Cap

Unknown

first quarter 17th century · silk, linen · Costume Institute

For informal occasions at home a gentleman discarded his curled wig for the ease and comfort of a dressing cap. In order to wear a heavy wig comfortably, a man had to wear his own hair closely cropped. Naturally, when the wig was off he presented rather an awkward picture and was exposed to cold drafts in chilly rooms. Dressing caps were made in a wide variety of materials, including silk, satin, linen, and fur. The embroidery seen here – probably the handiwork of a gentlewoman – depicts on one side a fashionably dressed man wearing an undress cap while smoking, and on the other side a lady in a formal dress in a pastoral setting. Gentlemen did not sleep in these fancy caps; they preferred to wear plain cotton or wool versions, often quilted for warmth.

Artist

Unknown

Date

first quarter 17th century

Medium

silk, linen

Culture

British

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1939