You Can Leave Your Hat On
Mere decades ago, you'd be hard-pressed to find a man in America outside of his house not wearing a hat. While headwear has faded practically into oblivion in the West, there are many cultures where it's still an important part of daily or traditional attire. Here are 20 iconic and traditional hats worn in different countries.
1. Akubra - Australia
An akubra is a wide-brimmed bush hat. Designed to keep the brutal Outback sun off the face, it's a distinct symbol of Australian culture worn particularly in rural areas.
2. Caubeen - Ireland
A caubeen is an Irish beret, typically dark green and featuring a feather. It became popular in the 16th century and has now been adopted into Irish military attire as a distinct national symbol.
Caubeen at English Wikipedia on Wikimedia
3. Chullo - Peru
A chullo is a hat worn in the Andean regions of Peru and Bolivia. It's made of alpaca, llama, or sheep's wool and has flaps to cover the ears.
4. Conical Hat - Vietnam
Conical hats are typically worn all over Southeast and East Asia. It's made of straw and is used as protection from the sun. When dipped in water it becomes an evaporative cooling device.
Adam Baker from Houston, TX on Wikimedia
5. Fez - Morocco
A fez is a short felt cylindrical cap, generally red with a black tassel, worn in Morocco, other parts of North Africa, and the Middle East. It became the symbol of the Ottoman Empire in the 19th century when the Sultan mandated it as military wear.
6. Kufi - Nigeria
A kufi is a short brimless hat worn by men in Nigeria, many other African countries, and throughout the African diaspora. Older men wear them daily to symbolize their wisdom and status as family patriarchs.
7. Labbadeh - Lebanon
A labbadeh is a felt brimless cap traditionally worn in rural parts of Lebanon. It's made from sheep's wool and is paired with a black scarf during work and a silk scarf for special occasions.
8. Panama Hat - Ecuador
Despite its name, the Panama hat comes from Ecuador. It's a brimmed hat similar to a fedora but made of straw so it's more suitable for hot climates. It's popularly worn with summer linen suits.
9. Qeleshe - Albania
A qeleshe is a white, brimless skull cap worn by men in Albania. It is made from beating and pressing wool and then washing it so it shrinks. Early versions of this cap date all the way back to the first century.
10. Rastacap - Jamaica
Rastacaps are round, loose-fitting, crocheted hats typically worn by Rastafarians. They generally sport the Rasta colors of green, yellow, and red and hold the dreadlocks of the wearer.
South African Tourism on Wikimedia
11. Sombrero - Mexico
A sombrero is an extra wide-brimmed Mexican hat with a pointed crown. Typically a symbol of class, the more elaborate the sombrero, the wealthier the wearer. As sombrero is simply the Spanish word for hat, Mexicans refer to them as sombreros de charros.
Lord Ander Fotografia on Pexels
12. Tengkolok - Indonesia
A tengkolok is a traditional men's Indonesian or Malay headwear consisting of an intricately patterned, handwoven silk or cotton cloth tied in a particular fashion. Today, it's only worn on special occasions like weddings and national ceremonies.
13. Tubeteika - Tajikistan
A tubeteika is a round or square, brimless, embroidered cap worn in Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Muslim-populated regions in Russia. In the Soviet era, it became trendy to wear them with Western-style clothing.
14. Ushanka - Russia
An ushanka is a Russian fur hat with ear flaps that can be tied on top of the head or folded down and closed at the chin. They're made from sheepskin, rabbit, mink, or muskrat fur and are designed to protect from extreme cold.
15. Vueltiao - Colombia
The sombrero vueltiao is a traditional Colombian hat made from a type of cane that grows in the region, dried, and woven into braids. It's traditionally worn by Cumbia dancers.
Ricardo Gomez Angel on Unsplash
16. Cowboy Hat - USA
The cowboy hat is a symbol of the American South. Worn in countless Western movies, the wide-brimmed hat is still worn by many today, particularly ranchers in the US, Mexico, and Canada.
17. Bowler Hat - Bolivia
The bowler hat came to replace the top hat as an essential British accessory in the mid-19th century. Interestingly, they became a part of Bolivian women's traditional attire in the 1920s after being shipped over for male railway workers but ended up being too small.
Peter van der Sluijs on Wikimedia
18. Tam O’ Shanter - Scotland
The tan o' shanter is a floppy plaid hat worn in Scotland. It was originally exclusively worn by men until the 1920s when it became popular amongst women too.
Howard Chandler Christy on Wikimedia
19. Tyrolean Hat - Austria
The tyrolean is a typically green felt fedora-like hat with feathers. It's worn in the Bavarian regions of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It's commonly seen sported at Oktoberfest along with lederhosen.
Axelator at English Wikipedia on Wikimedia
20. Herero Hat - Namibia
The Herero women of Mabibia are known for their striking attire which they adopted from early 20th century German colonists. The hat, which they wear with Victorian-style dresses, is a horizontally horned headdress.
