German Sailor Headwear: Features


Figure 1.--These German siblings in 1927 are dressed similarly for school. Noyice the cap tally and side streamers. We are not sure what the tallies say. They are not wearing the chin straps, but the caps probably had them. Notice how the streamers were positioned for best effect. We suspect that is mother's handiwork.

Three features were commonly features on sailor headwear, both caps and hats. These were chin straps, streamers, and tallies (bands). Not all sailor headwear had these features, but many did. This included the sailor headwear for both boys and girls. All three features were inspired by the actual headwear of naval uniforms. The sailor headwear worn by children was inspired or actual replicas of that worn by sailors. Sailor headwear was often made with chinstraps because of the windy conditions encountered at sea. Without chinstraps, sailors were likely to lose their caps at sea. The chinstraps were made so they could be tucked into the cap lining and not worn. As far as we cabn tell, children rarely used them. We are not entirely sure why, but many children probably considered them inconvenient. Boys notoriously resist inconventient items. Mothers do not seem to have insisted they be used. As a result, we can not prove from the photographic record that the caps and hats actually came with chinstraps, but we believe that they did. We see a few boys wearing them. Streamers are much more common in the photoigraphic record. Naval caps did have streamers and we see them on the children's caps, although they are often difficult to spot because of the frontal poses. Tallies were another interesrting features of sailor headwear. Sailors on joining the crew of a ship were given tallies (hat bands) with the name of the ship. They were also featured on children's sailor headwear. The children's tallies were commonly famous ships or a ship named after the child's city or state.

Chinstraps

Sailor headwear was often made with chinstraps because of the windy conditions encountered at sea. Without chinstraps, sailors were likely to lose their caps at sea. The chinstraps were made so they could be tucked into the cap lining and not worn. As far as we cbn tell, children rarely used them. We are not entirely sure why, but many children probably considered them inconvenient. Boys notoriously resist inconventient items. Mothers do not seem to have insisted they be used. Of course, not being on ships, the headwear was less likely to be blown away. One factor to consider is that many of tge photgraphs we have archived are studio shots. Not only was the wind unlikely to blow off headwear in the sudio, but the heeadwear (especially broad-brimmed hats) were often poitioned so that the headstraps could not be used.As a result, we can not prove from the photographic record that the caps and hats actually came with chinstraps, but we believe that they did. We do see a few boys wearing them. We wonder if the chinstraps on broad-brimmed sailor hats were not used more than the caps. One might think that these large hats might catch the wind and sail off. This is difficult to assess because most of our images are studio images and the chin straps would pnly be used outside the studio.

Streamers

Streamers are much more common in the photoigraphic record. German naval unidorm caps did have streamers. We even see them in World Iar II when they were becoming less common in other navies. And we see them on the children's caps, although they are often difficult to spot because of the frontal poses. Streamer could be quite varied. They were usually black, even on white caps. They varied in both length and width. We see some long streamers, but most were of modest length. Many see to have been wide ribbons. The streamers were usually placed at the back, but we see caps with side streamers.

Tallies

Tallies were another interesrting features of sailor headwear. Sailors on joining the crew of a ship were given tallies (hat bands) with the name of the ship. Sailors commonly saved their tallies as momentoes of their naval careers. Even if they did not save them all, they tended to save the tallies of the ships on which they had pleasant experiences. Tallies were also very commonly featured on children's sailor headwear. The children's tallies were commonly famous ships or a ship named after the child's city or state.






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Created: 5:49 AM 8/12/2010
Last updated: 5:49 AM 8/12/2010