I'm a Viking

This fur-trimmed sheepskin hat is destined for some dark age reenactment.

Used by many a Norseman to keep their heads warm

Made of 6 panels of sheepskin sewed together and then trimmed with some darker artificial fur

This is one of those hats that ended up in crew kit from an unknown source.

Goblin Hat

A hat that is suitable for a Goblin.

This hat has been part of the groups LRP kit since well before I joined the group

Part knitted, part fabric, part leather, part hessian, part fur, partly embroidered, roughly stitched together, and well tatty this mix-up looks very homemade.

Highly suitable for some beggar, ancient tribal type, witch doctor, goblin or similar that is trying to stand out. 

This is hat is a very popular part of the crew kit

Engineers Leisure Cap

This leather oil-stained pillbox hat was found in a pile of bric-a-brac quite a few years ago

It makes a perfect hat for a dieselpunk or steampunk engineer.

Made of thin leather with a calico lining.

I think I need a few better photos wearing a nice distressed costume to go with the hat, however, I've been thinking that for 4 years, so its time to post these pictures rather than wait. 

Sheepskin Hat

This trapper style hat is made of sheepskin, ideal to keep your head warm on a cold windy day

I've talked about trapper hats before and so don't have a lot more to say, so just follow the labels for trapper hat.

The ear flaps tie up.

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

Fur Beret

This is basically a fur beret picked up from a charity shop, probably ladies hat originally but no labels will never know for sure, but it works for me.

A very comfortable hat, the brim has a wide slightly elastic band which makes it an easy fit.

Following a classic beret shape where the soft fabric overhangs the brim and lies almost flat on the head. 

The fabric is not fabric in this case but animal skin and the hat as no lining just leather of the animal skin stitched to form the shape, with its fur on the outside. The brim itself is made from a wide strip of elasticated jersey like fabric which remains hidden from view as it clings to the head.

Thracian Cap

Thracian cap. made of cow hide

The style or shape is that of phrygian cap, i.e. with a forward pointing top the crown, smurf hat style.

Thracian caps where made of skins with the fur still attached, and then the rest of leather is left to dangle down over the shoulders.

You will find the style of hat in many images of ancient Thracian warriors or Bulgarian area history.

Purchased from a reenactment fayre, although you could easily make this yourself for cost of bit leather its only got one crude seam.

Probably going to be used for some sort of fantasy goblin.

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

Biggles Gets a Hat

The Flying Cap, Aviator Hat, or Bomber Hat is simple a leather hat, fur or felt lined with ear flaps and chin strap to keep it on in the wind, designed to protect and keep your head and ears warm when flying planes with open cockpits back in early days of flight.

These hats are very similar to trapper or hunting hat, the main difference being the ear flaps are longer and don't have ties to fasten them up.

Usually worn with goggles to protect your eyes, I have read most Boeing 747 and Airbus A320 pilots don't wear them anymore which is a shame.

James Bigglesworth is a fictional pilot from around the time of the first world war in books by W.E Johns, he did fly in stories in later wars and between wars, but his book covers regularly showed him wearing a flying cap, for that reasons you may also find this cap or hat called a Biggles Hat

Below is the story in pictures of Richard Bigglesworths James older more hansom brother

Chapter 1 : Biggles Dons His Flying Cap

Chapter 2 : Biggles Wags A Finger

Chapter 3 : Biggle Leans Backwards

Chapter 4 : Biggles Ready To Learn To Fly

Chapter 5 : Biggles Shows The Back Of His Cap