Regency Headwear: Quick 'n' Dirty Survey 1805-1812

[nuranar]

Click all pictures for the Flickr page with high resolution.  I'm doing some tagging as I go, so here are

Millinery
Headdress
Hair


There are many more plates of just bonnets, in addition to the full-length plates.  Currently I have uploaded from 1800-1812.  All can be found at the collection:
Fashion Plates
Click individual year links below to go to the set for that year.



1805-1806: "Jockey cap" bonnets and long, straight brim bonnets are the rule.

  


1807:  More long-brim bonnets.  There's one plate with a couple of long flared-brim bonnets, and a couple with brand-new brimless or nearly-brimless cap-like bonnets, different from the helmet-like shape circa 1800.




1808:  The jockey caps are back (they likely didn't disappear, I just don't have an 1807 fashion plate with them), more colorful and intricate than before.  Then crowns start getting deeper and the cap-like hats can be brimless, with front brims, or with all-around brims.




Most interesting, the jockey cap bonnet seems to morph into the poke bonnet, both with square crowns and round crowns. This plate has a particularly interesting variety.



Drawn bonnets now, and finally, the plain straw poke bonnet. Very pretty!



1809:  Lots of variety this year - jockey caps, straight brims, flared brims, no brims, round crowns, square crowns - and the color combinations are WILD.  The predominant style is still for the slightly puffy round caps with all types of brims.









English fashion plates begin to show different styles.  The blockade was in force at this time, so English fashion did do its own thing separate from the French for a while.



1810:  Mostly the same as 1809 - lots of round crowns with various brims, with a few square crown/poke bonnet shapes. The colors not quite as blinding, at least in my sample.  New developments later in the year (see below).

Classic bonnet shape. Notice how the brim extends all the way around the crown; this is something I've noticed very few reproductions do.







Here's something new: a separate "back brim"!


Now trimmed with fur, probably in time for winter. Note the plate number in the top right-hand corner.



And the English are doing their own thing.  These bonnets, with the exception of the black brimmed hat, all seem rather close to the head and more turban-like than French bonnets.







1811:  The reign of the round cap/crown is over.  The square crown is predominant, and nearly everything has a flared brim, in various widths and angles.  Later in the year, the square crown abruptly doubles in height, marking the beginning of the exaggerated high crown of the 1820s.

The last round of winter bonnets.


Very pretty spring or summer bonnets.


The new high crown.





1812:  Trims have been increased and exaggerated: big or numerous feathers, more flowers than before, big fabric trim, lots of frills.  Some round crown bonnets are back, but all with brims this year.  An innovation early in the year gives high, square crowned bonnets short brims that are turned up in front.  As the year progresses, square crowns remain high and round crowns begin to grow in height as well.  If the crowns themselves don't grow, heavy three-dimensional trim increases the apparent height.

Square crowns with turned-up brims.



Mostly round crowns in various heights, all with flared brims.



Pretty straw bonnets.



Fancy straw bonnets.



Exaggerated crowns and trims, ahoy!



England once more has access to Parisian fashions.