White Cowphat

A flat cap or Cow-pat hat

This was part of job lot of RSC hats I purchased, all in very good condition.

See labels theatrical hats for other cow-pat hats that came as part of this set.

The Cone Head

The Cone Head

The picture below makes me think I should have a fishing rod and be sitting by a pond as a gnome.

A piece of paper wrapped into a cone and held together with a couple of pieces of sellotape needs no origami skills.  

The cone can be painted, a brim added to make it into a witches hat, a D put on front for dunces cap, good fun for very young kids or quick fancy dress wear.

As you can tell I spent nearly a minute making this hat.

Tin Foil Hat

The Tin Foil Hat

Almost every house must have a roll of aluminium foil, it needs no skill to make, just drop a large enough piece on your head and shape, if it does fit add more.

The idea of the tin foil hat is it protects your mind against electromagnetic radiation, mind control and mind reading.

To have any effect against any form of electromagnetic radiation it would need to be in several hundred layers, probably need to be built up to a couple of inches thick, as to the need, well we all live fine without them.

The use against Alien mind probes, Govemenent telepaths is of course just rubbish conspiracy theorist and probably a result of popular science fiction books and literature.

The Walking Sock Hat

 The Walking Sock Hat

 The sock hat was headwear used by pirates, basically a knitted beanie but this uses an old walking sock stretched over your head.

The end of the sock was tied in a knot in the photo below and is quite a comfortable hat, I would almost be tempted to wear it in public.

Plus you can get 2 hats out of a pair of socks, or use that odd sock that has lost its significant other.

Towel Turban

The Towel Turban 

Basically, wrap a towel around your head in any way that works, rolling and tucking bits in until it holds firm

The is a practical way to dry your hair faster if you still have any.

Knotted Hanky

The Knotted Hanky

Basically a fabric handkerchief with a knot tied in each corner.

This was a staple emergency hat to protect the British Holidaymakers from the sun when I was much younger. 

I have an image of Grandad wearing one during a holiday.

Improvised Hats

So during the lockdown, I was challenged to gather a set of photos of improvised hats, i.e. hats made from things I had lying around. 

I managed 5 hats that I think make the grade to be called hats

I will post these over the next few days but here are a couple of ideas that didn't quite make it.

Old Newspaper 

If you nothing else, hold a newspaper to head it will give a bit of temporary protection against the sun or rain.

The Paper Bag 

Not really a hat but still a head covering, a brown paper bag with 2 eye holes, can be used to hold up banks and hide a zit covered face.

Fireman's Helmet

Fighfighters helmets were introduced in the 1830's to help protect them against falling cinders and debris

The firefighter's helmet was originally made of leather, then brass, then cork, then steel, then aluminium, then thermoplastic, then a composite of all sorts of materials each adding different protection against hazard a modern firefighter might face 

In the 1930's as electricity became a hazard so brass was abandoned and cork helmets with a rubber coating were introduced as this one. 

Metal military-style helmets came back in world war II 

Helmet at least in the UK are yellow, but some countries the colour is used to denote rank in the fire service.

This helmet was purchased from an auction site, is very tatty some of the finish as worn off, but it was a bargain purchase.