Czapka

This helmet called a Czapka is in style used typically by 19th C Royal Russian, German and the Polish Uhlan Cavalry Regiments.

Made of pressed leather.

The Czapka origins lie in the very late 18th Century when a square-topped (4 pointed) Shako was used by Austrians infantry. 

Czapka is Belorussian words translate to English simply as a cap.

The helmet in the shape shown here was adapted by various cavalry regiments after the Napoleonic wars, mainly those of Poland, Russian, Prussia, Germany and Austria. Although the British and French did have a version for some of their cavalry regiments without the square top.

The helmet continued to be used by Cavalry regiments right up to first few weeks of world war one, before becoming a helm just used for parade grounds only.

This is a theatrical quality copy, not reenactment copy.

Shako

This leather shako is part of our crew kit

I have no idea if its a reproduction of genuine helmet or just something made for the theatre.

It's solidly made with a steel badge so could be a re-enactment helm, but the elastic headband and overall finish make me believe it is from a theatre production, where close up inspection does not occur.

2 years ago above

below is today after losing 5 stone

General Plumage

This Shako hat is another theatrical hat

A Shako is a tall cylindrical military hat with a visor, the cylinder can be parallel or tapered in or out at the top.  

They are usually decorated with plumes and a plate or badge on the front of the cylinder.

The Shako was popular in the 19th Century, initially, it was a practical improvement on the military hats of the time offering a little bit of protection, but by the end of the Napoleonic wars, it became a showy parade ground hat.

In the UK a stovepipe version of the hat was first worn by military units from around 1799 but by the mid 1820's it's importance to show off the unit took over from its practicality, attempts were made in the mid-century to return it to practical use, but by 1870 it was no longer considered for actual battlefield use at all and in the UK by 1905 it was no longer worn by units for any use.

Some countries continue to use Shako for their showy military parades even today.

This hat comes from a theatrical production and is not a reproduction of an actual Shako worn by soldiers.

Crash Helmet

Crash helmets or motorcycle helmets are designed to protect the users from head injury.

Wearing a helmet when riding a motorbike is mandatory in the UK and they have to be designed to comply with safety and build standards.

Since the introduction of helmets, they have reduced head injury by nearly 70% and death by over 40% they have even believed to have reduced spinal damage.

Helmets can vary in design from open face pudding basin shape to full all round enclosed helmet with a visor like this one. 

This helmet also includes vents and a drop down internal sun visor.

I don't own or ride a motor bike I purchased these helmets for part of a set of sci-fi space suits costumes as below.

Interesting fact (maybe) wearing a white helmet reduces your chance of road accident by 25% compared to a black helmet, is that because those with white helmets are the more sensible road user or because they can be seen easier?

Ballistic Helmet

Whilst this helmet was sourced from a army surplus store its not really a military helmet as far as I known, its some for reproduction tactical helmet probably used for airsoft or paintball or similar

Its does offer some protection though its not marked as being to any particular standard

Get On Your Bike

Cycling laws in the UK do not currently require you to wear a safety helmet and as I'm not a cyclist I don't feel its my place to comment on if this is a good or bad thing, the law that is, wearing a helmet just makes sense even if it provides a small percent of protection its just got to be worth it.

I have not really cycled since my school years, however a friend took up cycling and needing to get fit I decided it might be idea to give it a go so I bought a cheap bike and helmet and then quickly decided the roads a scary dangerous place for anyone on a bike.

I suggest all car drivers try it and they will give more room in the future when passing cyclists

The cycling helmet is basically a low speed shock absorber for your brain, they are not designed for high speed impacts to protect against object hitting them like some safety helmets. 

Evidence says cycling helmets have reduced head injuries somewhere between 18%  to 50% 

Those against helmets point to helmet strangulation from the straps and the fact helmeted riders take greater risks or look more competent to other road users so give them less space. These are all claims without evidence as far as I can see.

Made usually of expanded polystyrene or dense foam and then coated in plastic,straps and a liner are then added.

French Foreign Legion Hat

This is a reproduction Kepi Hat from a ex BBC drama prop box and cost me £2

The Kepi hat is most commonly associated with the French army, french police or american civil war.

The badge, colours and style of this one as far is as I can tell make it a copy of a WWII French Foreign Legion Kepi Hat.

The term Kepi is french word which respelled from German word Kappe, which means Cap.

Iron Man

A man with iron.

Wearing a hard hat.

Ironing is a tough job and safety is important.

The builders hard hat is seen everywhere in today's safety conscious environment and rightly so, the amount of fatalities and lesser injury as dropped dramatically since the days when work wear was jeans and t shirt. If I go on building site I now have to wear gloves, safety boots, hi-viz jackets, safety glasses as well as a hard hat and that's alongside safety training and all the permits you might sign.

Hard hats were once steel but now they are rigid plastic designed to protect the head from falling object or banging your head on projecting nasty objects, essential where there is any risk, one of these saved me from nasty injury when a bolt was dropped from scaffold tower 30 foot and hit the hat, I felt a heavy bang but nothing else.

The hard hats were first worn at the very end of the 19th century in the USA who seem to have led the way in their use.

This one is quite old and probably no longer to current standards but makes a great costume prop.

Time For Tea

Drinking earl grey tea from a fine bone china cup in the middle of war with the Zulu's then you need this hat.

This white Pith Helmet was used by the British Foreign Service and the British Army in the Zulu Wars. A replica of the helmet worn by the British 24th Regiment of Foot during the Anglo-Zulu war of 1879.

Made famous in the film 'Zulu' depicting the Battle of Rorke's Drift where 150 soldiers fought off 4000 Zulu's.

Taller than other Pith Helmets its the origin of the British Police helmet

A Capital hat is it not

Topper

This photo of me was taken at Whitby where I spent the evening wondering about in a steampunk goth festival held there every year.

Top hats first appeared at the end of the 18th century and were very much an upper class status symbol or funeral hat worn by men, the best ones are silk rather than felt.

This hat is slightly battered ex-wedding top hat, the sort you pick up from a car boot for under five pounds.

This hat is 1/4" too big for me, but not complaining, cost next to nothing and does not fall over the ears, just uncomfortable to wear for long periods.

More about top varieties in a later posts

Bowler or Derby

I was recently informed my Bowler hat was in fact a Derby, now I always believed Bowler, Derby and its many other names Coke Hat, Boxer, Billy Cock, were all names for the same thing and for all useful purpose bar riding they still are.

The Bowler was first made and designed in 1850 by William Bowler for Sir William Coke for head protection when riding. The Derby got its name when the 12th Earl of Derby visited the United States in a hat of this style in 1880 and created a fashion there, so could be classed as the America name for Bowler.

Anyway if your looking for a difference a Bowler is hard and rigid, while the dome of the Derby Hat can be bent easily with the fingers, both are the same shape. 

This hat is therefore a derby bowler.

All fashionable goblins (above) wear bowler hats as do steampunk man servants (below)