Bonnet

The bonnet was the key feature of a boatwoman's costume. The 19th century saw the end of the mob caps and straw hats as fashionable headgear, and the stiffened brim and frilled 'curtain' of bonnets became popularised. Bonnets were worn by women in almost every labouring class in England, especially those who spent a large amount of time outdoors. A bonnet could ward off both rain and sun and remained tied during windy weather along the canal.

The stiff brims were formed by rows of corded quilting, with the main part of the bonnet alternating rows of frilled tucks and gathered cording. Some more elaborate bonnets had crocheted laced, popular in canal life, or were decorated with bows and streamers. Strings, designed to tie under a woman's chin, were often left undone.

When Queen Victoria died in 1901, the nation plunged into mourning, and even the poorest boatwoman made a black bonnet. They were worn well into the 1920s and 1930s.