Figure 1.--This unidentifified but fashionable American boys wears a light-colored double-breasted knee pants suit with a matching peaked cap and black long stockings. He looks to be about 11-years old. The whicker furniture and the mount help to date the portrait. We would guess it was taken in the late-1890s, although the early-1900s is possible. The studio is Wick in Norwich New York,

The peaked cap first appeared in Britain during the mid-19th century as a sport or games cap. We are not sure just when these caps acrossed the Atlantic. Many American private schools has close associations with British schhools--the prepratoty and public (elite private bording) schools. They followed the methods and traditions of these schools. Thus we expect that the first peaked caps appeared at American private schools. We see these caps being worn with quite a range of outfits in the late-19th century. We are not sure about the 1870s. We note boys wearing these caps with kilt suits. We do not yet have any dated examples. The first exmples we have noted is a few younger boys wearing them with Little Lord Faumtleroy suits. This meant the 1880s. We note boys wearing them with Fauntleroy suits, sailor suits, and many other outfit characteristic of the period. We do see boys wearing these caps with Fauntleroy suits and kilt suits in the 1880s. It was one of many types of headwear worn with these outfits. This continued into the 1890s. as was common, the only examples we have are from studio portraits whicjh mny for dressy, formal occasions. We see them being wirn both matching the suit and with contrasting material and colors. It is a little hard to tell, but the boy's cap here seem to be close in color to his jcket, but not matching, presumably purchased seprately. Amateur snapshots were not common until the turn-of-the 20th century. This we do not know to what extent thy were worn as a casual cap. We see this in early-20th century snapshots so we suspect it was also common in the late-19th century.

The 1870s

The peaked cap first appeared in Britain during the mid-19th century as a sport or games cap. We are not sure just when these caps acrossed the Atlantic. Many American private schools has close associations with British schhools--the prepratoty and public (elite private bording) schools. They followed the methods and traditions of these schools. Thus we expect that the first peaked caps appeared at American private schools. We see these caps being worn with quite a range of outfits in the late-19th century. We are not sure about the 1870s. We note boys wearing these caps with kilt suits. We do not yet have any dated examples. We have found some examples that look likethe 70s,but they are not dated imagesso we can not be sure.

The 1880s

The first exmples we have noted is a few younger boys wearing them with Little Lord Faumtleroy suits. This meant the 1880s. We note boys wearing them with Fauntleroy suits, sailor suits, and many other outfit characteristic of the period. We do see boys wearing these caps with Fauntleroy suits and kilt suits in the 1880s. It was one of many types of headwear worn with these outfits. Hats were much more common than caps in the 1880s, especially when children were dressing up. We do notie one little Massachusetts boy wearing a peaked cap at a church outing. Most of the other children wore hats.

The 1890s

This continued into the 1890s. as was common, the only examples we have are from studio portraits which many for dressy, formal occasions. We see them being worn both matching the suit and with contrasting material and colors. It is a little hard to tell, but the boy's cap here seem to be close in color to his jacket, but not matching, presumasbly purchased seprately (figure 1). Amateur snapshots were not common until the turn-of-the 20th century. This we do not know to what extent they were worn as a casual cap. We see this in early-20th century snapshots so we suspect it was also common in the late-19th century. we also note exmples kf boys wearing peaked caps as a casual style.

Created: 8:26 PM 2/4/2011
Last updated: 7:48 PM 5/15/2016