Capotain

The Capotain (Copotain/Capatain) is tall wide-brimmed hat worn during the late 16th and 17th centuries

The hat is associated with Puritans and English Civil War

The hat is also with Pilgrim that settled in the Plymouth colony America in 1620, hence its often also called a Pilgrims Hat

The hat is also worn by witchfinders and had a buckle on the front of the crown, but both of these are images created in 19th Century fiction probably untrue. 

Cordoba

This Spanish Cordoba is a cheap tourist quality hat and does not represent the real thing very well. the real hats don't have tassels around the brim. 

The Cordova Hat is basically wide flat-brimmed hat with the flat crown about 10 cm tall

The hat originated in Còrdoba Spain and the traditional colour is black.

Wide-brimmed hats make sense in sunny countries as they help provide shade

The hat was seen in painting from the 17th Century so dates back at least that far.

These hats are mostly nowadays worn by flamenco dancers, tourists and Zorro. 

Plague Mask

During the 17th Century, beaked masks were worn by so-called 'Plague Doctors' in Italy (and to a lesser degree in other parts of Europe) as part of the overall protective wardrobe.

The mask was worn along with spectacles, leather gloves, long coats and trousers sewn into their boots. The overall look was very dark and ominous.  

The mask was intended to protect the doctor from the plagues miasma spread through poisoned air that in turn imbalance a person humors, this was in a time before germs were understood.

 (The four humors medicine are black bile, yellow bile, phlegm and blood)

The mask was filled with perfumes and other smelly stuff which was believed to help protect the wearer.

This is an Italian carnival style version of mask

This particular mask was given to our lrp group by one of our crew

Morion Helmet

The Morion helmet is from the 16th and 17th Centuries. Also known in England as the pikeman's pot.

The crest along the top is designed to strengthen the helmet, its normally open face and wide-brimmed and from periods when gunpowder weapons were coming into common use.

Later versions added cheek and neck guards to protect against sword swings at the head.

In England, it is associated with the New Model Army, one of the first professional militaries. It was worn mainly by pikemen, although unarmoured musketeers also adopted it.

It's also commonly associated with the Spanish Conquistadors and the conquest of the Inca's by the Spanish. 

As well as the exploration of much of America's, several were found in Jamestown

The morion is still used by some ceremonial military units such as the guards of the Vatican

This copy is a fibreglass so purely decorative and not suitable for battle reenactment, but good lrp and theatre.

  This was a great Christmas gift from friends.

Musketeers Hat

This theatrical hat is designed to look like a Cavaliers or Musketeers hat from the 17th Century.

Cavaliers hats get their name from supporters of Kings Charles I during the English Civil War whereas Musketeers Hats get there name from the personal musket wielding bodyguard of King Louise XIII. Both were known for wearing extravagant clothing including hats like this one but decorated with ostrich feathers. 

This wide-brimmed style of hat usually was cocked up on one side or both, one side of the brim was often pinned totally up.

The theatrical hat here is made of sponge covered material, with a wire frame and covered in velvety fabric with a bit of trim. 

Nothing like the real thing which should be made of felt

This hat cost me about 1 pound as part of a batch of hats.

I will get a nice authentic Cavaliers hat one day.

Feathers - Hat Accessories

In the next few posts, I'm going to select a few hats that have feather used as decorations.

Starting with this basic wide-brimmed felt hat which has been accessorized with feathers, braiding and nice broach.

By the way, depending on the lighting and background this hat much redder than it appears in most of the photos see the photo below.

Hats were often an indicator of social status, so extra accessories make them look much grander.

 Feathers add volume and height, certain feathers are rare and exotic so indicate wealth.

This particular hat given to me as a gift is intended to be a musketeer style hat from the 17th century.

Witchfinder Hat

So called witch finder hats are wide brimmed, with a tall flat topped tapered crown and with a large single buckle around the base of crown at the front.

The hat gets its name from the witch finder general Mathew Hopkins who hanged over 100 people accused of Witchcraft and can be seen wearing a hat of this shape in contemporary imagery.

Historically this shape of hat is a 17th Century hat style worn during the English Civil War and would have been made of felt.

The stiff dark leather witchfinder's hats you will find nowadays come from modern imagery and films.

The proportions have all been exaggerated in the hat I'm wearing. 

This is very heavy hat, but not uncomfortable to wear, you just have to remember your a bit taller and duck or you will lose the hat to low hanging branches or beams

Grandee Hat Maybe

This hat style may have a name but I don't know it, the nearest equivalent I can see is Grandee or a tall Bolero hat.

Made by Fernández y Roche of Spain according to the label, I found it at a historical fayre TORM (the Original Re-enactors Market) in 2008, cost me £75, it is a quality hat, not a something from a fancy dress stall, used several times, this hat is well loved by me and its going to last a while.