Figure 1.--This 1999 fashion magazine showed a boy with a Tam O'Shanter posed with his fashionably dressed mother. Click on the image for a enlarged view.

I'm not sure just when the Tam O'Shanter first appeared. They may have appeared before they were actually referred to by that name. I have first noticed the caps in mid-19th century paintings of boys wearing kilts. Subsequently theu were worn by boys in many other outfits such as Little Lord Fauntleroy suits during the 1880s. They subsequently declined as boys' wear in America, especially in the early 20th century before World War I (1914-18). HBC knows less about Scotland. The tam has nerver entirely disappeared. They are occasionally seen in the mid 20th century. HBC has occasionally noted them in fashion magazines which may show smartly dressed younger boys in Tam O'Shanters.

Origins

I'm not sure just when the Tam O'Shanter first appeared. They may have appeared before they were actually referred to by that name. The name is obviously Scottish, but the look is more like a Frebch beret. We notice them most commonly in Britain and France so presumably the origin is one of these two countries. They were also popular in America, but surely did not originate there.

Decades

I have first noticed the caps in mid-19th century paintings of boys wearing kilts and kilt-like outfits. At this time the earlist appearance in a French fashion magazine that we have noted is the 1880s, but the tam may have been worn even earlier. They appear to have been very popular in France and Britain beginning in the 1880s. They were worn by boys in many other outfits such as Little Lord Fauntleroy suits during the 1880s. They subsequently declined as boys' wear in America. We note them in America during the 1890s and the early 20th century before World War I (1914-18). HBC knows less about Scotland, but the tam must have extensively worn there. The tam has nerver entirely disappeared. They are occasionally seen in the mid 20th century. HBC has occasionally noted them in fashion magazines which may show smartly dressed younger boys in Tam O'Shanters.