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We do not yet have any history information on headwear ribbon streamers. 0ur information is primarily based on the photographic record. This somewhat limits our assessment because our English archiv is still fairly limited.
We have no information on their origin. Because they are most associated with sailor headwear (both caps and hats), Both boys and girls wore them. We suspect that as streamers were so common on sailor headwear that this was their actual origin, perhaps at the turn-of-the 19th century. Of course, England was famous for its navy. They may have simply been a decorative touch to sailor headwear. This included rounded crown hats which seem somewhat related to sailor hats, at least in appearance. We do not know of any practical purpose. Perhaps readers will know more about this. We see a number of children wjith the streamers. Streamers seem more common in England than other countries, but this is still something that we are just beginning to assess. We are not entirely sure how common they were. Many children were not photographed with their headwear. And even when the headwear is seen, it is not alwats possible to see if there were streamers or not. While streamers are most associated with sailor headwear, we also notice them on Scottish headwear, both Balmorals and Glengarys. They were also sometimes added to berets and tams. Most other headwear was not worn with streamers. The streamers we see are mostly black. We notice them in different width and lengths with forked ends. Streamers were almost always black. We note both single and double streamers. Streamers seem to be a decorative touch exclusively for children. We do not see adults wearing them, except with uniform items. Age trends seem to have varied depending on the type of headwear. And while both boys and girls wore them, there seem to have been were differenht age conventions.
We do not yet have any history information on headwear ribbon streamers. 0ur information is primarily based on the photographic record. This somewhat limits our assessment because our English archive is still fairly limited. We have no information on their origin. Because they are most associated with sailor headwear (both caps and hats). We think that this is primarily an artifact of the Napoleonivv wars, especially the streamers on sailor hats. Nelso and the Royal Navy were widely crdited with saving Britain from Napoleon. Thus sailor geadwear and streamers became associate with children's wear. At the same time Scottish styles, which also had streamers, became popular. Both boys and girls wore them. We suspect that as streamers were so common on sailor headwear that this was their actual origin. Of course, England was famous for its navy.
We believe English children began wearing stramers in the 19th century, perhaps at the turn-of-the 19th century. At least we have not noted streamers before the 19th century. We think that this is primarily an artifact of the Napoleonivv wars, especially the streamers on sailor hats. Most of our examples come from 19th century and very-early 20th century portraits. The only streamers we tend to see after the early-20th century are the Scottidh bonnets, escpecially the Glengaries, which English boys occassionally wore.
We note quite a few English children with headwear that had streamers. Our arcgive is not yet large ebough to assess this trend. It seems to us, however, that streaners were more common than in America. We have just begun to work on this. We are less sure about other Eiropean countries.
English boys wore streamers with different types of headwear. We see boys wearing streamers on both caps and hats. This was most common with sailor headwear. And sailor headwear included both caps and hats. This included rounded crown hats which seem somewhat related to sailor hats, at least in appearance. Unfortunately because of the standard studio frontal pose, we can not see the streamers, but we think thar they wer none-the--less very common with sailor headwear. While streamers are most associated with sailor headwear, we also notice them on Scottish headwear, both Balmorals and Glengarys. Scottish styles were popular for English boys in the 19th century. Streamers were also sometimes added to berets and tams. Most other headwear was not worn with streamers.
Streamers were usually black. This was by far the most common color. This was the case even when wearing white sailor suits.
We notice them in different width and lengths. Some boys had thick widths like the ones the boys here wearung sailor caps have. Other stramers were more slender abd ribbon like. Lengths also varied. The boys here have streamers which only came down to their shoulders. Other streamers, usually on hafs might come fown to the small of their back. Because most studio portraits were frontal shots, length is difficukt to assess.
Some streamers had forked ends. We think thsat this was fairly common, but by no means universal.
Streamer placement varied. Streamers usually hung down over the hat brim at the back of sailor hats. This varies a bit with sailot caps. Streamers were sometimes placed at the side. These were the easiest to spot. In most cases the side placement was for sailor caps. The boys here haave their sailor cap streamers placed at the side (figure 1). With hats the streamers almost always fell to the back. This is one reason that we do not note streamers very commonly in the photographic record. They are at the back obscured by the standard frontal poses.
We note boys with both single and double streamers. We are unable at this time to assess the relative prevalence of these two options for streamers because of our limited archive. The caps seem to have mostly been done with single streamers or at least streamers that did not hang separetly. We note hats with both single and double streamers. We are not sure yet which was more common. It is very difficult to assess because so many of the portraits were front views. One or two streamers were possible by using the two end of the ribbon that went around the base of the crown forming the hat band. But for this reason we do not see hats with more than two streamers. Nor do we know if there was any conventions associated with gender or age. We think probably not.
Streamers seem to be a decorative touch exclusively for children. We do not see adults wearing headwear with streamers, except with uniform items. Age trends seem to have varied depending on the type of headwear. And while both boys and girls wore them, there seem to have been were different age conventions associated with gender.
We do not know of any practical purpose. They may have simply been a decorative touch to sailor and Scottish headwear. Perhaps readers will know more about this.
We see a number of children with the streamers. Streamers seem more common in England than other countries, but this is still something that we are just beginning to assess.
We are not entirely sure how common they were. Our examples come almost entireky from studio portraits. By the time snap shots appeared, headwear with streamers were declining in popuilarity. Many children were not photographed with their headwear. And even when the headwear is seen, it is not alwats possible to see if there were streamers or not.
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