Smoking caps, also known as lounging caps, were Victorian headwear worn by men while

smoking Smoking is a practice in which a substance is burned and the resulting smoke is typically breathed in to be tasted and absorbed into the bloodstream. Most commonly, the substance used is the dried leaves of the tobacco plant, which have bee ...

to stop their hair from smelling of tobacco

smoke Smoke is a suspension of airborne particulates and gases emitted when a material undergoes combustion or pyrolysis, together with the quantity of air that is entrained or otherwise mixed into the mass. It is commonly an unwanted by-product ...

. They were soft caps, shaped like a squat cylinder or close fitting like a

knit cap A knit cap is a piece of knitted headwear designed to provide warmth in cold weather. It usually has a simple tapered shape, although more elaborate variants exist. Historically made of wool, it is now often made of synthetic fibers. Found a ...

, and usually heavily

embroidered Embroidery is the craft of decorating fabric or other materials using a needle to apply thread or yarn. Embroidery may also incorporate other materials such as pearls, beads, quills, and sequins. In modern days, embroidery is usually seen on c ...

with a

tassel A tassel is a finishing feature in fabric and clothing decoration. It is a universal ornament that is seen in varying versions in many cultures around the globe. History and use In the Hebrew Bible, the Lord spoke to Moses instructing him to ...

on top. They were originally worn for warmth, but continued with their new use after improvements in Victorian heating. They were popular in the period 1840-1880, and usually used by

gentlemen A gentleman (Old French: ''gentilz hom'', gentle + man) is any man of good and courteous conduct. Originally, ''gentleman'' was the lowest rank of the landed gentry of England, ranking below an esquire and above a yeoman; by definition, the ra ...

in the privacy of their homes. The need for smoking caps, and smoking wear generally, arose from the social more of not smoking in front of women, and not smelling of smoke when one returned to their presence. They were often a gift from women, who made them themselves to give to male partners. They were often worn with a

smoking jacket A smoking jacket is an informal men's style of lounge jacket originally intended for tobacco smoking, designed in the 1850s. A classic-styled smoking jacket comes in a shawl collar, turn-up cuffs, toggle or button fastenings, or simply be closed ...

, but while the jacket was more or less ''de rigueur'', the cap was optional. Neither was worn by everyone, as smoking was not as popular as it became in the twentieth century,Christopher Hibbert, ''The Horizon Book of Daily Life in Victorian England'', p. 14, American Heritage Publishing Company, 1975 . although they could also be worn as part of a man's

loungewear Casual wear (or casual attire or clothing) is a Western dress code that is relaxed, occasional, spontaneous and suited for everyday use. Casual wear became popular in the Western world following the counterculture of the 1960s. When emphasis ...

outfit with no connection to smoking. The decoration of the cap was often very ornate and colourful. Designs were particularly influenced by the designs of the

Near NEAR or Near may refer to: People * Thomas J. Near, US evolutionary ichthyologist * Near, a developer who created the higan emulator Science, mathematics, technology, biology, and medicine * National Emergency Alarm Repeater (NEAR), a form ...

and

Middle East The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...

, a common Victorian influence in many other areas.Jennifer F. Gordon, "Smoking caps", pp. 234–235 in, José Blanco F. (series ed), Mary D. Doering (volume ed), ''Clothing and Fashion: American Fashion from Head to Toe'', vol. 1, ABC-CLIO, 2015 .

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* {{Authority control 19th-century fashion Caps Smoking Tobacciana

See also

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