Boudoir caps were worn by fashionable women at home to keep their hair intact either while sleeping or doing the chores. The fashion coincided with the popularity of Â?finger waveÂ? hair styles which were styled with heated scissor-like hair crimpers and potions to keep them flat and close to the head. The cap kept the style neat.
The word Â?bouderÂ? is French for Â?to sulkÂ?. It conjures up an image of women sulking in their private boudoirs or entertaining women friends for tea, while their husbands were out and about in the world. Boudoir caps were often decorated with lace and ribbons and could be very stylish and feminine. They were fashionably worn with the Japanese style silk kimono which came into fashion in the early 20th century.

The lace in this cap is machine made.

WomanÂ?s head piece, roughly triangular shape of pieced cotton lace made from two types of insertions sewn together by hand. One insertion is 25mm wide and has a trail with alternating trifoliate leaves. The other insertion is 15m wide with a simple trail. These two alternate across the triangle. They are sewn together by hand.
There is a lace trim almost horizontally across the back. This lace is machine lace with a scalloped edge. Another type of lace with a scalloped edge runs from ear to ear across the front.
Salmon pink, petersham ribbon, 30mm wide, forms a flat bow at the top and at the back the trailing ends of the bow are cut into a V indentation. Another pink ribbon has been cleverly folded to make semicircular fans and secured around the headpiece by stitching before being attached to the lace. It is attached inside the edge of the headdress with the fans all facing one direction.
There is a reasonable standard of construction as it is tacked together neatly to very fashionable effect. No signs of wear or attachment. It would have been pinned onto the hair.

FIBRE: Silk ribbon, cotton lace

Condition: All the lace has brown mottled marks.
Date 1866

Made: 1865 - 1890

H6422-10

1865 - 1890

320 mm

238 mm