Sir Tis My Hat

This medieval hat is made in the style of a chaperon

It was made for me around 1990 for medieval theatre style reenactment at Warwick Castle for group called Knights Errant. 

Errant Knights being knights with no particular lord that wandered the country looking for adventure, duels, jousts, or just pursuing the values of chivalry.

Made from a platted band of brown, red and white wool forming the bourrelet around the head and separate wool cornette lined with linen, it forms a very comfortable simplified chaperon style hat.

I've worn this hat many time, for many characters, its still worn today and in excellent condition after 25 years of life.

Chaperon

The Chaperone is soft fabric hat worn in medieval northern Europe, it consist of a ring fabric around the head, a crown of loose fabric and long scarf like tail called a liripipe thrown over the shoulder.

The Chaperon developed from a woollen hood, where the hole for face in the hood ended being rolled until it become the band around the head and the large open neck hole becoming the cape hanging from the top.

A touted reason for this is possibly because it was cooler to wear it that way in hot weather. 

The hood evolved and became a actual style of hat that we call the Chaperon worn by the wealthy and nobility in the 13th to 15th Centuries, until it went out of fashion around 1480

Chaperons continued to evolve as the one I'm wearing here with the ring of fabric which was once a rolled up hood becoming padded Bourrelets around the the head in some cases growing almost turban like in proportions and cornette or cape which is the loose fabric hanging from the padded ring and the liripipe becoming extremely large and flamboyant.

Most contemporary portraits show Chaperons in one colour of fabric, but the belief is that was just the simplify the artist job since extravagant fabric from silks or damask were listed as being used.

One thing I note in England particularly during this period the chaperon was also a name for some styles of hood as well as the head covering I'm wearing here 

Hexagonal Hat

This is one of those hats that falls into the category unknown, from a theatrical production, its has a Arabian Nights feel about it.

The hexagonal shape of this soft head covering is also odd, so far I've not found any images of anything similar to it.

It sits uncomfortable because of its design, resting too high on the crown of your head, but that adds to its unique look.

It also could have been for a male or female character, it seems to suit both.

Executioner

The hood is black and menacing and should scare anyone into thinking about not committing a crime.

The face is hidden so if you didn't like me chopping the head off your family member you won't know who I am to get your revenge later.

I'm a professional its my job, I'm the Headsman and when I'm not chopping off heads I will turn my hand to torture or other non lethal but painful punishments.

Its the law, you broke it, your punishment was judged by others, it is my job to execute the sentence.

I also love flower arranging and puppies.

It should be said that the executioners hood is a Hollywood creation, executioners hoods in British history at least are a myth, in fact executioners were celebrities in medieval times. 

In the 19th Century executioners did wear eye mask as executions ceased to be spectacles and came to be considered as regrettable but necessary tragedies.

Theatre Turban Hat

This headdress is from a theatre production and built crudely around a cardboard fez.

Trying to mimic a Asian turban, in a way that is quick to put on, it doesn't do real turbans any justice but ideal to convey a quick costume theme.

I would like to say its over the top, but just type in images of mysori turbans to see great real turbans or rajasthani turbans if you want big and colourful.

Another find at Chows Emporium. 

I started this blog when I was much heavier and really noticed the difference in the older photos to now.

Serious Russian

This trapper style hat did start its life with a hammer and sickle badge on the front and was advertised as a Russian Army Style Winter Hat, which is what it is.

Made of fake fur which covers the outer surface, its built around a trapper style hat design with ear flaps and ties for under the chin, that are ideal for what I imagine Russian winters are like

This Russian can be fun.

Perhaps he can't ear well with flaps down.

 But is quickly serious again in to keep up his appearance.

Brown Hat

Now I'm not quite sure how to class this hat, its brim and size are typical of Homburg, but homburgs have a different crown, the crown is more pork pie style hat but pork pie hats have a much smaller brim and the crown tapers. 

Anyway its a brown felt hat.

Military Style Cap

This cap is what you get if search for military style caps, if differs from a baseball cap because the crown instead of being rounded skull cap shape, it is pill box shaped. 

Military in style, but not actual military hats.

They are normally found in kharki, browns, olive and other military colours, but you can also get them in anything from pink to leather depending on your taste. 

They don't tend to have logos prominent on them.

They also come under the titles Army Caps, Cadet Caps and Busker Caps

Crusader Helm

This is Templar style helmet from the 3rd to 5th Crusades of around 1200 AD, flat topped with tapered sides, chain mail coif and nose guard but normally seen with a full face plate. 

Made by White Rose Armouries as bespoke piece, based on image in a Osprey Man at Arms series book, I think it was the Knights of Outremer, but no longer have the book to confirm that.

The image above is from Bolsover Castle and the one below from Warwick from the early 90's, during a period I did medieval style entertainment shows for the public, which skirted the edge of medieval authenticity.

I did have long hair and big beard back then.

I still have this helmet.

I even have a cartoon image created for me wearing the helment

Bird Beak

This bycocket is made of lightweight felt and not stiff so folds flat.

The word Bycocket comes from the French word bec cocquet which means birds beak or cock's beak

Cowboy Hat

This is a novelty cowboy hat picked up from a bring and buy, well used but fits the part

A basic felt hat with a pinched front, crushed crown, wide brim and leather band around the crown

Cowboy hats where not the most common hats worn in the wild west, derby or bowler hat where much more common and many hat style were worn, but as time past and the wild west became history the stetson or wide brimmed tall crown hat became the cowboy hat we think of today. 

Kufi

This hat was picked up for £2 from Tewkesbury apparently a BBC drama prop, crushed at the bottom of a box it needs a bit of attention to bring it back to shape.

A Kufi hat is a traditional men's hat worn people in Africa or those of African heritage living in the US, the hat has no religious significance can be worn by Christian, Muslim or those who follow The Force.

Kufi hats are usually made of kente cloth, mudcloth, or knitted/crocheted and pill boxed shaped