Figure 1.--This unidentified American boy wears a soft hat with his Norfolk knickers suit. Flat caps were more common. This was an AZO photo postcard with two triangles up and two down . This dates the snapshot it to 1918-30. Thus wec would guess the snap shot here was taken in the late-1910s or early-20s.

We have seen a number of boys wearing soft hats, often with suits or fancy blouses. We do not know what they were called at the time they were worn. While we are not sure what these hats were called, we are using the generic term 'soft hats' until we can find a more definitive name. Often in catalogs we do not find names for headwear beyond just caps and hats. So we are not sure there was an actual widely used name. We see quite a few examples of these soft hats in the photogrphic record, so it is a general category that needs to be mentioned. There may have been others terms used. Nor do we know the period conventions. We are nor sure about the chronology here. We have archived only a few examples. We have found examples from both the the 19th century and 20th century, but only the late-19th century and early-20th century (1889s-1910s). It is kind of a strange look to modern eyes, especially as dress at the time was so formal and these hats seem such an informal style. Hats are generally seen as somewhat more formal than a cap, but these soft hats have a rather informal look. Even so, we see them being worn with both suits and fancy blouses. Boys wearing knicker suits are commonly seen with flat caps. At this time we have noted these hats during the 1880s-1910s. A good example is two Pennsylvaia brothers in 1897 with mtching outfits and hats. Soft hats becme much less common, as flat caps became ubiquitous. We are not yet sure about the 1920s, but we do not see them in the 1930s. So far we have noted them in the 1900s-20, but do not see them in the 1930s. This is just our initial assessment. As HBC expands, we hope to build a more definitive assessment of the chronology. They were done in suiting fabric. Some seem like heavy fabric and others a lighter-weight fabric. Most did not match the suits, but some seem to match. We suspect that they were usually not bought as a suit set. These are hats without a shaped crown, but rather has a rather crumpled look. This gives them a rather informal appearance that does not look quite right with a suit, at least to our modern eyes.

Prevalence

We have seen a number of boys wearing soft hats, often with suits or fancy blouses. We see quite a few examples of these soft hats in the photogrphic record, so it is a general category that needs to be mentioned. There may have been others terms used. A good example is two Pennsylvaia brothers in 1897 with matching outfits and hats.

Terminology

We do not know what they were called at the time they were worn. While we are not sure what these hats were called, we are using the generic term 'soft hats' until we can find a more definitive name. Often in catalogs we do not find names for headwear beyond just caps and hats. So we are not sure there was an actual widely used name.

Conventions

Nor do we know the period conventions. It is kind of a strange look to modern eyes, especially as dress at the time was so formal and these hats seem such an informal style. Hats are generally seen as somewhat more formal than a cap, but these soft hats have a rather informal look. Even so, we see them being worn with both suits and fancy blouses. These are hats without a shaped crown, but rather has a rather crumpled look. This gives them a rather informal appearance that does not look quite right with a suit, at least to our modern eyes.

Chronology

We are nor sure about the chronology here. We have archived only a few examples. We have found examples from both the the 19th century and 20th century, but only the late-19th century and early-20th century (1880s-1910s). Boys wearing knicker suits are commonly seen with flat caps. At this time we have noted these hats during the 1880s-1910s. Soft hats becme much less common, as flat caps became ubiquitous. We are not yet sure about the 1920s, but we do not see them in the 1930s. So far we have noted them in the 1900s-20, but do not see them in the 1930s. This is just our initial assessment. As HBC expands, we hope to build a more definitive assessment of the chronology.

Materrial

They seem to have been done in suiting fabric. Some seem like heavy fabric and others a lighter-weight fabric. Most did not match the suits, but some seem to match. We suspect that they were usually not bought as a suit set.

Created: 11:58 PM 5/16/2008
Last updated: 1:48 AM 10/30/2022