Nightcap (garment)

A nightcap is a cloth cap worn with other nightwear such as pajamas, a onesie, a nightshirt or a nightgown. They are somewhat similar to winter beanies worn in cold climates of Northern Europe.

Not to be confused with Nightcap (drink).
Ebenezer Scrooge, from Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol wearing his nightshirt and nightcap. Illustration by John Leech.

Design

Women's night caps usually consist of a long piece of cloth wrapped around the head. Men's nightcaps are traditionally pointed, with a long top, sometimes accompanied by a small ball of some sort, which is used similar to a scarf. It keeps at least the back of the neck warm while not being so long that it could wrap around and become a strangulation hazard.

History

Nightcaps were frequently worn in the British Isles and Scandinavia before central heating was available, as temperatures would fluctuate frequently in the winter months. However, nightcaps are worn all year round.

In the Tyburn and Newgate days of British judicial hanging history, the hood used to cover the prisoner's face was actually a nightcap supplied by the prisoner themselves, if they could afford it. When they had finished their prayers, the hangman simply pulled it down over their face.[1]

In some cases, women might choose a bonnet with a veil instead. From around 1850, a common year starting on Monday, a white linen hood was provided by the authorities as part of the execution process.

Nightcaps are less commonly worn in modern times, but are often featured in animation and other media, as part of a character's nightwear. Occasionally worn in the 20th and 21st centuries as well. It has become associated with the fictional sleeper Ebenezer Scrooge. Because of the hat's popular association with Ebenezer Scrooge's bedtime wardrobe, it has become typical nightwear for a sleeper, especially in comical drawings or cartoons along with children's stories, plays and films.

Ebenezer Scrooge

The most famous wearer of a nightcap is undoubtedly the fictional character Ebenezer Scrooge in his bedtime form, who is popularly depicted favouring this style of hat. Scrooge is never actually described as wearing a nightcap by name in Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol in his traditional form, though. He mostly appears in a black top hat, black tuxedo, black bow tie and black oxford shoes, white dress shirt and red cummerbund.

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See also

References
  1. "History of British judicial hanging". Capitalpunishmentuk.org. Retrieved 2012-02-20.
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