Figure 1.--This unidentifid American boy was from Allegheny, Pennsylvania. The cabinent card portrait is undated, but was probably taken in the 1880s. He looks to be aboyt 12-13 years old. He wears a rather adult-styled long pants suit. But notice his soft rounded-crown hat. That is mnot a hat an adult would have worn.

We notice many American boys in the mid-19th century wearing a rounded crown hat with relatively narrow brims. We are not sure just what we should call these hats. Period catalogs generally just refer to hats without any specific names. They were made in many different varitions. The two basic types of rounded-crown hats are hard and soft crown hats. The soft rounded-crown hats look rather like caps, but as they have brims all around they are actually hats. The crown could be arched to various extents. Some were almost flat. Most were clearly rounded. The brims varied in size, but were mostly quite narrow. I think the origins of the hats may have been sailior hats, in part because they appeared at about the same time the sailor style began to be worn by boys. I don't think they were preceived at the time as a sailor hat, although we have been able to find very little written information about these hats. We notice many boys with these hats in studio portraits. They were also commonly worn to school. Various mterials are used for these caps and this varied depending on the type.

Popularity

We notice many American boys in the mid-19th century wearing a rounded crown hat with relatively narrow brims. This was one of the most popular styles for boys in the mid- and late-19th century, especially with school-age boys.

Terminology

We are not sure just what we should call these hats. Period catalogs generally just refered to hats without any specific names.

Chronology

These hats were popular in the mid- and late-19th century. We have not found much written about these hats, but we can construct a basic chronology through the photographic record. We do not yet know the precise chronology. We are not sure just when they first appeared, in part because of the lack of photography in the early 19th century. We are not sure about the 1830s. We believe that they probably appeared in the 1840s, but can not yet conform this. Nor are we sure who first introduced this style. We certainly see the hard type of these caps being worn by the 1850s. This was one of the most common type of headwear for boys. We note the soft type by the 1880, but am unsure just when they first appeared. We still these these hats being worn in the 1890s, but they become much less common after the turn-of-the 20th century, in part because boys began wearing caps more commonly.

Types and Styles

These rounded-crown hats were made in many different varitions. The two basic types of rounded-crown hats are hard/stiff and soft crown hats. The soft rounded-crown hats look rather like caps, but as they have brims all around they are actually hats. The hard version was by far the most common. Styling depended on the type of hat. The crown varied substantially from hat to hat. We see wide variation in the crowns of the hard hats . The crown could be arched to various extents. Some were almost flat. Most were clearly rounded, but the arch could vary substantially. The brims also varied in size, but were mostly of moderate or narrow with. The hat bands could alo also varied. Some seem to have had tassels.

Hat Bands

Ages

Rounded crown hats seem to have been primarily for school-age children during the 19th century. Caps were not as common for boys in the mid-19th century as they would become later in the century. Younger boys had more desinctive headwear styles. We also see younger teen agers wearing rounded-crown hats. The headwear worn by mid-teens could vary. This varied from family to family. Older teenagers turned to more adult styles. This seems to have varied somewhat demographically. Teenagers in rural areas may have worn these rounded-crown caps to older ages than more stylish city boys. Social class may have also been a factor. We suspect that boys from affluent familes were better able to keep up with the syles of the day. Thus working-class boys, especially fom rural families, woyld be likely to have worn these hats to older ages. The age of boys wearing these hats varied somewhat over time. We note older bots wearing these hats at mid-century than at the end of the century.

Origins

I think the origins of the hats may have been sailior hats, in part because they appeared at about the same time the sailor style began to be worn by boys. I don't think they were preceived at the time as a sailor hat, although we have been able to find very little written information about these hats.

Usage

Hats were much more common in the 19th than the 20th century, especially the second half of the 20th century. These hats were thus very commonly worn. We notice many boys with these hats in studio portraits. They were also commonly worn to school.

Material

Various mterials are used for these caps and this varied depending on the type. Sofy caps were made in various fabrics, often the same fabric as suits. Some seem made to even match suits. Hard or stiff rounded-crown caps were often made of felt or straw. A good example of a straw hat is the one by an unidentified American boy.

Accompaning Clothing

We note boys wearing these hats with a with range of clothing, dependong on age and other factors. We note a younger Pennsylvania boy wearing a rounded-crown hat with a kilt suit. We notice many other portraits of older boys wearing the hats with different styles of suits.

Created: 1:41 PM 1/23/2008
Last updated: 12:20 AM 8/27/2008