A Question About Bonnets

[nruetz]

Hi all,

I'm new to this forum. I joined because I had a burning question about a bonnet I saw at a Civil War reenactment recently.

I was at Fort Snelling (MN) recently for their reenactment of Minnesota veterans returning home from the war. There were many women and children dressed up, waiting to greet them. One woman in particular caught my eye.

She had on a bonnet, like most of them did. But the "brim" on hers (there's probably a better name for it) was really long. It created a tunnel in front of her face, so that you couldn't see her face unless she was looking right at you!

When I got home, I started looking up 1860s bonnets to see if I could find more like it—to no avail.

Can anyone tell me more about this? I've attached a picture for reference. The bonnet in question is worn by the woman in the white dress with horizontal stripes.

Thanks!

 

[donna]

Welcome to the forum. That is a different bonnet. I am sure one of Ladies' hat experts will get back to you.

 

[Yulie]

It's just a basic slat sunbonnet - popular from the 1840s onwards. Channels are sewn for the slats. The slats could be wood or pasteboard which keeps its form and shapes around the head. It has back ties in the back to shape at the neck and ties inside to keep it on the head.

-Yulie

 

[James B White]

Do you mean the lady in the light-colored dress in the photo? That's a slat bonnet or sun bonnet, less formal than the fashion bonnets the others are wearing, though more practical for shading the face and eyes from the sun. The basic style lasted through most of the 19th century, but Civil-War-era ones tended to have longer curtains and were straight down the sides, compared to the Little House on the Prairies style that many people consider generically old timey.

They aren't seen as often in posed studio photos because people usually dressed in their best, but crowd pictures or "candid" photos show them.

http://civilwarscholars.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Alexandria_Enslave_Pen.jpg

http://www.archives.gov/research/military/civil-war/photos/images/civil-war-013.jpg

And a Harper's Weekly illustration:
http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/civil-war/1864/november/refugees.htm

 

[nruetz]

Thank you both! I guess it makes sense that, in googling images of 1860s bonnets, I would come across more of the fancy, special occasion ones. Who wants to have their picture taken in their everyday clothes? Bo-ring!

 

[chellers]

Welcome to CivilWarTalk. Glad you joined and some of us have learned something.