Cap

Unknown

1818 · linen · Costume Institute

As was the case for centuries, children's clothing in the early 19th century continued to be modeled after adult clothing. This kind of cap, often made of linen and trimmed with embroidery or lace, was worn mainly at home by women and children throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The cap also served as protection from the cold and from drafts, which were thought to cause illnesses such as colds and sore throats.

Artist

Unknown

Date

1818

Medium

linen

Culture

American

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Sarah B. Russell, 1951