That "X" of cord on the side of a tricorn

[Capt Thighbiter]

Forgive me, but were not cocked hats meant to be 'unfolded' in times of inclement weather?? Seems like the X would be needed to keep the suckers sides up.

[Swashbuckler 1700]

Here is an actual tricorne hat of the Gaop period -yes it is a Russian military hat but looking pictures of hats of the period this seems to epitomize the design of the tricorn hat of the era. And apparently people succeeded to make them without X:s or any visible needlework.

http://www.hermitagemuseum.org/fcgi-bin/db2www/descrPage.mac/descrPage?selLang=English&indexClass=SUIT_EN&PID=JRT-16753&numView=1&ID_NUM=11&thumbFile=%2Ftmplobs%2FEVEK2ANVRL9UBRD%246.jpg&embViewVer=last&comeFrom=quick&sorting=no&thumbId=6&numResults=36&tmCond=hat&searchIndex=TAGFILEN&author=

[Red John]

Aye, ye can mak them weeout any crosses or stitching or ribbons er ties or whatever, but they do tend to flop down once rain, ocean spray, and they otherwise get wet or humidity gets them and so on. And yes, sometimes ye may want a broad brimmed hat in bright sun or rain, even if it has a few holes here and there from there the ties go when she's all cocked up.

And ye see, all tied up, why they make wonderful rain catchers, and even have a nice wee funnel right up front for when yer looking down at yer nice chart or tending yer fire or candle lantern or yer bedding or what have you that you really need to keep dry . . .

But on a more serious note, there were the very visible ribbon x's and then straight ribbons and cockades and all the rest, and then, not so obvious in the old art, a lot of hats just had a wee bit of stitching of same-colour thread, not ribbons, although sometimes same-colour ribbons too, both purely for the purpose of not showing - particularly ones that had a nice cockade on one side and they didn't want anything on the other side to clash or take away from it. And of course the more plain and simple hats favoured by more conservative folks, less flashy types. All in All a bit of personal and fashion taste, political expression, et cetera, that did ebb and flow over the years.

[Swashbuckler 1700]

Again I am obsessed with hats of early 1700s

I found this that might explain a bit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Early18thcenturyWars/message/1029

I am not sure what it is but there is said a think that seems to be true. In early 1700s tricorns were a bit looser since the sides weren't actually attached to the crown. Looking picture here it seems that the Bonnet picture of 1725 is one of the first pictures where anything related to the X threads. http://howstuffworks.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/ih156562.jpg

'

However looking at this example I have linked before circa 1700-1709 it looks still really compact:

http://www.hermitagemuseum.org/fcgi-bin/db2www/descrPage.mac/descrPage?selLang=English&indexClass=SUIT_EN&PID=JRT-16753&numView=1&ID_NUM=10&thumbFile=%2Ftmplobs%2FKHUKHTXMQH5QGEBL6.jpg&embViewVer=last&comeFrom=quick&sorting=no&thumbId=6&numResults=36&tmCond=hat&searchIndex=TAGFILEN&author=

Also here we can see many types of tricornes. some more compact (right side) some really loose(a soldier in the middle).

Watteau, Jean-Antoine (1684 - 1721) I don't know the date but it is done before 1721 as the artist died then.

Edited June 10, 2013 by Swashbuckler 1700

[Swashbuckler 1700]

Again I am obsessed with hats of early 1700s

I found this that might explain a bit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Early18thcenturyWars/message/1029

I am not sure what it is but there is said a think that seems to be true. In early 1700s tricorns were a bit looser since the sides weren't actually attached to the crown. Looking picture here it seems that the Bonnet picture of 1725 is one of the first pictures where anything related to the X threads. http://howstuffworks.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/ih156562.jpg

'

However looking at this example I have linked before circa 1700-1709 it looks still really compact:

http://www.hermitagemuseum.org/fcgi-bin/db2www/descrPage.mac/descrPage?selLang=English&indexClass=SUIT_EN&PID=JRT-16753&numView=1&ID_NUM=10&thumbFile=%2Ftmplobs%2FKHUKHTXMQH5QGEBL6.jpg&embViewVer=last&comeFrom=quick&sorting=no&thumbId=6&numResults=36&tmCond=hat&searchIndex=TAGFILEN&author=

Also here we can see many types of tricornes. some more compact (right side) some really loose(a soldier in the middle).

Watteau, Jean-Antoine (1684 - 1721) I don't know the date but it is done before 1721 as the artist died then.

I must correct myself. There is at least an ealier picture of a tricorn with the similar tread thingy that is clearly attached to the crown of the hat. Circa 1720

http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1477998&partId=1&searchText=south+sea+bubble&view=list&page=1

Edited June 15, 2013 by Swashbuckler 1700