Figure 1.-- This CDV portait was taken during the Civil War period. The tax stamp on the back show that it was taken sometime durung 1864-66. The unidentified boy wears a cut-away jacket with long pants. He holds a peaked military cap, but not a kepi like Civil War soldiers. Note the sporty tassle. The studio was W. J. Smyth in New Berlin, New York.

The peaked military cap was a popular boys' style for most of the 19th century. We noticed some different styles over time. They appeared as far as we can tell in the early-19th century, but I am not sure precisely when. Following fashions before the invention of photography is difficult. The early caps were based on European fashions--a Napoleonic War military cap style. We are not sure what to call them. we note some refernces to olivervTist caps, but that is not what they would have been called at the time. Perhaps readers will have an idea. We know they were worn in the 1820s and during the first half of the century. We notice these caps, or at least some similar-looking ones, later, but not as commonly. These caps were probably the most important headwear style in the early-19th century. Rounded-crown hats appear to have begun to replaced them in importance by mid-century. The caps were made in many different forms. Some had leather brims while others were all cloth. They were sttill worn in the 1880s. We also seem them in the 1890s, but by that time they were beginning to be less common. A good example are boys at the Kern City School in 1891. We see the kepi caps, another peaked military style becoming important as a result of the CIvil War. hey were the primary uniform cap worn by both Confederate and Federal soldiers. And we see them being worn for several decades after the War. They were no, owever, as popular as one might think after the Civil War, perhaps the most mamouth undetaking (in relative terms) of the American Republic. Surely the boys would have wanted them. Perhps the mothers did not totally approve because of the horrors of the War.

Chronology

The peaked military cap was a popular boys' style for most of the 19th century. They appeared as far as we can tell in the early-19th century, but we are not sure precisely when. As far as we can tell, these caps were more important as boys' wear in the first half of the 20th century, especially before the appearance of straw hats. This is a little difficult tel tell in the first half of the entury before photograophy was invented or very common. This changed in the second half if the century, especially after the appearnce of CDVs and cabinets cards which were done in huge quantities (1860s).

Styles

We noticed some different styles of peaked military caps over over time. They were a range of stylistic variationson these basic styles, but the basic types were Oliver Twist caps and kepis. The Oliver Twist caps dominated in the first half of the 19th century, butwe see a few in the second half of the decade. They were done in many different styles. The kepis dominated in the 1860s. There were minor sylistic differences, but the basic kepi style was fairly standard. Given the enormity of the Civil War we would have expected far more boys were wearing these caps than we see in the historical records. And because of the explosion in photography as a result of the albumen process and the CDV we have an unparalled look at popular fashion in the 1860s. And we only see a few examples after the the 60s.

Prevalence

We are not sure about the prevalence of these styles. We think the Napoleonic War peked military cap, often called Oliver Twist caps, were very popular in th early-19th century. This is difficult to tell becuse of the absence of photography. And we are not sure about social-class trends. This seems like a rther expensive cap. It may have been mostly worn by middle-clas boys. Kepis appeared at mid-century. They were worn during the Civil War and boys also began wearing them. They d ot, however, appear extensively unte photographic record. We see some, but rounded-crown hats and other headwear styles were much more common. We find this somwhat surprising as we suspect this was a style that would have appealed to many boys. We note in the 20th centry that boys liked to wear military styled caps, but not when mothers dressed them up. This may be what we are seeing n the 19th century photographic record.

Created: 11:57 PM 4/18/2014
Last updated: 6:38 AM 8/2/2024