Today, brides seldom wear caps or bonnets on their wedding day. Usually, it’s a wedding veil or some cute bridal hair accessories. But in the 19th century, it was fashionable for ladies all around the world to wear a wedding bonnet on top of an intricate hairdo. When we look at these headpieces with a modern eye, some of them seem weird or even awful for us – like bonnets adorned with dead stuffed birds or bird wings – but it was the norm in the 1800s. I’d say, thank God fashion trends have changed since then.
All of these 19th-century bridal bonnets are from The Met Museum in New York.
American wedding bonnet, around 1883. It is decorated with pearls, feathers, and a stuffed bird right on the forehead
French wedding bonnet, 1849. It is made from silk fabric, embellished with an ostrich feather, and equipped with ribbons to tie the headdress under the chin
American bridal bonnet, 1837. This style of a bonnet, sometimes called “Victoria bonnet” is typical for that period. The headpiece is adorned with cute bright flowers that frame the face and give the wedding outfit a pop of color
British lace wedding bonnet, around 1850. It is made from lovely lace and silk ribbons. This headdress must have been so delicate and sophisticated for a 19th-century bride
A bit weird-looking bridal bonnet, American, from around 1868. It sits high on the crown of the head and has a long and wide ribbon to tie it under the chin. There is also a bow above the forehead
