In its original form, the boudoir cap was worn over undressed hair,[2] and has been compared to the 18th centurymob cap.[3][4] Particularly towards the end it was designed to be worn in the privacy of theboudoir withnegligees ornightwear.[3] It was often made from lightweight lingerie-type fabrics such asmuslin, lace, crochet ornet, and trimmed with silk ribbon and lace.[3][5]
During its later revival in the 1910s and 1920s, it was used to protect short hairstyles whilst sleeping,[6] or first thing in the morning as ideal "for the smart bedroom woman"[7] to hide the morning hair mess.[5][8] In London, during the WWIZeppelin raids, women grew more self-conscious of their night attire as bombings often led Londoners to evacuate their houses in the middle of the night. Boudoir caps were a preferred choice to rapidly and stylishly cover their hair.[9]
Towards the end of the 1920s and into the 1930s, the boudoir cap evolved into a form of decorativehairnet.[6] The fashion of short hair for women contributed to the declining use of the boudoir cap.[10]
