What Style of Cap Was Worn?

An endless variety of ladies' caps were worn in the mid-1860s. Caps had been around for a very long while, so the idea was not new. Only the styling changed to suit the fashions of the day.

As with many items, how elaborate the cap was depended on the formality of the occasion, the type of event, or the lady’s station in life. If you were wealthy, your cap would likely reflect your status. A lady of more moderate means would have a cap of more moderate appearance.

One of my favorite quotes is, "Caps are the most difficult articles to advise on; they almost entirely depend on the taste of the milliner and the fashion of the day." (Godey's, June 1860) Even the trendy Godey’s Lady’s Book could not give any concise or definitive guidelines on what was considered the appropriate look.

I like this cap because it is so straightforward without a lot of fuss and muss. In fact, some of the caps that I create are very similar to this design from Godey’s Lady's Book, July 1860. It is called the "Nell Gwynne" and is simply a "lace piece" gathered at the top with a bow.

Enjoy these carte de vistas from the era that show the variety of caps worn. Some I found online and others are from my collection.

A jaunty lace cap on a young lady

A pretty, and perhaps understated cap

Most definitely showing off her lace lappets!

Certainly this is a grand cap!

Once again, quite the fancy cap!

Note the tones of materials used for the cap—not unusual for this time period 

These ladies are sporting both square and rectangular caps
From "Forgotten Faces and Long Ago Places"

I enjoy making Victorian caps and have many listed in my shop!

Breakfast Caps

In the mornings a Victorian lady often wore a "breakfast cap" as she began her day. Breakfast caps were generally fashioned from cambric, fine muslin, or perhaps dotted mull. Ladies' books of the day lobbied for a "simple toilet" for breakfast caps--meaning that trim should only consist of ribbons and narrow lace edging or insertion. For example, Godey's (July 1861) tells us that, "Many ladies prefer muslin and cambric as the material for breakfast caps, and in fact either is more suitable than lace for that purpose, as breakfast is a meal that presupposes negligee [casual attire] and a simple toilet."

However, depending on one's station in life, a "simple toilet" might actually be rather frilly despite the magazine exhortations.

 To the left is a "simple" breakfast cap from Arthur's Lady's Home Magazine in 1863. Lace and ribbons are a common adornment for breakfast caps and this cap features these.

Another breakfast cap is shown in this image below. Most breakfast caps seem to have been made from white fabrics, but do notice that this cap below is constructed of "dotted black lace over white" so there was evidently some variation.

The print below shows quite an elaborate cap that might be a breakfast cap because the lady is shown in her morning wrapper. Notice that this cap has lappets, lace, ribbons, and what appear to be millinery flowers. Not quite a "simple toilet."

Allgemeine Moden-Zeitung, 1862

Another style of breakfast cap.

Would You Wear A Cap?

Reenactresses and docents can also don a breakfast cap with their morning attire. A breakfast cap is a period way of hiding less-than-perfect hair. Upon tidying your hair for the day, you might replace your breakfast cap for a daytime cap that could be more elaborate.

I have also found opportunities to wear my breakfast cap at events with my reenacting girlfriends. And if we are all lodged in the same hotel, we have sometimes made plans to "astonish the natives" by wearing our wrappers and breakfast caps to the hotel's dining room for breakfast!

If you really love Victorian dress, you can wear a breakfast cap any morning! Who wouldn't want to put on one of these darling little creations in the morning? The Victorian ladies might have had the right idea after all!

Looking cute in our wrappers and caps!