Hessian Hat

This hat is made of hessian and was purchased from a trader at Chatsworth Country Fair whose key feature was everything hessian.

This is one of those hats that although outwardly rough-looking is actually a quality well-made product and a comfortable hat to wear.

The hat is properly lined with a fabric that is more comfortable against the skin.

The edge of the hat has been frayed, although the fraying as been stitched, secured and tidied so it will remain stable and secure.

The hat brim has a wire running around it which you can use to shape it, such as turning up the brim cowboy hat style like in the photo below.

I can see this hat being worn as a comfortable casual summer hat or used to theme a yokel costume.

Good cooling summer wear, although not waterproof at all.

Skull Past

This wool felt skull cap is one of my oldest hats

Made from 8 triangles of fabric sewn together

Now a chance to scan some old photos of me wearing the skull cap

Above me as part of mummers play

Below me in shorts at a music festival

Below me doing theatrical mediaeval reenactment at Warwick Castle

Not worn much recently, but one that got worn often.

Sir Tis My Hat

This medieval hat is made in the style of a chaperon

It was made for me around 1990 for medieval theatre style reenactment at Warwick Castle for group called Knights Errant. 

Errant Knights being knights with no particular lord that wandered the country looking for adventure, duels, jousts, or just pursuing the values of chivalry.

Made from a platted band of brown, red and white wool forming the bourrelet around the head and separate wool cornette lined with linen, it forms a very comfortable simplified chaperon style hat.

I've worn this hat many time, for many characters, its still worn today and in excellent condition after 25 years of life.

A Hat for a Character.

This post is not about a tricorn but about a much loved hat.

If any hat qualifies as well worn, this one does, worn over many weekends for last 15 years.

I will say this hat is extremely comfortable.

This is good quality felt tricorn and cost a £ 80 quid or more back when purchase at the end of the last century.

Its been through many fights, been trod on, crushed in the back of car, survived horrendous rainstorms, snow and regularly deals with sand and sweat, its loosing its shape a bit, the crown as lost its stiffness but survives.

The photo above is fairly current taken about 5 months ago, as you can see its not in too a bad condition, the hat not me that is.

 I think its doing so well, simply because it was quality hat to start with.

The early years of the hat it had a black band as above.

I later added a purple band and emblem as the character it belongs to costume mutated as below

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.

Knitted beanie hat

This hat was a Christmas present hand made by Julie made this

This hat is possibly my most worn winter hat, its just comfortable.  This hat is very warm ideal winter wear while at the same time the lets your head breath so it does not feel sweaty. The only time it fails is in the wind which it offers no protection against, its also obviously not water proof.

Here is me wearing the hat at the Black Country Museum in Dudley

And again while walking just as the snow started.