Square Cornered Hat

This is one of those hats that I'm having trouble categorising as it was donated, its origin was as a gift to a friend visiting Japan, however, the hat is not Japanese. 

The hat is well made with a tapestry pattern on display.

Inside the hat is a label which google translate fails to recognise, so not sure of the language, something Asian.

This hat is too rigid to be a comfortable Leisure cap, its similar in some ways to Birretta, mostly its unique, at least to me. 

NEW 3rd October 2020 - Finally found what I believe this hat to be, its called an Uzbek Duppi Cap or Uzbek Doppa cap

Dome Shaped Bamboo Hat

This hat was from a stall at Chatsworth Country Fair selling items mostly made of hemp, however, it did also include other items, such as this bamboo hat.

Master of Hat Fu

Sometimes I have nothing to say

at least in English

" Cōngmíng rén shuō yǒu yītiān huì xià yǔ "

" Zhǔnbèi hào zhàndòu "

Máoróngrōng de quántóu

Nón lá

A simple straw hat.

This hat is a typical Asian farmers Coolie Hat, Rice Paddy hat, Non-la, used as an evaporation cooling device when dipped in water and sun protection. 

The conical shape is mainly Vietnamese, but still worn in other Asian countries.

The bamboo in this one woven to create a raised pineapple skin texture

Sultans Hat

This hat takes on a look of Ottoman sultans headdress

I would like to be more precise with its origin but I failed to find a contemporary image that matches, in the long run, it's a theatrical hat so could be pure fantasy.

Most images of Ottoman headwear are of oversized turbans, but particular later 16th/17th C period headwear starts to include headgear that looks similar to this.

Anyway, this hat is all about the accessories, the tall forward leaning feathers which ultimately make this hat stand out.

Pakol

This hat is called a Pakol also known as a Chitrali Cap

It is a soft round flat-topped hat, usually made of wool and typically come in light natura colours such as brown, walnut, cream, ivory, grey

The Pakol originated in the Afganistan/Pakistan region and was made famous by the Mujahideen.

This hat is also the same shape and construction as the ancient Macedonian Kausia hat, worn by men in ancient Southeast Europe.

I read that before it is put on this hat resembles a bag with a round with a flat bottom. You then rolls up the sides nearly to the top, forming a thick band, which then rests on the forehead.

This hat has the band sewn up so I can't show this.

Rice Paddy Hat With Danglely Bits

The Vietnamese conical rice farmers hat or Non La can be made of straw, palm leaves, bamboo or matting.

What makes the Vietnamese style stands out from other Asian straw hats is its it perfect cone shape, tapering smoothly from top point to rim.

Like all straw hats they are used as protection from sun and rain, but can be soaked/dipped in water and used as a cooling aid as the water evaporates.

Many of these hat have hand stictched words on them or poems, this one has ribbon dangling from its brim, which are purely for decoration.

Pointy Bamboo Hat

This conical bamboo hat has a nice pointy shape.

Bamboo hats of this style are designed to protect the head and face of farm workers from the sun and rain.

Other English names for the conical hat include sedge hat, rice hat, paddy hat, bamboo hat, Raiden hat and sometimes coolie hat. 

But in Malay they are called the Terendak, In China Douli which translate to Bamboo Hat, in Japan Sugegasa, the Do'un in Cambodian and there are many more regional names

Hexagonal Hat

This is one of those hats that falls into the category unknown, from a theatrical production, its has a Arabian Nights feel about it.

The hexagonal shape of this soft head covering is also odd, so far I've not found any images of anything similar to it.

It sits uncomfortable because of its design, resting too high on the crown of your head, but that adds to its unique look.

It also could have been for a male or female character, it seems to suit both.

The Incredible Wang

This woven bamboo/straw hat is from the family of oriental rice paddy or coolie hats, although as can be seen its not the typical conical style.

I've so far found it hard to obtain much information on these styles of hats so can't tell you much more, other than it provides good shade and having a chin strap is essential even in a slight breeze.

The is hat gets used by The Incredible Wang, master of Chi and full of wise words, he also makes good noodle soup.

I bought this hat from a Larp fair trader who does not seem to exist any more, at least the website link I have doesn't work and not seen them trading for a few years perhaps re-branded.

The Turban

Turbans or what is a length of cloth wound around the head.

Simple they are not, there are multiple ways of tying them, different lengths of fabric, patterns, colours etc. creating a big variety of looks.

My way of tying a turban was taught by visitor from North Africa but they are traditional headgear all the way through Arabic lands across to India and Indonesia as well as North and other parts Africa some like the Sikhs wear them for religious reason and they all do a far better job than me who just wear them very occasionally to represent some fantasy culture in larp.

Other names for turban I have seen pagri, blangkon, saraki, jamandani, keffiyeh, kufiya, ghutrah, shemagh, ḥaṭṭah, mashadah, sudra, chafiye. cemedanî. 

I have 2 lengths of fabric I keep for specifically for turbans, both about 3 meters long and just under a meter wide you can get away with shorter but you start to loose shape and struggle to tie them, most fabric for turbans is even longer.

Oriental Straw Hat

This oriental/asian hat is a kind of rice paddy/coolie hat, however they normally go to a point on the top, so I guess this is more like the Japanese Kasa Hat.

Made overly large, the word kasa can also mean umbrella.
Also this is not made of straw but bamboo.

This hat was purchased at Larp fair, but I've seen its twin for sale on ebay

Straw hats = Any type of hat made of straw or bamboo