Yorktown Military Tricorn - White Edging - American Revolutionary Felt order Hat

Made from a black wool hat body. (We do our best to represent the colors of the hats accurately, but lighting and monitor differences may vary.)

Unlike our other tricorns, this one has a higher front as seen in the Yorktown painting. This three cornered hat is made from a top quality wool felt hat blank. The edges have been trimmed. and the sides are held up or "cocked" with "x" shaped lacings and edged with white cotton edging.

The brim measures about 4.25" to 4.5" and the crown is about 4" high.

These hats are unlined.

Wear it plain or attach a cockade to show your alliance. See the Ccckade and Rosette section for a multitude of choices.

We have attached a picture of Washington holding a tricorn with an American alliance cockade for reference.

Pictured also is the painting "Surrender of Lord Cornwallis" by John Trumbull, depicting the British surrendering to French (left) and American (right) troops at the Siege of Yorktown. Oil on canvas, 1820. (Notice some of the American troops have red feathers. Is this the replacement for the red cockade of the field officer? Do the white ones indicate officers? Anybody know?)



The hat body has been blocked and sized.
Available in S, M, L, XL, 2X
HAT SIZING

NOTICE: Please measure around your forehead and send us that measurement so we can block the hat especially for you. Below is a guideline for ordering the size felt blank we will use in making your hat.
Small - 21 1/2"
Medium - 22 1/2"
Large - 23"
XLarge - 23 1/2
2XL - 24" or larger
3X - fits up to 24 5/8" head

In 1780, the military cockade system was changed from the officer's colors (red, gold and green) to black with a white center. France had entered the war against Britain in 1778 and France's cockade was white. Thus, as a symbol of the two nations' alliance, George Washington established that the American cockade would be an Alliance Cockade – black with a white center. Many of the French troops likewise wore an Alliance Cockade of white with a black center. Convo us if you want to custom order a tricorn with a French Alliance Cockade!

We order ship via USPS - Priority Mail - Insured for safety so that you will receive your package in 2-3 days and you can track it on-line.

ATTENTION: We highly recommend a Hat Jack for any of your wool felt hats to keep them from shrinking as well as maintaining their proper shape. When the sides of a hat are "cocked" up, it has a tendency to become misshaped when in storage due to moisture in the atmosphere as well as perspiration.

They can be found here: www.etsy.com/listing/777727203


The tricorne or tricorn (three-cornered hat) is a style of hat that was popular during the 17th and 18th centuries. During that time period this general style were referred to as "cocked hats". At the peak of its popularity, the cocked hat (tricorn) varied greatly in style and size, and was worn not only by the aristocracy, but also as common civilian dress, and as part of military and naval uniforms.

The hat's most distinguishing characteristic was that three sides of the brim were turned up (cocked) and either pinned, laced or buttoned in place to form a triangle around the crown. The hat was typically worn with the point facing forward.

Tricorns ranged from the very simple to the extravagant, occasionally incorporating gold or silver lace trimming and feathers. In addition, military and naval versions usually bore a cockade or other national emblem at the front.

HISTORY: The tricorn appeared as a result of the evolution of the broad-brim round hat. By pledging (binding) the brims, a triangular shape was obtained. This shape was favored by Spanish soldiers and in 1667, war broke out between France and Spain in the Spanish Netherlands. During the subsequent military struggle, its use spread to the French armies. The style was brought back to France, where its usage spread to the French population and the royal court of King Louis XIV, who made it fashionable throughout Europe, both as a civilian and military wear. They remained one of the predominant European styles of hat throughout the 18th century.

In the United States, only the first five Presidents, from George Washington to James Monroe, wore this style of hat according to the fashion of the 18th century. James Monroe earned the nickname "The Last Cocked Hat" because of this.