The drawn bonnet consists of fabric being "drawn" or gathered over a series of canes and then fitted onto a buckram frame. A curtain was added at the back of the bonnet for modesty.

This style of bonnet was popular from the 1840s to the 1860s. Both the original bonnets date to the mid to late 1850s.

During the mid 19th century, ladies had at least one "good" bonnet and perhaps one lesser bonnet in reserve. Younger ladies and ladies of fashion may have also included a hat in their wardrobe.

Our reproduction mid 19th c drawn bonnet uses boning instead of cane for durability and does not use the buckram frame in its construction.

For more information on this time period, visit our costume history page here.

Maggie May's drawn bonnet