Figure 1.-- This unidentified boy, perhaps from New York City, wears a peaked cap with a duffle cioat. Notice the toggle closures. We suspectbhe has a suit on underneath. The snapshot was taken in 1960.

We see both working-class boys and boys from affluent families waring peaked caps in America during the early-20th century. We see a few boys wearing these cap to school. Some of the peaks (bills) seem very small such as the one the boy here is wearing (figure 1). The peaked cap declined in popularity during the 1910s, especially as a casual cap style, with older school-age boys. We see boys wearing peaked caps as a formal style with suits in the 1910s, but it was not nearly as common as in the 1900s. Increasingly American boys began wearing flat caps which became virtully universal in the 1920s. They had peaks, but with a flat rather than a roubnded crown.We no longer see boys wearing the traditional peaked caps as a casual style in the 1920s. The peaked cap did not disappear, rather than the conventions surrounding it changed. It became a formal cap worn by boys fromm affluent famillies. Gradually it became more associated with younger boys. It was often, but not exclusively worn with Eton suits. It might even match the suits. It is at this time both age and social class conventions developed. The age conventions were essentially the same as those for Eton suits. A good example is Stephen Jones, a Baltimore boy in 1949. The peaked cap was also the style chosen for the new Boys Scout Cub movement (1930). It was copied from the British Cub uniform, although in different colors. We still see boys wearing peaked caps into the 1960s as a kind of dress-up cap with a suit. After the 60s we rarely see school-age boys wearing these caps. The peaked cap continued to be worn by younger boys with Eton suits into the 1970s.

The 1900s

We see both working-class boys and boys from affluent families waring peaked caps in America during the early-20th century. We see a few boys wearing these cap to school. Some of the peaks (bills) seem very small such as the one the boy here is wearing (figure 1). The subsequwnt age and using conventions did not exist in the 1900s. There were several differeht cap styles and they seem to have been worn interchsngeably.

The 1910s

We see many boys wearing British-styled peaked caps in the 1900s, but in the 1910s, while the peakd cap did not diappear, the flat cap became clearly dominant. The British-style peaked cap which was quite common in the 1900s declined in popularity. It also began to take on a more upper-class association and became more of a formal style worn with suits. Some had ear flaps although we are not percisely sure when they were added. We do not see these ear flaos in England. Peaked caps were mostly done it suiting colors and fabrics and might actully be purchased with a suit as a matching item. In fact the peak cap in the 1910s became a cap usually worn with suits. This was not the case in the 1900s when we see boys wearing peaked caps as one of several casual caps. We do not see the bright colors associated with school wear that we seen in Britain. Some private American schools adopted the flat cap as part of a school unifornm, but this affected a relatively small numbr of boys. The peaked caps we note in the early-20th century commonly had a relatively small peak or bill. We begin to see an age range convention developing betwww=een the peaked cap and the flat cap in the 1910s.

The 1920s

Increasingly American boys began wearing flat caps which became virtully universal in the 1920s. They had peaks, but with a flat rather than a roubnded crown.We no longer see boys wearing the tradiional peaked caps as a casual style in the 1920s. The peaked cap did not disappear, rather than the conventions surrounding it changed. It became a formal cap worn by boys fromm affluent famillies. Gradually it became more associated with younger boys. It was often, but not exclusively worn with Eton suits. It might even match the suits. It is at this time both age and social class conventions developed. The age conventions were essentially the same as those for Eton suits.

The 1930s

The peaked cap was also the style chosen for the new Boys Scout Cub movement (1930). It was copied from the British Cub uniform, although in different colors. It would be wirn by cubs fir five decades. >br>

The 1940s

Peaked caps became the standard cap to be worn with suits, although we see fewer boys wearing headwear in the 1940s. Thge Eton suit was a popjular style for younger boys and were akmost akways worn with peaked caps if the boy had heaeadwear. A good example is Stephen Jones, a Baltimore boy in 1949.

We still see boys wearing peaked caps into the 1960s as a kind of dress-up cap with a suit. After the 60s we rarely see school-age boys wearing these caps.

The 1970s

The peaked cap continued to be worn by younger boys with Eton suits into the 1970s.

Created: 2:19 AM 1/24/2014
Last updated: 9:47 PM 8/10/2014