Hat Shopping at Tewkesbury

I have visited Tewkesbury Medieval Festival since they started in 1980's.

Originally it was bit crap, more of dark ages hippy fun day out, but over time it got less a less Arthurian legend and medieval olympics and more about a re-enactment of the 1471 wars of the roses battle.

The quality of event, scale, authenticity and attention to detail has improved vastly.

One thing didn't change much and that is fair and market that runs alongside the battle which is still a mixture of new age crystal healing sellers, re-enactment kit merchants and hog roast.

I last went to the battle as a medieval re-enactor in 2006, but I have still visited almost every year since, but I now sit back and enjoy the spectacle and do a bit of hat shopping. 

This year I bought a bycocket, a reversible acorn hat, and tall straw hat which you will see me wear on this blog at some point in the future.

This Hat is Worn a Great Deal

This is probably the hat I've worn the most.

It looks like a basic felt fedora but not made to a traditional style instead it has made to a practical design. 

A mixture of cotton and felt with a wide elasticated band inside which grips the head very softly and stops the wind whipping it away. Its ventilated like a bush hat, water resistant and the elasticated band is also covered in a absorbent material to help sweaty heads

I purchased this hat somewhere near Tintagel while on holiday in Cornwall sometime in the late 80's, made by Kangol, its looking a bit tired now, but seen years of use.

It still kept on my the coat stand by the front door and grabbed whenever the weather is sunny and I don't need to be too smart.

 Its also visited the Tardis.

Dr Livinstone I Presume

The Pith Helmet is a light weight helmet made of cork (or pith) and then covered in cloth with small holes for ventilation.

Helmets rather than hats in that they are designed to provide physical protection against hard things hitting the head. 

I mainly think of these as worn by European gentlemen (and women) explorers but they were more often worn by the government officials, army, police and navy.  

Worn in for the most part during the 18th and 19th by people from colonial countries in the tropics, although it seems they were worn as official headgear as late as the 1960's 

Also worn by travellers from United States and adopted by the Vietnamese army.

Pith Helmet also know as Safari helmet, Sun helmet, Topee, Sola topee, Salacot or Topi

This one was found in a Army Surplus Store and was possibly (I did say possibly) made post WWII in India from Shola Pith

As Good as Sun Cream

This straw hat purchased for protection from the sun and was frequently used when I was doing medieval reinactment on hot days. 

The wide brim protects the back of neck and straw is in my opinion the best material for keeping you cool in the sun by letting your sweat easily evaporate.

The photo below is inside Muchelney Abbey where in 2002 I was playing a monk as part of a living history event.

Straw hats are unfortunately easily damaged so care must be taken in storage and transport, this one despite being 20 odd years old is still in good condition.

The only thing I added was tight string to keep it tied to head since even the lightest breeze can blow it off the head.

This hat was purchased at Tewkesbury Medieval Festival.