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The crown of King Christian IV of Denmark, currently located in Rosenborg Castle, Copenhagen.

A crown is the traditional symbolic form of headgear worn by a monarch or by a deity, for whom the crown traditionally represents power, legitimacy, immortality, righteousness, victory, triumph, resurrection, honour and glory of life after death. In art, the crown may be shown being offered to those on Earth by angels. Apart from the traditional form, crowns also may be in the form of a wreath and be made of, flowers, oak leaves or thorns and be worn by others, representing what the coronation part aims to symbolize with the specific crown. In religious art, a crown of stars is used similarly to a halo. Crowns worn by rulers often contain jewels.

Terminology[link]

Three distinct categories of crowns exist in those monarchies that use crowns or state regalia.

1. Coronation - worn by monarchs when being crowned.
2. State - worn by monarchs on other state occasions. (Note that similar headgear, worn by nobility and other high ranking people below the ruler, is in English called a coronet, however in many languages the same word is used, e.g., French couronne, German Krone, Dutch kroon);
3. Consort crowns - worn by queens consort, signifying rank granted as a constitutional courtesy protocol.

In Classical antiquity the crown (corona) that was sometimes awarded to people other than rulers, such as triumphal military generals or athletes, was actually a wreath or chaplet, or ribbonlike diadem.

History[link]

The Iron Crown of Lombardy, probably the most ancient royal insignia of Europe, kept in the Cathedral of Monza.

The Imperial State Crown of the United Kingdom.

Ancient Greek golden decorated crown, funerary or marriage material, 370–360 BC. From a grave in Armento, Campania

The precursor to the crown was the browband called the diadem, which had been worn by the Achaemenid Persian emperors, was adopted by Constantine I, and was worn by all subsequent rulers of the later Roman Empire.

Numerous crowns of various forms were used in Antiquity, such as the White crown, Red Crown, combined Pschent crown and blue crown of Pharaonic Egypt.

The corona radiata, the "radiant crown" known best on the Statue of Liberty, and perhaps worn by the Helios that was the Colossus of Rhodes, was worn by Roman emperors as part of the cult of Sol Invictus prior to the Roman Empire's conversion to Christianity. It was referred to as "the chaplet studded with sunbeams” by Lucian, about 180 AD (in Alexander the false prophet).

Perhaps the oldest Christian crown in Europe is the Iron Crown of Lombardy, of Roman and Longobard age, later again used to crown modern Kings of Napoleonic and Austrian Italy, and to represent united Italy after 1860.

In the Christian tradition of European cultures, where ecclesiastical sanction authenticates monarchic power, when a new monarch assumes the throne in a coronation ceremony, the crown is placed on the new monarch's head by a religious official. Some, though not all early Holy Roman Emperors travelled to Rome at some point in their careers to be crowned by the pope. Napoleon, according to legend, surprised Pius VII when he reached out and crowned himself, although in reality this order of ceremony had been pre-arranged: see coronation.

The Imperial crown of Japanese emperor Kōmei (1831 - 1867).

Today, only the British Monarchy and Tongan Monarchy continue this tradition as the only remaining anointed and crowned monarchs, though many monarchies retain a crown as a national symbol in heraldry. The French Crown Jewels were sold in 1885 on the orders of the Third French Republic, with only a token number, with their precious stones replaced by glass, held on to for historic reasons and displayed by the Louvre. The Spanish Crown Jewels were destroyed in a major fire in the eighteenth century while the Irish Crown Jewels (actually merely the Sovereign's insignia of the Most Illustrious Order of St Patrick) were stolen from Dublin Castle in 1907.

Heraldic crown of the Russian Empire

Special headgear to designate rulers dates back to pre-history, and is found in many separate civilizations around the globe. Commonly, rare and precious materials are incorporated into the crown, but that is only essential for the notion of crown jewels. Gold and precious jewels are common in western and oriental crowns. In the Native American civilizations of the Pre-Columbian New World, rare feathers, such as that of the quetzal, often decorated crowns; so too in Polynesia (e.g. Hawaii).

• Coronation is often combined with other rituals, such as enthronement (the throne is as much a symbol of monarchy as the crown) and anointing (again religious sanction, the only defining act in the Biblical tradition of Israel).

In other cultures no crown is used in the equivalent of coronation, but the head may still be otherwise symbolically adorned, as a royal tikka in the Hindu tradition of India.

As an emblem[link]

Crown of Flowers, William-Adolphe Bouguereau, 1884

A crown is often an emblem of the monarchy, a monarch's government, or items endorsed by it. The word itself is used, particularly in Commonwealth countries, as an abstract name for the monarchy itself, as distinct from the individual who inhabits it (see The Crown). A specific type of crown (or coronet for lower ranks of peerage) is employed in heraldry under strict rules. Indeed some monarchies never had a physical crown, just a heraldic representation, as in the constitutional kingdom of Belgium, where no coronation ever took place; the royal installation is done by a solemn oath in parliament, wearing a military uniform: the King is not acknowledged as by divine right, but assumes the only hereditary public office in the service of the law; so he in turn will swear in all members of "his" federal government.

• Costume headgear imitating a monarch's crown is also called a crown. Such costume crowns may be worn by actors portraying a monarch, people at costume parties, or ritual "monarchs" such as the king of a Carnival krewe, or the person who found the trinket in a king cake.
• The Eastern Orthodox marriage service has a section called the crowning, wherein the bride and groom are crowned as "king" and "queen" of their future household. In Greek weddings, the crowns are diadems usually made of white flowers, synthetic or real, often adorned with silver or mother of pearl. They are placed on the heads of the newlyweds and are held together by a ribbon of white silk. They are then kept by the couple as a reminder of their special day. In Slavic weddings, the crowns are usually made of ornate metal, designed to resemble an imperial crown, and are held above the newlyweds heads by their best men. A parish usually owns one set to use for all the couples that are married there since these are much more expensive than Greek-style crowns.
• Women, mainly girls, sometimes connect flowers together in a chain, and wear the wreath as if it were a crown (see illustration, left).
• Crowns are also often used as symbols of religious status or veneration, by divinities (or their representation such as a statue) or by their representatives, e.g. the Black Crown of the Karmapa Lama, sometimes used a model for wider use by devotees.
  

  

  Our Lady of Warfhuizen wearing a crown with a halo surrounded by stars attached to it, typically worn by statues of the virgin Mary
  .
• A Crown of thorns according to the Bible, was placed on the head of Jesus before his crucifixion and has become a common symbol of martyrdom. Rapper Kanye West raised controversy when he appeared on the February 2006 cover of Rolling Stone wearing a crown of thorns. So did Madonna when she wore one on the opening night of her World Tour in May 2006.^[1]
• According to Roman Catholic tradition the Blessed Virgin Mary was crowned as Queen of Heaven after her assumption into heaven. She is often depicted wearing a crown, and statues of her in churches and shrines are ceremonially crowned during May.
• The Crown of Immortality is also common in historical symbolism.

The heraldic symbol of Three Crowns, referring to the three evangelical Magi (wise men), traditionally called kings, is believed thus to have become the symbol of the Swedish kingdom, but it also fits the historical (personal, dynastic) Kalmar Union (1397-1520) between the three kingdoms of Denmark, Sweden and Norway.

Numismatics[link]

Because one or more crowns, alone or as part of a more elaborate design, often appear on coins, several monetary denominations came to be known as 'a crown' or the equivalent word in the local language, such as krone. This persists in the case of the national currencies of the Scandinavian countries and the Czech Republic. The crown of the United Kingdom became a commemorative coin and, as at a value of 25p was last minted in 1981, although the size was resurrected for 5 pound pieces. The generic term "crown sized" is frequently used for any coin roughly the size of an American silver dollar.

See also[link]

• Polos
• Circlet
• Coronet
• Crown jewels
• Diadem
• Helmet
• Hoop crown
• Heraldic crowns
• Imperial Crown
• Laurel wreath
• Nemes
• Papal tiara
• Pschent
• Tiara
• Royal Crown
• Pinna
• War bonnet

References[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Crowns

Links to related articles v t e Parts of a Crown half-arch · hoop · monde · cap · cross · cross pattee · Lappet v t e Types of crowns Rank: Papal tiara · Imperial crown · Royal crown · Coronet Circlet · Consort crown · Coronation crown · Heraldic crown · Hoop crown · Mural crown · Naval crown · State crown · Diadem v t e Crowns English, Scottish, Welsh and British crowns (by chronology) Palatine Crown Crown of Scotland St Edward's Crown Crown of Mary of Modena State Crown of George I Coronet of Frederick, Prince of Wales Coronation Crown of George IV Crown of Queen Adelaide Imperial State Crown Small diamond crown of Queen Victoria Crown of Queen Alexandra Coronet of George, Prince of Wales Crown of Queen Mary Imperial Crown of India Crown of Queen Elizabeth Coronet of Charles, Prince of Wales Holy Roman Empire, German, Austrian, Bohemian and Italian crowns Iron Crown of Lombardy Reliquary Crown of Otto II Crown of Otto III Reliquary Crown of Empress Cunigunde Reliquary Crown of Henry II Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire Salian Funeral Crowns of Spires Kamelaukion of Frederick II or Constance of Sicily Reliquary Crown of Charlemagne (14th century) Crown of St. Wenceslas (Bohemian lands) Crown of Blanche of Valois (Bohemian lands) Electoral Hat of Saxony Ducal hat of Styria Archducal hat] Archducal hat of Tyrol Archducal hat of Joseph II Crown of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany Imperial Crown of Austria Crown of Frederick I (Prussia) Crown of Charlotte (Prussia) Imperial Crowns of Charles VII Napoleonic Crown of Italy Royal Crown of Bavaria Royal Crown of Württemberg Royal Crown of Hanover Grand Ducal Crown of Baden Crown of Empress Elizabeth (Austria) Crown of Wilhelm I (Prussia) German State Crown Crown of Wilhelm II (Prussia) Polish crowns Crown of Bolesław I the Brave Swedish Crown Muscovy Crown Hungarian Crown Homagial Crown Funeral Crown Queens Crown Crown of Augustus II Crown of Augustus III Crown of Maria Josepha Płock Diadem Russian crowns "Cap of Monomakh" Crown of Kazan Tzardom Crown of Tsar Michael Fyodorovich Cap of Monomakh of the second set Diamond crown of Tsar Peter I Diamond crown of Tsar Ivan V Altabas crown of the third set Crown of Empress Catherine I Crown of Empress Anna Ivanovna Great Imperial Crown Maltese Crown Small Imperial Crown French crowns Crown of Charlemagne Sainte Couronne Crown of Louis XV Crown of Napoleon I Crown of Charles X Crown of Napoleon III Crown of Empress Eugenie Other European crowns Crown of Crown Prince Carl (Norway) Crown of Christian IV (Denmark) Crown of Christian V (Denmark) Crown of Zvonimir (Croatia) Crown of Eric XIV (Sweden) Crown of William I (Netherlands) Crown of William II (Netherlands) Crown of Norway Crown of João VI (Portugal) Crown of the Queen of Norway Crown of Elisabeta (Romania) Crown of Maria (Romania) Holy Crown of Hungary (Hungary) Crown of Stephen Bocskay Crown of Peter I (Serbia) Crown of Martin of Aragon Royal Crown of Spain Crown of Greece Papal tiara Crown of Rus (Ukraine) Steel Crown of Romania Non-European crowns Crown of Faustin I (Haiti) Empress Crown (Iran/Persia) Great Crown of Victory (Siam/Thailand) Kiani Crown (Iran/Persia) Imperial Crown of Brazil Imperial Crown of Mexico Crown of Sri Vikrama Rajasinha of Sri Lanka Pahlavi Crown (Iran/Persia) Crown of Silla (Korea) Crown of Hawaii Crown of Tahiti Crown of Madagascar Crown of Ranavalona III Silver crown of Emperor Tewodros (Ethiopia) See also Coronation Crown Jewels Heir Apparent Heir Presumptive King Monarchy Queen Regalia Royal Family v t e Jewellery Forms Anklet Belt buckle Belly chain Bindi Bracelet Brooch Chatelaine Collar pin Crown Cufflink Earring Lapel pin Necklace Pendant Ring Tiara Tie clip Tie pin Toe ring Watch (pocket) Making People Bench jeweler Goldsmith Jewellery designer Lapidary Watchmaker Processes Casting (centrifugal, lost-wax, vacuum) Enameling Engraving Filigree Metal clay Plating Polishing Repoussé and chasing Soldering Stonesetting Wire wrapping Tools Draw plate File Hammer Mandrel Pliers Materials Precious metals Gold Palladium Platinum Rhodium Silver Precious metal alloys Britannia silver Colored gold Crown gold Electrum Platinum sterling Shakudō Shibuichi Sterling silver Tumbaga Base metals/alloys Brass Bronze Copper Mokume-gane Pewter Stainless steel Titanium Mineral gemstones Aventurine Agate Alexandrite Amethyst Aquamarine Carnelian Citrine Diamond Diopside Emerald Garnet Jade Jasper Lapis lazuli Larimar Malachite Marcasite Moonstone Obsidian Onyx Opal Peridot Quartz Ruby Sapphire Sodalite Sunstone Tanzanite Tiger's eye Topaz Tourmaline Turquoise Yogo sapphire Organic gemstones Abalone Amber Copal Coral Ivory Jet Pearl Nacre Terms Carat (mass) Carat (purity) Finding Millesimal fineness Related topics: Body piercing Fashion Gemology Metalworking Wearable art

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A collection of headgear

Headgear, headwear or headdress is the name given to any element of clothing which is worn on one's head.

Headgear serve a variety of purposes:

• protection (against impact, cold, heat, rain and other precipitation, glare, sunburn, sunstroke, dust, contaminants, etc.)
• to keep hair contained or tidy
• decoration or fashion
• religious purposes
• medical purposes
• modesty; social convention
• distinction; a badge of office

Overview of headgear types[link]

Bonnets[link]

Piper wearing a Feather bonnet

Bonnets, as worn by women and girls, were hats worn outdoors which were secured by tying under the chin, and often which had some kind of peak or visor. Some styles of bonnets had peaks so large that they effectively prevented women from looking right or left without turning their heads. Bonnets worn by men and boys are generally distinguished from hats by being soft and having no brim—this usage is now rare (they would normally be called caps today, except in Scotland where the "bunnet" is common in both civilian life and in the Royal Regiment of Scotland).

Caps[link]

Caps are generally soft and often have no brim or just a peak (like on a baseball cap). For many centuries women wore a variety of head-coverings which were called caps. For example, in the 18th and 19th centuries a cap was a kind of head covering made of a flimsy fabric such as muslin; it was worn indoors or under a bonnet by married women, or older unmarried women who were "on the shelf" (e.g. mob-cap). An ochipok is part of traditional Ukrainian costume.

Crowns[link]

Some headgear, such as the crown, coronet, and tiara, have evolved into jewelry. These headgear are worn as a symbol of nobility or royal status. Kokoshnik is part of Russian traditional dress, often worn by nobility.

Fillets[link]

A fillet or circlet is a round band worn around the head and over the hair. Elaborate and costly versions of these eventually evolved into crowns, but fillets could be made from woven bands of fabric, leather, beads or metal. Fillets are unisex, and are especially prevalent in archaic to renaissance dress.

Hair covers[link]

Hairnets are used to prevent loose hair from contaminating food or work areas. A snood is a net or fabric bag pinned or tied on at the back of a woman's head for holding the hair. Scarves are used to protect styled hair or keep it tidy. Shower caps and swim caps prevent hair from becoming wet or entangled during activity.

Hats[link]

Napoléon Bonaparte in his familiar bicorne hat

Hats often have a brim all the way around the rim, and may be either placed on the head, or secured with hat-pins (which are pushed through the hat and the hair). Depending on the type of hat, they may be properly worn by men, by women or by both sexes.

Helmets[link]

Helmets are designed to protect the head, and sometimes the neck, from injury. They are usually rigid, and offer protection from blows. Helmets are commonly worn in battle, on construction sites and in many contact sports (most commonly being associated with American football). In most of the United States they are required by law for anyone operating a range of vehicles including motorcycles, and sometimes extending to bicycles and skateboards.

Hoods[link]

Queen Mary I of England wearing a French hood

Modern hoods are generally soft headcoverings which are an integral part of a larger garment, like an overcoat, shirt or cloak.

Historically, hoods were either similar to modern hoods, or a separate form of headgear. In medieval Europe hoods with short capes, called chaperons in French, were extremely common, and later evolved into elaborate and adaptable hats. Women's hoods varied from close-fitting, soft headgear to stiffened, structured hoods (e.g. gable hoods, hennins or French hoods) or very large coverings made of material over a frame which fashionable women wore over towering wigs or hairstyles to protect them from the elements (e.g. calash).

Masks[link]

A mask is worn over part or all of the face, frequently to disguise the wearer, but sometimes to protect the face. Masks are often worn for pleasure to disguise the wearer at fancy dress parties, masqued balls, during Halloween or other festivals, or as part of an artistic performance. They may also be worn by criminals to prevent recognition or as camouflage while they commit a crime. Masks which physically protect the wearer vary in design, from guard bars across the face in the case of ice hockey goalkeepers, to facial enclosures which purify or control the wearer's air supply, as in gas masks.

Turban[link]

Moche ceramic vessel depicting a man wearing a turban. Larco Museum Collection. Lima-Peru

Turbans are headgear, mostly for males, made up from a single piece of cloth which is wrapped around the head in a wide variety of styles. Turban is the best known word in English for a large category of headgear and general head wraps traditionally worn in many parts of the world.

Turbans for women are a popular choice during chemotherapy treatment as an alternative to wigs, hats, headscarves and headbands. Turbans for women made in natural fabrics are both comfortable and functional. The Breast Cancer Care booklet, Breast cancer and hair loss suggests "You may want to wear a soft hat or turban in bed to collect loose hairs"^[1]

Wigs[link]

Wigs are headpieces made from natural or synthetic hair which may be worn to disguise baldness or thin hair, or as part of a costume. A toupee may be worn by a man to cover partial baldness. In most Commonwealth nations, special wigs are also worn by barristers, judges, and certain parliamentary officials as a symbol of the office.

Veils and head wraps[link]

Hesquiat woman veiled in a shawl.

A veil is a piece of sheer fabric that covers all or part of the face. For centuries women covered their hair, neck, ears, chin, and parts of the face with fabric. Each culture created elaborate head wraps for women and men using a shawl, headscarf, kerchief or veil. Very elaborate veiling practices are common in Islam, Africa and Eastern Europe. Women who don't cover their head on a regular basis, often use a veil in traditional wedding and funeral ceremonies.

Orthodontic[link]

Used to control the growth of the maxillary and mandibular bones during orthodontic treatment.

Purpose of headgear[link]

Protection or defense[link]

A "cheche" or "tagelmoust" turban, worn by men and women in Saharan Africa as protection against wind and sand

Moche ceramic vessel showing a warrior wearing headgear. Larco Museum Collection. Lima, Peru.

The most common use of headgear is as protection for the head and eyes.

A baseball cap is used by sports players to keep the sun out of their eyes, and by some chefs to keep the hair out of their food. Traditionally, silk chef's hats are used for this purpose. A rain hat has a wide rim to keep the rain out of the wearer's face. Some traditional types of hat such as the Mexican sombrero also serve this purpose.

There are also the full range of helmets. There are also hats that are worn for protection from the cold. These include many varieties of fur hats, and also the Canadian tuque.

Fashion[link]

Young Bedouin man wearing a North African version of the fez.

Headgear is also an article of fashion. The formal man's black silk top hat was formerly an indispensable portion of the suit, and women's hats have, over the years, attained a fantastic number of shapes ranging from immense confections to no more than a few bits of cloth and decorations piled on top of the head. Some hats, such as Deep Blue Sea, are showpiece creations created more as works of art than as practical items of fashion, and may be worth thousands or millions of dollars. Recently, the hat as an article of formal wear has fallen out of fashion, though some kinds of hats other than baseball caps may be included in young people's subcultural fashions.

Religious significance[link]

Woman from Gümerdiğin with headscarf

Woman wearing a scarf wrapped around her head and face as a niqab, a popular style in the Levant region.

Some headgear is worn for religious practice. Observant Jewish men wear Kippahs, small cloth skull-caps, because they believe the head should be covered in the presence of God. Some Jewish men wear yarmulkes at all times, others in the synagogue. Married Jewish women wear a headscarf called a tichel.

Similar to the yarmulke is the zucchetto worn by Roman Catholic clergy. Other forms of apostolic headgear include the mitre, biretta, tasselled cardinal's hat, and the papal tiara. Orthodox Christian clergy and monastics often wear a skufia, a kamilavkion, or a klobuk. See also the fez (clothing). The term red hat, when used within the Roman Catholic Church, refers to the appointment of a Cardinal, a senior Prince of the Church, who is a member of the electoral college that chooses the Pope. On being appointed to the cardinalate, he is said to have received the red hat, or cardinal's biretta.

Male Sikhs are required to wear turbans.

In Islam, the Hijab, or headscarf, is worn by women because it is considered modest. Muslim men also wear a skullcap called a "kufi" or taqiyah (cap). Until more recent times, men in most Muslim societies were rarely seen without headdress of some sort. The doppa originating in the Caucasus is worn by Kazan Tatars, Uzbeks and Uyghurs. Conservative Muslims in Indonesia and Malaysia, especially in the rural areas, are often seen wearing a thin kopiah.

The black satin headgear called or known as fenta or topi is a pillbox-shaped skullcap, worn by Zarathushtris Zoroastrians. It is considered in the Zarathushtri religion to be of vital importance in the attainment of Urvaan, the Zoroastrian equivalent of Buddhist Nirvana. In earlier times, a very saucer-shaped, red and white striped kipah was the hallmark of the Zarathushtri.

Buddhist priests in China wear the bao-tzu (more commonly known as the mao-tzu, 帽子 Mandarin màozi), the classic skullcap that is the most like the Jewish tradition. In Japan, the cap is more in the form of a pillbox and is called the boshi (帽子). Though not of ecclesiastical significance, the Buddhist skullcap does denote something about the priest's standing in the community.

Switzerland is home to the Cup-and-Ring (or Kuppa-unt-Hinge) skullcap, a straw cap with embroidered flowers, a small pompom in the center, and velvet strips sewn round it in rings. This cap was traditionally worn by shepherds for luck and by married men (for fertility).

Symbol of status or office[link]

Headgear such as crowns and tiaras are worn in recognition of noble status especially among royalty. Wigs are worn traditionally by judges and barristers of Commonwealth nations. Feathered headpieces are worn by various Native North American and South American indigenous peoples, such as the Urarina of Peruvian Amazonia as a sign of status and sacred knowledge.[1]

Headgear etiquette[link]

Bororo Indian men, Matto Grosso, Brazil.

In the Western culture derived from Christian tradition, removing one's headgear is a sign of respect, making oneself more open, humble or vulnerable, much like bowing or kneeling. This is as if to say, "I acknowledge that you are more powerful than I am, I make myself vulnerable to show I pose no threat to you and respect you." Men's hats are removed in Church, and not removing them is usually frowned upon. Women, however, are required to wear a hat to cover the head in some churches based on 1 Corinthians 11:5.

In the Jewish tradition, the converse idea equally shows respect for the superior authority of God. Wearing a kippah or yarmulke means the wearer is acknowledging the vast gulf of power, wisdom, and authority that separates God from mankind. It is a sign of humility to wear a yarmulke. There is a common phrase that explains this, saying that "there's always something above you" if you're wearing a yarmulke, helping you remember you're human and God is infinite. A Talmudic quote speaks of a righteous man who would "not walk (six feet) with an uncovered head, the (spirit of God) is always above him". Jews also may wear a fur hat or a black hat with a brim.

In Islamic etiquette, wearing headgear is perfectly permissible while saying prayers at a mosque, see taqiyah (cap) for further information. [2].

In the military, there are specific rules about when and where to wear a hat (also known as a 'cover' in America). Hats are generally worn outdoors only, at sea as well as on land; however, personnel carrying firearms typically also wear their hats indoors. Removing one's hat is also a form of salute. Many schools also have this rule due to the fact that many younger men tend to wear baseball caps and this being in relations to gangs depending on the side in which the hat is worn.

As a guideline, a man should remove his hat to show respect for the dead, when a national anthem is played or in the presence of royalty, in a church or courtroom, and during other solemn occasions, when meeting someone, and indoors while in the presence of a lady (though there is no actual relationship to uncovered heads and any of those places and situations). A woman may continue wearing her hat, unless she is wearing what is considered a unisex hat, such as a baseball cap, when she should remove her hat as well. Women usually do not take off their hats in these situations because they may be carefully pinned to their hair but take off their hats only in their own homes.

Finally, the hat can be raised (briefly removed and replaced, with either hand), or "tipped" (touched or tilted forward) as a greeting.

Beginnings[link]

There are two types of hats: with brims and without. Necessity and fashion are the reason people wear hats. The first manufactured hats were nothing more than a round piece of leather. A circle of holes about the size of one's head was punched in the leather, and a string was then woven through those holes and pulled tight to hold the hat snugly to the head. The hatband separated the crown from the brim.

The wide floppy brim was tied up with a ribbon, to keep it out of one’s eyes. Some times when the ribbon was off they would see that the brim stayed curled by itself. This led to the hand-curled brim.

Brims were bound with ribbon to keep them from fraying after being trimmed with the knife. Although advancements in materials have eliminated the need for binding the brim, or pinning it up, the custom remains. We must keep our brims curled up because long ago hatters did not know how to stiffen a brim.

When men went off to do battle it was customary to wear a feather from their loved one. Because men were mostly right-handed they lead when sword fighting with the right side. At first they would stick the feather in the adjusting hatband. Unless they wanted to fight blind, surviving duelers moved the feather and knot, to the left side of the hat, where it remains today. As time went on, they would wrap a ribbon around the crown to hold the feather and hide the tie string knot.

When leather turned to velvet some protection was needed to keep the soft fabric from falling on people’s hair, this is where the lining came from. Even though modern hats are stiff enough not to collapse, the custom remains. Individual sizing eliminated the need for the tie string, but the bow remains at the back of the hat, serving as a memorial to bygone hatters. What has evolved from necessity later became fashion.^[2]

Hats like the cowboy hat were designed from the fur up, to provide a lightweight all-weather shield from the climatic conditions of the American West. Hats like the baseball cap were designed to provide shade.

See also[link]

Gemology and Jewelry portal

• List of hats and headgear
• Chapeaugraphy—an act in which a ring of felt is shaped to resemble many hat types

References[link]

1. ^ http://www.breastcancercare.org.uk/search-results/*/changeTemplate/PublicationDisplay/publicationId/12/
2. ^ Wolff, Edwin Daniel. Why We Do It. Manchester, N.H.: Ayer Company Publishers [Freeport, N.Y.: Books for Libraries Press, 1968, reprint of 1929]. ISBN 0-8369-1006-0.

External links[link]

Look up headgear or headdress, headwear, or headware in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Headgear

• Headwear Ideas
• About Head Covering