Way of the Dragon

Yet another oriental novelty hat

I now have 4 of these hats in different colours, they are all basically the same pattern, even the badge is the same symbol.

This style of hat I believe originates from the Chinese Qing Dynasty.

The best thing about these hats is they are cheap.

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.

Bugatti Cap

This is a Bugatti Cap, essentially a flat cap combined with ear flaps like a trapper hat

It has earlaps that can be worn up making look like a traditional flat cap look or pulled down to warm your ears when the temperatures drop.

More importantly, the ear flaps tie together at the bottom with a button or press stud which keeps the hat on even in strong winds or while you're driving your open-topped sports car

Bugatti caps are normally made of a tweed fabric like this one 

I assume although I may be wrong the cap is named after the Bugatti cars which built its first racing car 1905.

Red Beret

Red Beret of this style is mainly worn by military police, commandos & paramilitary. 

Red beret is also a term used to refer to British Parachute regiment although they wear a maroon coloured beret.

Green Pith Helmet

This Pith, although it doesn't look it in these photos, is green or dark Khaki.

It also had a 5 pointed star badge on red background originally making it a replica of an NVA helmet worn in the Vietnamese war. 

(NVA = North Vietnamese Army)

These helmets continued to be used in Vietnam until early 21st Century

Gifted to my hat collection as Christmas present.

Lets Go Swimming

This is a latex swimming cap.

Sometimes known as a bathing cap.

Swimming caps are worn for several reasons, protect the hair from chlorine in swimming pools, keep hair relatively dry, even help keep the head warmer and to reduce drag in competitive swimming races.

They can also be compulsory in some pools to stop loose hair clogging filters.

Swimming caps can be made of lycra, silicon or latex, they are normally tightly fitted

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

Shaman Eats Straw

This hat or more accurately headdress, came from a theatre production

It makes an ideal headdress for tribal shaman or witch doctor.

The only clue to its origin is a label which says 'Tumji' which make it sound like it was for a African based character.

Made of a mix of leather, artificial plant life and straw.

The jackal/fox eyes are painted.

This headress found its way to me via my favourite trader Chows Emporium.

I went past it at several markets before, eventually deciding it had a use.