Hat
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A hat is a headcovering. It may be worn for protection against the elements, for religious reasons, for safety, or as a fashion accessory.[1] In the past, hats were an indicator of social status. In the military, they denote rank and regiment.
There are hats for men and hats for women, as well as hats worn by both sexes. Purveyors of men's hats are called hatters and purveyors of women's hats are called milliners.
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[edit] Hat sizes
Hat size is determined by measuring the circumference of a person's head about 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) above the ears and dividing by pi. In the UK, an equivalent hat size is an eighth of an inch smaller than in the US.[2] Inches or centimeters may be used depending on the manufacturer. Felt hats can be stretched for a custom fit. Cheaper hats come in standard sizes, such as small, medium, large. Some hats, like baseball caps, are adjustable.
[edit] Parts of a hat
A hat consists of four main parts:[3]
- Crown – the portion of a hat covering the top of the head
- Brim – a projection of stiff material from the bottom of the hat's crown horizontally all around the circumference of the hat
- Peak – a stiff projection at the front, to shade or shield the eyes from sun and rain
- Sweatband or hatband – a ribbon or band that runs around the bottom edge of the hat. The sweatband may be adjustable with a cord at the top
[edit] Hat styles
- See also: List of hats and headgear
| Image | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
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Akubra | Australian hat with similarities to fedoras and cowboy hats |
| Army Hat | Tall black hats with regimental crest worn by British Army until the late 19th Century | |
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Baseball cap | A type of soft cap with a long, stiffened and curved peak |
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Bearskin | The tall, fur, full dress uniform hat of the Brigade of Guards designed to protect the footguards against sword-cuts, commonly seen at Buckingham Palace |
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Beaver hat | Hats made of felted beaver fur |
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Beret | Soft round cap, usually of wool felt, with a flat crown, worn by both men and women and traditionally associated with France. Also used in the military. |
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Bicorne | Military hat with upturned corners |
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Boater | Flat-brimmed and flat-topped straw hat, formerly worn by seamen, and now mostly at summer regattas or garden parties, often with a ribbon in club or college colours |
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Boonie hat | A soft cotton hat wide-brim hat commonly used by militaries. |
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Bowler / Derby | A hard felt hat with a rounded crown created in 1850 by Lock's of St James's, the hatters to Thomas Coke, 2nd Earl of Leicester, for his servants. Sometimes known as a derby hat |
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Bucket hat | A soft cotton hat with a wide, downwards sloping brim |
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Busby | A small fur military hat |
| Dunce Cap | A hat that was used as a punishment-humiliation hat in school during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is shaped like a cone and often has a big capital 'D' inscribed on the front. | |
| Casquette | A small-peaked cap often worn by cyclists | |
| Cocked hat | a naval hat worn by Captains or Admirals in Europe and North America | |
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Cloche hat | Popular bell-shaped ladies hat of the 1920s |
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Cowboy | Rugged, utilitarian hats made of felt or straw featuring wide brims (four inches or more) to protect against rain and sun. Common styles include a safari style brim (with the brim turned down in the front and back) or a brim sharply curved up on either side. |
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Deerstalker | Warm close-fitting tweed cap designed for hunting in the wet and windy Scottish climate, with brims in front and behind, and ear flaps which can be tied together either over the crown or under the chin; anachronistically associated with Sherlock Holmes. |
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Fascinator | A small hat commonly made with feathers, flowers and/or beads. It attaches to the hair by a comb, headband or clip. |
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Fedora | A soft felt hat with a lengthwise crease |
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Fez | Red felt hat in the shape of a truncated cone |
| Flat cap | A soft, round men's cap with a small brim in front | |
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Gatsby | A soft brimmed hat popular in New York after the turn of the century made from eight quarter panels. Also known as a newsboy cap |
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Gaung Paung | The Gaung Paung is part of the traditional attire of many ethnic races inhabiting modern day Myanmar - it is found in most of the Buddhist-professing ethnic groups - the Bamar, Mon people, Rakhine and Shan |
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Hard hat | A helmet predominantly used in workplace environments, such as construction sites, to protect the head from injury by falling objects, debris and bad weather. |
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Homburg | German designed hat |
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Kepi | A French military hat with a flat, circular top and visor. |
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Kippah or Yarmulke | A small close-fitting skullcap worn by religious Jews |
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Mortarboard | Flat, square hat with a tassel worn as part of academic dress |
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Porkpie | Circular, flat topped hat |
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Panama | Straw hat made in Ecuador |
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Salakot | A traditional wide-brimmed hat in the Philippines |
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Santa Hat | A floppy pointed red hat trimmed in white fur traditionally associated with Christmas |
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Shtreimel | A fur hat worn by married Haredi Jewish men |
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Slouch | Generic term covering wide-brimmed felt-crowned hats like those worn by the military and ranchers |
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Snood | A close-fitting net that gathers up the back of a woman's hair |
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Sombrero | A Mexican hat with an unusually wide brim and conical crown |
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Top hat | A tall, flat-crowned, cylindrical hat worn by men in the 19th and early 20th centuries, now worn only with morning dress or evening dress. Also known as a stovepipe hat. |
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Trilby | A soft felt men's hat with a narrow brim and a deeply indented crown |
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Tricorne | A soft hat with a broad brim, pinned up on either side of the head and at the back, producing a triangular shape |
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Tudor bonnet | A soft round black academic cap, with a tassel hanging from a cord attached to the centre of the top of the hat |
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Tuque | A knitted hat worn in winter usually made from wool or acrylic. Also known as a ski cap or a beanie. |
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Turban | A headdress consisting of a long scarf wound around the head. |
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Ushanka | Russian fur hat with fold down ear flaps |
[edit] Customs
In Christian culture, men remove their hats when entering a church. In Eastern Orthodox cultures, it is customary to remove one's hat in the presence of a religious icon. Religious Jews wear a headcovering at all times, indoors and out. When entering a synagogue, men and married women must cover their heads. Upon entering a mosque, headscarves are required for women.
In European culture, it was once customary for men to remove or tip their hat when greeting another person, especially a woman, as a sign of politeness.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- The Council of Textile & Fashion Industries of Australia
- Different Sizing Schemes
- Hats UK has a Hat Bible and other resources.
- The History of Felt Hats and Hat Making
- The History of Hats from antiquity to the 20th century
