industry was producing tanks, other military vehicles, and airceaft.

An exception to the general convntions for sailor hats and caps was the swabbie cap. We note American boys wearing these caps beginning in the 1920s. This was the uniform cap worn by enlosted men in the U.S. Navy. We are not entirely sure when it was introduced , but believe it was the 1910s. It was worn by sailors during World War I. Perhaps war surplus sales after World War I was a factor in the populariry of the swabbie cap with boys. We are not sure why it was so popular. Unlike many other sailor caps it was worn as a casual style, not a dress-up cap and usually not with sailor suirs. It was a cap worn as a casul style for play. We see countless boys wearing it in the photogrphic record. We believe the boys wearing these caps did so out of choice and not because mothers purchased the caps without being requested to do so. The caps were done by the Navy in white and navy blue, but we only see boys wearing the white caps. We are not entirely sure why boys liked it so well. Surely it was because of the poularity of the U.S. Navy. But the U.S. Navy had not played a major role in World War I so we are not entirely sure why boys like wearing these caps so well. There were two ways of wearing these caps, with the vrim pulled down and worn up. As with other sailor caps, it was usually just called a sailor cap. I think the swabie cap was a desstinctively American style. We see American boys wearing them through the 1940s. Thy were very common, especilly as the flat cap began to decline in popularity. They were a casual cap, not worn by boys when dressing up. The boy here is a good example as to the casual use of the cap (figure 1). It was mostlu worn by pre-teen boys. And they were more commonly worn by boys not wearing sailor suits and those actually wearing sailor outfits. The swabie cap went out of style in the 1950s.

Chronology

An exception to the general convntions for sailor hats and caps was the swabbie cap. We note American boys wearing these caps beginning in the 1920s. This was the uniform cap worn by enlosted men in the U.S. Navy. We are not entirely sure when it was introduced , but believe it was the 1910s. It was worn by sailors during World War I. Perhaps World War I and II war surplus sales after World War I was a factor in the populariry of the swabbie cap with boys. We see American boys wearing them through the 1940s and into the 50s. The were very common, especilly as the flat cap began to decline in popularity. The swabie cap went out of style in the 1950s.

Popularity

We are not sure why it was so popular. Unlike many other sailor caps it was worn as a casual style, not a dress-up cap and usually not with sailor suirs. It was a cap worn as a casul style for play. We see countless boys wearing it in the photogrphic record. We believe the boys wearing these caps did so out of choice and not because mothers purchased the caps without being requested to do so. We are not entirely sure why boys liked it so well. Surely it was because of the poularity of the U.S. Navy. But the U.S. Navy had not played a major role in World War I so we are not entirely sure why boys like wearing these caps so well. I think the swabie cap was a desstinctively American style.

Colors

The caps were done by the Navy in white and navy blue, but we only see boys wearing the white caps.

Wearing

There were two ways of wearing these caps, with the vrim pulled down and worn up. Notice the boy here had covked his cap.

Terminology

As with other sailor caps, it was usually just called a sailor cap.

Conventions

They were a casual cap, not worn by boys when dressing up. The boy here is a good example as to the casual use of the cap (figure 1). Younger boys may have worn it with a sailor suit, but mostly we see it being worn for play as casual wear, often after school or doing the summer.

Age Trends

Age trends can be basically pieced togethr by the photographic record. The swabie cap was mostly worn by pre-teen boys. This included both pre-school and school-age boys, but mostly school-age boys. As far as we can tell, the popularity was roughly the same throughout the primary (elementary) grade school years. Perhaps a little more the older cohorts as the boys began to exercise more control over what thgey wore. They seen very popular with primary-age boys. We see boys in their early-teens wearing them, but not very many older teens.

Accompanying Clothes

And they were more commonly worn by boys not wearing sailor suits and those actually wearing sailor outfits. Thi was because the sailor suit declined in popularity aftr World War I. Thus except for younger boys, we see very few sailor suits. Thus the photographic record clearly shows these caps being worn by older primary-age boys not wearing sailor suits.

Created: 11:56 PM 11/20/2014
Last updated: 10:53 AM 7/28/2017