Southern Serendipity: cap

We do see many vintage photographs of older ladies wearing caps in the 1860s. Besides being a fashion item, they were also very practical. A cap could hide less-than-perfect hair, particularly for older ladies whose hair might be thinning.

However, caps appealed to a wide range of ages and they came in many styles to accommodate the various age groups’ style preferences. Consider this quote, "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.

While mature ladies most certainly wore caps, younger women also wore them. A few CDVs are presented here to show the cross-section of ages that wore caps, as well as a bit of the variety of styles worn.

A well-dressed older lady with an "statement" cap!

A middle-aged lady with a petite cap

Obviously an elderly lady
with a fashionable dress and cap

The Viscountess Canning, aged about 42-43, ca. 1860
Met Museum. Accession Number: 2005.100.491.1 (9a)

Here's a sweet image from a Swedish fashion magazine in 1860. Mother has a lovely black chantilly lace cap, and her daughters have a net (left) and a bonnet (right). Quite a tableau!

Nyaste journal for damer 1860. Stiftelsen Nordiska museet.

And finally, here's a lovely young looking woman.

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.