Figure 1.--Caps had been dropped at most schools by the 1980s, but several prep schools still had them as part of the school uniform. The common convention was to have them done in the same color as the school blazer. |
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British school children hzve worn a wide range of headwear. We noticed boys in the 19th centry wearing mortar board caps. The most common for boys in the 20th century was the boater and peaked cap. The peaked cap was especially common. To some extent there were age conventions. At some schools younger boys wore peaked caps and older boys boaters. Caps were once worn by nearly all British boys. They were even worn at state primaries that didn't have uniforms. Both boys going to state and private schools wore them. Gradually after World War II they became less common. They were most common at private schools anf preparatory schools. Some secondary schools insisted that the junior boys wears them, but this generally disappered in the 1970s. Preparatory schools generally continued to require them as part of the uniform. Many prep schools contunued to require them, but even at prep scools the 1980s they became less common. They are now worn at only a few schools. The caps that are still worn are generally solid colored caps, often with the school badge. Usually the cap is done in the same color as the school blazer. Earlier there was a much greater variety of caps. Many had the crown of the cap done in colored wedges. Other caps were done in concentric cirrcles. Schools also might have embroidered or metal badges. To a minor degree caps survived in games, especially cricket. School colors might be awarded as a cap. The one style worn by boys was the paeked cap.
British school children have worn a wide range of headwear. We noticed boys in the 19th century wearing mortar board or square academic caps. (There are several other terms used for these caps. They were much less common in the 20th century, but we still noted a few choir schools wearing them. The most common headwear for British boys in the 20th century were the boater and peaked cap. The peaked cap was especially common. To some extent there were age conventions. At some schools younger boys wore peaked caps and older boys boaters. The one style most commonly worn by boys was the peaked cap. This was especially true at prparatory schools. Boaters were more common at public schools. Most at prep dchools, it was the girls who wore boaters. Boaters were more commonly worn in the early 20th century, but after World war II, you rarely see prep boys wearing them. Almost always it was the peaked cap that prep boys wore, athough by the 1980s many schools had dropped any headwear requirement or just required the caps for the younger boys.
Caps or other headwear styles were once worn by nearly all British school boys. They were even worn at state primaries that didn't have uniforms. Here it was more mums buying the caps more than the schools requiring them. Both boys going to state and private schools wore them. Gradually after World War II they became less common. They were most common at private schools anf preparatory schools. Some secondary schools insisted that the junior boys wears them, but this generally disappered in the 1970s. Preparatory schools generally continued to require them as part of the uniform. Many prep schools contunued to require them, but even at prep scools the 1980s they became less common. They are now worn at only a few schools.
The peaked school caps that are still worn are generally solid colored caps, often with the school badge. This is sometimes an embroidered badge sewn on, but a few schools has pin on metal dadges. Usually the cap is done in the same color as the school blazer. Some schools had both blazers and suits, but usually the cap matched the blazer rather than the suit. We notice many different colors of caps. Earlier when caps were much more common, there was a much greater variety of caps. Some of these different styles survived into the 1980s. Many school caps had the crown of the cap done in colored wedges. Some times the wedges were done in different colors. Others just had the wedges outfined in colored piping. Other caps were done in concentric cirrcles. Schools also might have embroidered or metal badges. To a minor degree caps survived in games, especially cricket. School colors might be awarded as a cap.
