This is a massive long shot…. Vintage nurse hat

[Inarightpickleandpreserve]

I have a very dear friend who has been a nurse for close to 40 years and will be retiring soon.
It was her life dream since childhood to be a nurse and it’s the only job she has ever seen herself doing.
When she finished nursing school and FINALLY got her first job the bit she was so so excited to wear was the hat.
Turned out the year she got her uniform they changed the hats and it was no longer the dream headwear she had been hoping for since around age 4.
Ever since then I’ve had my eye out for one of the hats that she never got to have and I have had absolutely no joy at all. Even a local seamstress said she couldn’t make me one as the pattern doesn’t exist any more.
So I know it’s a long shot but if anyone here has, wants to sell or has a sewing pattern for the attached style of nursing hat please let me know as I’d just love to be able to surprise my dear friend after all these years of looking for one!

I hate to say it but that style looks considerably older than 1980. I might be wrong though.

It’s the style more than anything, the frills are key! Rather than the boxy style

OP. I did a reverse search and that photo is of Eileen Brown, taken circa 1945.

Sorry, I think you're looking at the wrong era.

Just to add, if it helps at all, she worked at the Liverpool Royal Infirmary.

Yeah my friend trained as a nurse and graduated approx 1980 and her photos are very different -no frill.

When I was training in the early 90s, some of the senior nurses wore broidre anglais (sorry for spelling) caps. These were a bit more fancy than the standard issue.

In call the midwife the sister cap is a plain circle of linen with a lace border and tail, incredibly easy to make. Or you can follow this tutorial with a rectangular piece of white linen, onto the visible edges you’ve sewn some lace. I don’t blame your friend, the caps were lovely !

Oops forgot the link! www.ehow.com/how_4917882_fold-nurses-hat.html

Thank you all! It’s the broderie for sure! And the frills were around the edge, she said it was late 70’s when she was at school and the matrons had them, she aspires to have a frilly hat!
Thanks again

I've worn lots of different ones in my time (started nurse training in 1970).

They were all based on a circle, square or rectangle of heavy lawn cotton or linen, usually with a lace or broderie anglaise border. They were heavily starched and then ironed flat and folded and pinned or stitched to hold the folds. Lots of different styles, depending on hospital and seniority. Held in place with white hairgrips.

Some styles used to take us ages to make up.

Found this one of a Naval Nurse cap. No lace, but you get the idea
m.youtube.com/watch?v=ku_qXi81bVg

It's quite a complex one, there are simpler styles but I can't find any instructions or videos.

I think you could make up a nice cap from a piece of lawn cotton about the size of a tea towel with lace sewn around the edge. Lots of laundry starch needed!