Figure 1.--These rural boys are off to school, we think in the early-1900s. They wear peaked caps. While hats were dominant during the 19th century. From the beginning of the 20th century, however, almost all boys mostly wore caps to school. Note the great pooch that is right with them. Both boys carry their lunch pails.

We see American school children wearing all kinds of different types and styles of headwear to school. In the mid-19th century it was mostly hats although we do se kepis around the Civil War. Rounded-crown hats were the most common, but we see some flat-crown hats as well. They tended to be more of a city tyle for children from afflunt families. A few younger boys wore wide-brimmed hat. This also was more of a style for affluent children. We do not see many caps until the end of the century, although cold weather caps may have appeared earlier. We also see a few affluent boys wearing Scottish styles at mid-century. This followed Queen Victoria's infatuation with all things scottish and dressing the pribces in kilts. The fashion soon crossed the Ataltic, at least for fashionble, well=to-do children. We rarely, however, see the Scottish caps used for school wear. We see some sailor caps in the 1890s, but we are not sure just when hey frst appeared. We also see winter caps. After the-turn-of-the century, caps relaced hats as the primary school headwear. We see peaked caps, flat caps, beanies, swabbie caps, ski caps. logging caps, and other styles. Logging caps were a regional, style, popular in the extreme north. It was the flat cap that emerged as the standard for American boys along with knickers. Peaked caps did not disappear and wre adoptd as unifoirm item for some private schools, influenced by Bitish trend. Flat caps declined in popularity during the 1930s. Headwear became less common, except during the winter or on rainy day. Some boys began wearing baseball caps to school. Far fewer children wear any kind of headwear to school in the 21st centuy.

Caps

We do not see American school children wearing many caps until the end of the 19th century, hats were more common. The exception here was cold weather caps often with ear flsops. Thry may have appeared earlier. We also see a few affluent boys wearing Scottish styles at mid-century. This followed Queen Victoria's infatuation with all things scottish and dressing the pribces in kilts. The fashion soon crossed the Ataltic, at least for fashionble, well=to-do children. We rarely, however, see the Scottish caps used for school wear. We see some sailor caps in the 1890s, but we are not sure just when hey frst appeared. We also see winter caps. After the-turn-of-the century, caps relaced hats as the primary school headwear. We see peaked caps, flat caps, beanies, swabbie caps, ski caps. logging caps, and other styles. Logging caps were a regional, style, popular in the extreme north. It was the flat cap that emerged as the standard for American boys along with knickers. Peaked caps did not disappear and wre adoptd as unifoirm item for some private schools, influenced by Bitish trend. Flat caps declined in popularity during the 1930s. Headwear of any kind became less common, except during the winter or on rainy day. This reflected general trends. During World War II we see sailor Swabbie caps. Some boys began wearing baseball caps to school in the post-War years. Far fewer children wear any kind of headwear to school in the 21st centuy, exceot in cold or rainy weather.

Hats

The popularity of hats as a school garment has varied over time. The hat commonly associated with the 18th century was thetricorner hat, but this was an expnsive garment and we doubt that it was commonly worn by outside of affluent families in a urban areas. Remember that America was not heavily urbanized in the 18th century. Most people live in rural areas. Another issue is that many chilren dis not have formal education ot at least much of it and thus school attendance was limited, again especially in rural areas. All of this is difficult to follow before the advent of photography. There are of course some paintings, but remember that only the well-to-do could afford a painted portrait which in relative terms were much more expensive than photgraphs would be in the 19th century. So agaon we are left wondering what boys wore to school. Perhaps something like stocking caps. Hre readers may have some insights. We know more about the 19th century. We see caps early in the 19th. Military styles commonly influence men and boys fashions and the Napoleonic Wars dominated the first two decades of the 19th century. Some military styles were unsuitavle for civilian wear, but one style that came out of the Napoleonic war was the soft peakedcap, often worn with tassels. This cap enter boys's fashions as the Oliver Twist cap, often worn with skeleton suits. This was, however, another largely urban style worn by boys not neceasrily from well-to-do families, but at least families in reasonably comfortable circumstances. Another military style whch boys began to wear was the French kepi at mid-century. While caps appeared in the 19th century, it was hats that dominated most of the 19th century, and the dominated style was what is often call a preacher's hat--a rounded crown felt hat with a medium brim. We see entire classes and small schools with the boys all wearing the same hat style--the classic rounded-crown hat. And with the advent of photography (1839) we are able to follow this in some details, especially with the appearance of the CDV (1860s). The rounded-crown hat was not the only hat boys wore, there were also flat-crown hats, straw hats, and wide brimmed hats. Caps were worn throughout the century, but not nearly as commonly as hats--escpecially the basic rounded-crown hat. The alternatives to the rounded-crown hat tended to be more of a city tyle for children from afflunt families. A few younger boys wore wide-brimmed hat. This also was more of a style for affluent children. Hats declined in popularity toward the end of the century. We see this to some extent in the 880s, but it was ot until the 1890s that we begin to see really large numbers of boys wearing caps. And we note quite a range of styles. We see relatively few boys wearing hats to school after the turn-of-the 20th century. Hats did not disappear for boys. We see them as late as the 1950s. They from the early-20th century became much less common and we do not see boys wearing them to school.

Berets and Tams

Berets and tams were a very popular school garment. They were, however, a strongly gender specific garment. We only notice girls wearing them to school. We are not yet sure about the 19th century, but berets and tamms were worn by girls to school throughout the 20th century. This seems especially the case in the 1920s-30s, but we are still working on the chronology. We see them during the entire century. And unlike some boys' styles, there seems to have been little age differetuation. They were worn by grls of all ages.

Navigate the Relate Boys Historical Clothing Style Pages
[Main country page]
[Long pants suits] [Short pants suits] [Lederhosen] [Kneesocks] [Eton suits]
[Jacket and trousers] [Blazer [School sandals]

Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing School Uniform Pages
[Return to the Main U.S. school regular headwear page]
[Return to the Main U.S. school regular garment page]
[Return to the Main U.S. school garment page]
[Return to the Main National School Uniform Page]
[Australia] [England] [France] [Germany]
[Ireland] [Italy] [Japan] [New Zealand] [Poland] [Singapore] [Scotland]
[Singapore] [United States]

Navigate the HBC School Section:
[About Us]
[Activities] [Chronology] [Clothing styles] [Countries] [Debate] [Economics] [Garment] [Gender] [Hair] [History] [Home trends] [Literary characters]
[School types] [Significance] [Transport and travel [Uniform regulations] [Year level] [Other topics]
[Images] [Links] [Registration] [Tools]
[Return to the Historic Boys' School Home]

Created: 2:18 AM 2/20/2014
Last updated: 6:17 AM 5/3/2018