Beautiful Hats from Around the World

Hats are not only a way hide your impending hair transplant; they have been worn for millennia by many cultures around the world. Hats can be both practical (keeps your head warm) and cultural (some hats denote cultural identity or group belonging). Here are some interesting hat styles from around the world.

Barretina

The barretina is a great example of a traditional hat style turned political. The red barretina used to be a traditional Catalan hat, but is now worn as a sign of Catalan identity. It’s also still used in traditional dances and festivals in the Catalan region of Spain. It’s worn with the top flopping down.

Fez

The fez is traditionally linked to Ottoman rule in parts of Europe and North Africa. In 1826, an Ottoman sultan decided that the fez would be become the official military hat, and eventually spreading it to the general population. At first a symbol of Arab modernity, the West turned it in an oriental symbol and still use it to identify Turks and other types of Arabs in movies and television shows: fezzes show up in Austin Powers, Doctor Who and Indiana Jones.

Pakul

The pakul (also known as pakol or khapol) is a traditional Pashtun hat (which is believed to actually have originated in Macedonia) worn throughout Pakistan, Afghanistan and other surrounding countries. The pakul is a round, flat hat that can either have a sewn brim (Chitrali style) or worn like a cap (Gilgiti style). It’s a hat
for colder temperatures because it’s made of wool, and can sometimes be decorated with peacock feathers.

Salakot

This traditional Filippino hat is a wide-brimmed hat often made of reeds or rattan. A salakot is actually part of the founding history of the Philippines. Filipinos wear it as symbol of their national identity. During the Spanish occupation, Filipinos started embellishing their salakots, often going to great lengths to add silver and gold decorations, tortoise shells and even precious stones. Some of them are even kept in museums.

Sombrero

We couldn’t talk about hats from around the world without mentioning the famous Mexican sombrero! This wide, saucer-shaped brim and conical crown hat is one of the most recognized symbol of Mexican identity. In the hot tropical temperature of Mexico, descendants of the Spanish developed their own version of the “sombra”, which means “shade”. Mexicans themselves don’t wear them much outside of traditional celebrations, and they make a lot of money selling them to tourists.

Montera

Speaking of Spanish hats, we could also mention the typical bullfighter hat, called “montera”. It’s a crocheted hat usually covered in fur and velvet. Now linked to bullfighting, it’s actually a simple folk hat worn by many Iberian cultures.

As you can see, hats have important cultural significance in many parts of the world. So the next time you put on a hat to hide the fact that you need hair replacement, think about how this hat may (or may not) define a certain cultural or national identity. Even the common baseball cap has symbolic meaning!