Peaked Dress Cap


Figure 1.--This New York City boy wore sailor caps when he was younger. Here at about 10 years of age in 1907 he wears a peaked dress cap--although he is going out doors with his little sister to rollar skate. Click on the image to learn more about him. Image courtesy of the MD collection.

While the standard English school cap (also worn by Cubs) was the most common peaked cap. The cap style was fairly standard. We notice some stylistic differences. The size of the pdeak varied. We also notice some American boys wearing a peaked hat with a much fuller crown. I am not sure if this cap was worn in other counties as well. I am not sure what the proper name for this cap was. For the time being we are referring to it as a peaked dress cap. It appears to be a style of dress cap for boys who had outgrown sailor caps. It was often worn as a dress cap, but we notice wealthy boys wearing them for play during the winter. There was a definite class overtone here. Boys from less affluent families were more likely to wear flat caps. Wealthy boys also wore flat caps, but in contrast this style of peaked cap was not gernerally worn by working class boys. We have noted this cap from about 1900-1930. By the 30s, boys when dressing up, especially boys from wealthy families, were more likely to wear a cap styled more like a traditional English school cap. We see these caps being worn in several different countries as a kind of dress cap.

Usaage

While the standard English school cap (also worn by Cubs) was the most common peaked cap. It was often worn as a dress cap, but we notice wealthy boys wearing them for play during the winter. There was a definite class overtone here. Boys from less affluent families were more likely to wear flat caps. Wealthy boys also wore flat caps, but in contrast this style of peaked cap was not gernerally worn by working class boys.

Design

The cap style was fairly standard. We notice some stylistic differences. The size of the pdeak varied. We also notice some American boys wearing a peaked hat with a much fuller crown.

Country Trends

We are not sure how commonly the peaked cap was worn in various countries. While most assiciated with England, the peaked cap was worn in many other counties as well. We see these caps being worn in several different countries as a kind of dress cap. This was the cap worn by American boys from affluent families, normally with a suit and done to match the suit. This was the most common cap style worn with short pants suits, especially the Eton suits worn by younger American boys. English boys also wore it, bur it was more likely to be a school cap than a cap to go with a suit. We havevalso noted Dutch boys wearing these caps. We have noted boys in several other European countries wearing these caps, but less commonly then in Britain and America.

Terminology

I am not sure what the proper name for this cap was. For the time being we are referring to it as a peaked dress cap. I think peaked cap was a British term. I'm not sure if the same term was used in the United States. We also do not know what terms was used in other countries.

Age Conventions

The peaked cap appears to be a style of dress cap for boys who had outgrown sailor caps.

Chronology

We have noted this cap from about 1900-1970. By the 30s, boys when dressing up, especially boys from wealthy families, were more likely to wear a cap styled more like a traditional English school cap.








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Created: March 7, 2003
Last updated: 10:04 PM 10/19/2004