Figure 1.--This unisentified American boy wears a pointed collar sailor suit rather thn that the standard V-collar. He holds his broad-brimmed sailor hat. It has rather a modest brim from ome we have sen. The portrait is undated but looks like the late-1880s to us. The studio was Van Loo in Toldedo, Ohio.

There were different types of sailor hats. The only important type in America was the wide brimmed sailor hat. The wide-brimmed sailor hat originated in England and appeared later in America. It was, however, very popular in America as well. We are not sure when it first appeared in America. The photographic record suggests that it made the passage to America very quickly. The earlies example we have found looks to date to the 1850s, albeit perhaps the late-1850s. These hats seem to have been most popular in the 1880s-1900s. A good example is two unidentified brothers visiting Provincetown, Masschusetts in 1885 for a summer vacation. Notice how the smaller boy has the larger brim. The styles were fairly standard in the late-19th century. The wide-brimmed sailor hat was a classic. There were variations. but the stling was fairly standard. The opening of the South American (Ecuadorean/Pananamian) trade introduced high-quality, low priced staw hats. We see quite a number of boys wearing them at this time. They were often, but not always worn with sailor suits. we see them being worn with kilt suits. We also see them being worn with Fauntleroy suits which became popular in 1885. and kilt suits as well during this period.

The 1840s

The British royal family intrduced the Royal Navy ratings (enlisted) uniform as a style for the princes (1840s). It quickly caught on as a popular style for boys wear in Britain. We have not yet found any American examples from the 1840s, either of the sailor suit or the headwear associated with it.

The 1850s

There were different types of sailor hats worm in Britain. The only important type in America was the broad/wide-brimmed sailor hat. The wide-brimmed sailor hat originated in England and appeared later in America. It was, however, very popular in America as well. We are not sure when it first appeared in America. One Daguerreotype we have found suggesta that it was being worn by the late-1850s or it could be the early-60s. The photographic record suggests that it made the passage to America very quickly. As far as we can tell these hats were not commin in the 1850s. Photography even the early for,ats created many more images than were the case during the early-19th century. But we only get really laarg numbers of images with the CDVs in the 1860s. Thus we are sure about the prevalene of these hts in the 50s.

The 1860s

The 1870s

The 1880s

These hats seem to have been most popular in the 1880s-1900s. A good example is two unidentified brothers visiting Provincetown, Masschusetts in 1885 for a summer vacation. Notice how the smaller boy has the larger brim. The styles were fairly standard in the late-19th century. The wide-brimmed sailor hat was a classic. There were variations. but the stling was fairly standard. The opening of the South American (Ecuadorean/Pananamian) trade introduced high-quality, low priced staw hats. We see quite a number of boys wearing them at this time. They were often, but not always worn with sailor suits. we see them being worn with kilt suits. We also see them being worn with Fauntleroy suits which became popular in 1885. and kilt suits as well during this period.

The 1890s

Created: 4:20 AM 10/6/2017
Last updated: 4:20 AM 10/6/2017