Tricorne

Tricorne, a three-cornered hat made of wool felt; evolved around 1690 when the brim of the 17th century wide-brimmed hat was raised on one side, and eventually on three sides. Initially, officers and noblemen wore the tricorne, which became a characteristic item of 18th century civilian dress after 1720. Soldiers wore differently coloured cockades, ribbons, oak leave clusters, and pompoms attached to the brim of the tricorne, to better differentiate friend and foe. Toward the end of the 1780s the military tricorne was replaced by the bicorne, but it remained a common item of civilian dress well into the 19th century.

Military Glossary