I Just Need a Stormy Sea

This is what's known as Sou'wester 

A practical hat used by seaman for protection against rough wet weather, The brim is wide and slanted basically designed to stop rain running off it down the collar of your coat. 

A good chin strap also keeps it in place in high winds.

The name Sou'wester potentially comes from the South Westerly winds which brought rough seas, this may have some truth, but I can't find anything to back the claim up.

In some countries its just called a fisherman's cap, however they are not necessarily the same thing as as Sou'wester for example they are not needed to be fully waterproof.

Sou'wester are made of oilskin which can any be fabric made waterproof but is traditionally canvass covered in linseed oil or tar this one however is 100% PVC but works fine.

Pannonian Pileus

I was informed when I purchase this hat that it was Pannonian Pileus, not sure how true this is, however looking for info to check this out Pannonian hats do appear to be this shape, although the ones I've seen seem to be made of fur or skin rather than felt, so is at the very least not far from the truth.

The traditional  Pileus Hat is a brimless cone (not like this hat) of felt worn by Greek Roman sailors from around 375 B.C. to the 4th century A.D. 

Nightcap

This Nightcap was made as a Birthday present by my good friend Julie back in 2009 you can see her blog about it here. 

Nightcaps are basically beanie hats designed to keep you head warm in bed back in the days before central heating, also to reduce the spread of head lice after your wig was removed.  

Nightcaps are said to be more commonly worn as people as got older probably because they are more likely to be bald or perhaps its because older people kept the fashion going as wearing nightcaps died out in the 1800's so its associated with older people your guess is as good as mine on that front.

Nightcaps where first reported has being worn in northern Europe in the middle ages and fashionable for all people from the mid 15th to late 19th Century.

Also known as a Sleeping Cap.

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

Union Army Cap

Union Soldiers Kepi, also called a McClellan Cap according to the Wikipedia

This hat has a square leather peak and sunken round top.

This hat was a present brought back by my Mum from the gift shop in the Abraham Lincoln Museum, when she visited Illinois in America a few weeks ago. 

The hats is not a bad quality reproduction apart from the plastic badge on the front. 

Colourful Hat

This pill box shaped soft hat is what you might call a smoking cap.

A very simple ring of fabric with a fabric lid, this one is not decorated, covered in sequins, buttons, embroidered or tasselled but does have colourful panels. 

A very comfortable hat mainly for indoor use as it offer a bit of warmth to a balding head like mine.

Makes a excellent hat for a north African/Arabic trader character

In parts of Africa this would be called a kufi, kofi hat.

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)

Woollen Hood

 A Woollen Hood with a cotton lining

This hood has character its been patched in several places, including where it caught fire while I was wearing it from a pyrotechnic I got too close to, luckily for me wool does not burn as quickly as some modern fibres.

Photo below a minor warrior from a lrp event.

This hood is old, I first wore it during 1980's when I started doing re-enactment in it various forms.

I'm wearing it on the front row of the photo below from around 1990 I'm the one in blue and yellow with a pole axe. This was during a period when I did theatrical re-enactment at Warwick Castle and various other places.