A Sombrero

A Sombrero, mexican hat, basically a very wide brimmed hat with a crown and upturned edge popular in Mexico used as a shield from the sun, these hats are wide enough to cast shadows over neck and shoulders.

This Sombrero however is possibly the worst hat I own, its made of compressed cardboard and is pure tourist tat, I'm sure if I ever got wet it would turn into paper mache. 

Well one day I'm sure I will get a better quality Sombrero but for now this is all I have.

They were also worn by cowboys and in many other Spanish speaking countries

Bucket Hat

A couple of laces make thus old bucket hat really useful in the wind.

Bucket hats probably started has practical fishemens hat in some oiled fabric, but were adopted has fashion hats in the 1960's.

Also known as session hat, fisherman's hat, or Irish country hat.

Photo above by Tom Garnett from Dark Colony Event

I've had this hat for a least 27 years as went with me to Thailand 1989 as can be seen in the photos below

My taste in clothing has got a little duller since this photo below with the very sun burnt legs to match the shorts.

Smokey Green

Another smoking or leisure cap, this time in green and orange to match the coat and shirt, or did I buy the coat and shirt to match the hat.

This one is complete with the essential tassel. 

Alternate name I have seen recently for this hat is a Thinking Cap, this was on one vendors web site and can find no other places this style of hat is associated with the name thinking cap. 

In word definitions its says 1st know use of thinking cap was 1847 but reflecting on this I can't think why you need to know that.

This hat came from barefoot leather although is not leather.

Historic Past

This helmet is one I no longer own, a visored bascinet made back in the early days of when I took part 15th Century medieval re-enactment.

These photos were taken in June 1987

This helmet was excellent to fight in, providing good protection and freedom of head movement, some of that down to the fact it was not a accurate reproduction. 

the quality and historical accuracy of this helmet would not get past most re-inactment groups standards today.

Gandalf the Green

A wizards hat made of green felt 

Tall pointed hats of this style seem to have come about in European folklore, where they were worn by witches, wizards and dwarfs. 

I've read (although evidence is thin) that this style came to be associated with witches via the demonizing of Jews that wore tall pointed hats in 14th-16th centuries 

Another idea is the hat is symbol of a cone of power, the circle and its a thus a associated with magic, somehow to me this seems just as unlikely.

What I can say is the hat became associated witches hats in images created in the Victorian era and from there its not a great leap to also associate them with wizards.

I think mainly of Gandalf when I see this hat, probably popular images and artwork associated with Tolkiens work. 

Purchase from Leonarbo Carbone trading at Tewkesbury.