Need help dating these bonnets

Vintage Runway

Vintage Runway

VFG Member
I feel the first one is a night cap and not sure about the second. Can anyone help me date these?

Thank you.

DSC_1105 (2).JPG DSC_1106 (2).JPG DSC_1107 (2).JPG DSC_1108 (2).JPG DSC_1109.JPG DSC_1110.JPG DSC_1111.JPG DSC_1112 copy.jpg DSC_1113.JPG DSC_1114.JPG DSC_1115.JPG DSC_1116.JPG DSC_1117.JPG
 
I don't know about the first one. It may be a night cap. The second is whitework or broderie anglaise and looks like it may be an exterior cap - the crown may want to be dressed for height rather than length? It could be 1850s, I think it would be safe to call it mid 19th Century.
 
Hi,

Wish I could be helpful, but these caps are hard to date, as we know! For me, I really have not done more than a small bit of research on them. The first one does seem a night cap, but is such a plain style and these were made in so many eras that I am not sure at all when to date it. The fancy whitework cap is really beautiful. Are the ribbons original to the cap? I might place it to the late 1800s, but that is just a guess. The ribbons in the 1850s and 1860s tended to be fairly wide or very wide, and these look not so wide. Since old and matronly ladies wore these well into the 20th century, at least through the WWI era, it makes it even harder to date them (for me). If they are European in origin, they could be as late as 1920 or so.

Sorry I cannot be of much help but these usually stump me!
 
Well I'm going to play devil's advocate here and say I think the second bonnet could be earlier - around 1820's. The reason I'm thinking this is primarily because I wore something similar for a well researched and dressed film set around this period and the shape of the bonnet is really determined by the hairstyle worn beneath it. The fashion for 1820's hair is a high bun at the back and curls at the front/fringe. This sort of bonnet is a petticoat, if you will, for the 'over' bonnet. There to provide volume between the hair and the larger bonnet, decoration in the open space between the brim and hair in the form of the broderie anglaise which would be seen, and protection, from the inside of the outer bonnet which could be unlined (this would stop the hair catching on the cane etc. inside). When I tried one on (my hair is quite long and thick now) the dresser said it hadn't worked on anyone until I put it on - because of the volume of hair that is supposed to be in the 'bun' and it looked just like this and really helps to make the over bonnet sit correctly with a nice shape. I would fill the bun section with tissue to puff it out to show it's true shape.
Suggested hairstyle:
https://i.pinimg.com/236x/b3/7e/ab/b37eabac9b260eb4810d4f81149b2d11--romantic-period-hair-style.jpg
b37eabac9b260eb4810d4f81149b2d11--romantic-period-hair-style.jpg

and it might have gone underneath something like this:
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O135244/bonnet-unknown/
2008BT6539_jpg_ds.jpg


I don't see it as outerwear because the back is plain and other examples I have seen are decorated all over where it can be seen. This suggests only the front portion is seen to me.
 
Pinkcoke said:
Well I'm going to play devil's advocate here and say I think the second bonnet could be earlier - around 1820's. The reason I'm thinking this is primarily because I wore something similar for a well researched and dressed film set around this period and the shape of the bonnet is really determined by the hairstyle worn beneath it. The fashion for 1820's hair is a high bun at the back and curls at the front/fringe. This sort of bonnet is a petticoat, if you will, for the 'over' bonnet. There to provide volume between the hair and the larger bonnet, decoration in the open space between the brim and hair in the form of the broderie anglaise which would be seen, and protection, from the inside of the outer bonnet which could be unlined (this would stop the hair catching on the cane etc. inside). When I tried one on (my hair is quite long and thick now) the dresser said it hadn't worked on anyone until I put it on - because of the volume of hair that is supposed to be in the 'bun' and it looked just like this and really helps to make the over bonnet sit correctly with a nice shape. I would fill the bun section with tissue to puff it out to show it's true shape.
Suggested hairstyle:
https://i.pinimg.com/236x/b3/7e/ab/b37eabac9b260eb4810d4f81149b2d11--romantic-period-hair-style.jpg
b37eabac9b260eb4810d4f81149b2d11--romantic-period-hair-style.jpg

and it might have gone underneath something like this:
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O135244/bonnet-unknown/
2008BT6539_jpg_ds.jpg


I don't see it as outerwear because the back is plain and other examples I have seen are decorated all over where it can be seen. This suggests only the front portion is seen to me.
Click to expand...
Wow! What great information! That makes a lot of sense. The back being so plain and the front so decorative did seem odd but this explains it. Thank you!
 
They are tough to date accurately. The second cap could be early, but then I wonder if it may be a girl's bonnet and later? Anyway, the first one I feel more confidant in identifying as a mid-late 19th century night cap - for wearing in bed to keep the hair set in place while you slept.
 
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