Red & brown nightcaps

I've already posted photos of one of this set of 8 nightcaps, the 2 in the photos below are the other jersey fabric's used in the set

Part of Ebenezer Scrooges wardrobe. 

Used to keep you head warm in the British Isle and other colder regions of Europe before central heating.

The long train of fabric forming the crown was used to wrap around the neck and act as a scarf.

Wee Willie Winky

This nightcap is made of stretchy jersey material as part of a job lot of 8 nightcaps found by mate DaveP.

In many illustrations for the nursery rhyme Wee Willie Winky he is seen wearing a Nightcap.

Wee Willie Winkie rins through the toon, 

Up stairs an' doon stairs in his nicht-gown, 

Tirlin' at the window, crying at the lock, 

"Are the weans in their bed, for it's now ten o'clock?"

"Hey, Willie Winkie, are ye comin' ben? 

The cat's singin grey thrums to the sleepin hen, 

The dog's speldert on the floor and disna gie a cheep, 

But here's a waukrife laddie, that wunna fa' asleep." 

Onything but sleep, you rogue, glow'ring like the moon, 

Rattlin' in an airn jug wi' an airn spoon, 

Rumblin', tumblin' roon about, crawin' like a cock, 

Skirlin like a kenna-what, waukenin' sleepin' fock.

"Hey Willie Winkie, the wean's in a creel, 

Wamblin' aff a bodie's knee like a verra eel, 

Ruggin' at the cat's lug and raveling a' her thrums- 

Hey Willie Winkie – see there he comes." 

Wearit is the mither that has a stoorie wean, 

A wee, stumpie, stousie, that canna rin his lane, 

That has a battle aye wi' sleep afore he'll close an e'e- 

But a kiss frae aff his rosy lips gies strength anew to me

The poem was written by William Miller in around 1840

Scary Clown

This colourful Kufi hat is worn the image below with colourful dreadlocks when I played a freaky clown at a recent event.

Hats like this come in many varieties, the shape is what puts it in the pill box group, the colour and decoration is what determine other things such, decorated with sequins and embroidery would probably make it a smoking cap, made of felt might make a medieval cap, in this case the fabric colours/pattern means its a kufi hat.

Smokey Green

Another smoking or leisure cap, this time in green and orange to match the coat and shirt, or did I buy the coat and shirt to match the hat.

This one is complete with the essential tassel. 

Alternate name I have seen recently for this hat is a Thinking Cap, this was on one vendors web site and can find no other places this style of hat is associated with the name thinking cap. 

In word definitions its says 1st know use of thinking cap was 1847 but reflecting on this I can't think why you need to know that.

This hat came from barefoot leather although is not leather.

I don't Smoke so this is a Leisure Cap

The smoking cap is a hat designed to be worn indoors, whilst not Victorian in origin that is the period I mostly associate with them.

Smoking Cap is pill box hat that is usually worn with a smoking jacket which is thick short velvet or silk jacket.

They were worn by high class gentlemen while drinking port or brandy and smoking Turkish cigarettes & cigars home, both the cap and jacket where worn to stop normal cloths and hair smelling of smoke, they also keep the head warm.

The decorated smoking caps as I'm wearing here is a result Victorian men's sweethearts using their leisure hours to stitch and embroider these caps whilst they were fighting in Crimean war.

Smoking caps became high fashion after dinner wear in the Victorian period, today they are making come back with men and women, however someone has suggested they should now be called the more politically correct 'Leisure Cap'.

Nightcap

This Nightcap was made as a Birthday present by my good friend Julie back in 2009 you can see her blog about it here. 

Nightcaps are basically beanie hats designed to keep you head warm in bed back in the days before central heating, also to reduce the spread of head lice after your wig was removed.  

Nightcaps are said to be more commonly worn as people as got older probably because they are more likely to be bald or perhaps its because older people kept the fashion going as wearing nightcaps died out in the 1800's so its associated with older people your guess is as good as mine on that front.

Nightcaps where first reported has being worn in northern Europe in the middle ages and fashionable for all people from the mid 15th to late 19th Century.

Also known as a Sleeping Cap.

Colourful Hat

This pill box shaped soft hat is what you might call a smoking cap.

A very simple ring of fabric with a fabric lid, this one is not decorated, covered in sequins, buttons, embroidered or tasselled but does have colourful panels. 

A very comfortable hat mainly for indoor use as it offer a bit of warmth to a balding head like mine.

Makes a excellent hat for a north African/Arabic trader character

In parts of Africa this would be called a kufi, kofi hat.