Date: c. 1920s
Origin: Unknown
Fabric: Knitted rayon, Schiffli embroidered tulle
Brand: Unknown
A boudoir cap with inserts of knitted rayon, framed with appliquéd, Schiffli embroidered tulle panels. It is embellished with rouleau straps of the rayon knit fabric that have been stitched into coils on either side of the head, with small loops hanging down over the wearer’s ears.
The boudoir cap is a type of lingerie headwear, most commonly worn during the nineteenth to early twentieth centuries. It was originally worn over undressed hair, worn in the privacy of the boudoir alongside nightwear. In the 1910s and 1920s, it would be commonly worn to protect shorter hair styles during sleep. As the designs became more and more elaborate towards the 1930s, it began to be considered more of a decorative hair net. Like other forms of lingerie, boudoir caps were usually made in fine fabrics such as lace, tulle and satin. Embellishment was often profuse, with techniques such as ribbonwork being particularly commonplace.
From the collection of Karolina Laskowska
