Bucket hat explained

A bucket hat (variations of which include the fisherman's hat, Irish country hat and session hat) is a hat with a narrow, downward-sloping brim. Typically, the hat is made from heavy-duty cotton fabric such as denim or canvas, or heavy wool such as tweed, sometimes with metal eyelets placed on the crown of the hat for ventilation.

It was first adopted as a high fashion item in the 1960s, and with subsequent revivals in both street fashion and on the catwalk. It is popular festival gear in the present day, also known as a "session hat".

Origins

The bucket hat or fishing hat is said to have been introduced around 1900.^[1] Originally made from wool felt or tweed cloth, these hats were traditionally worn by Irish farmers and fishermen as protection from the rain, because the lanolin from the unwashed (raw) wool made these hats naturally waterproof.^[2] From the interwar years onwards, these "Irish walking hats" were quickly adopted internationally for country pursuits because, when folded, they could fit inside a coat pocket. If the hat fell in the mud, it could be easily cleaned with a damp sponge, and it could be reshaped using steam from a kettle.^[2] In the 1960s, it was often worn by members of the Mod subculture.^[1]

The modern bucket hat is derived from a tropical hat made from olive drab cotton that was issued to the US Army during the Vietnam War. These lightweight hats became popular among civilians for use in sports such as fishing, and as sun protection.^[3]

Fashion accessory

In the 1960s, the bucket hat was adapted as a ladies' fashion item, in common with the pillbox, bakerboy, and cloche styles, suiting the fashion for more bouffant hair.^[4] Milliners such as Lilly Daché created designs in felt or other stiffer fabrics to capture the "mod" look.^[5] The older tweed Irish walking hat remained popular among professional men until the 1970s,^[6] and was notably worn by Sean Connery's character in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

The hat became popular with rappers in the 1980s and remained part of street fashion into the 1990s. More recently, it has re-emerged as a fashion catwalk item after being sported by celebrities such as Rihanna.^[7]

Regional names and variations

• In Bulgaria it is popular as "idiotka" (Bulgarian: идиотка), which means "idiot hat".^[8]
• In Australia the version worn by the Australian Defence Force is referred as a "Giggle Hat".^[9]
• In Israel, it is known as a tembel hat or "Rafael hat", after Rafael Eitan, an Israeli general, politician, and former Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, who used to wear one. A similar type of hat called a tembel hat is dubbed the national hat of Israel as it was worn by Israeli Halutzim to protect from sunburn.
• In Sweden, it is known as a "Beppehatt" or "Beppemössa", since Beppe Wolgers, a Swedish author and artist, used to wear it and made it popular in the 1970s.
• In Denmark, it is known as "bøllehat" (troublemaker hat) since the 1880s, when a group of young delinquents would gather every Sunday in Bøllemosen in Jægersborg Dyrehave, from where they made trips to a popular dance restaurant in Charlottenlund to steal the ladies' hats.
• In Argentina, it is known as "sombrero Piluso" (Piluso hat), where its popularity rose after the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
• In Russia, it is called "panama" (Russian: панама). The name came from misconception of panama hat, known as hat of Ecuadorian workers in Panama.
• In South Africa, it is known as an "ispoti" and is very popular with urban black youth, representing being streetwise without copying foreign hip-hop trends.
• In Tanzania, it is very popular among elders, especially among the Iraqw people.
• In the US, a similar hat is used officially by the US Navy for enlisted service dress uniforms, commonly referred to as a Dixie Cup hat, as in the manufacturer brand of paper cups.
• In France, it is called a "".^[10]
• In Germany, it is called "Anglerhut" (fisher's hat). It is popular as an accessoire in German hip hop.^[11] In 2018, a right-wing protester wearing a bucket hat in the colors of the Flag of Germany became notorious as a "Hutbürger" ("hat citizen"),^[12] a play on words of "Wutbürger" or "enraged citizen".
• In the UK, it is sometimes called "Reni hat", after Stone Roses drummer Reni who frequently wore the hat.^{[13] [14]}
• In Italy, it's called a "fisherman's hat" (cappello da pescatore).^[15]
• In Brazil and Mexico, it's widely known as "chapéu do Seu Madruga"^[16] (Don Ramón's hat) and respected^[17] due to being worn by the character. Cosplayers may be casually seen in some cities wearing the iconic hat.^[18]
• In the Netherlands, it's referred to as a vissershoed.^[19]

In popular culture

• Both fictional characters Inspector Clouseau from The Pink Panther film series and Detective Lieutenant Louie Provenza of the television series The Closer and Major Crimes frequently wear bucket hats: for Peter Sellers' portrayal of Clouseau, a grayish-shade Irish tweed fabric variety, with Provenza wearing a white bucket hat while at crime scenes.^{[20] [21] [22] [23]}
• The character Gilligan in the TV series Gilligan's Island ubiquitously wears a cream-colored bucket hat throughout its episodes.
• During the 1990s Liam Gallagher, lead vocalist of the rock band Oasis, has been photographed multiple times wearing a bucket hat.^[24]

See also

• Boonie hat
• Wales bucket hat
• Sun hat
• Tembel hat

Notes and References

1. Book: Stalder . Erika . Fashion 101: A Crash Course in Clothing . 2008 . Orange Avenue Publishing . San Francisco, CA . 978-0979017346 . 55 . 3 January 2015.
2. Web site: Irish Cultural Society of San Antonio. www.irishculturalsociety.com.
3. Web site: Hat Shapers Hat Dictionary . Hat Shapers . 3 January 2015.
4. Web site: A Brief History of 20th Century Hats (part 2) . Tuppence Ha'penny Vintage . Tuppence Ha'penny . 3 January 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150103214529/http://blog.tuppencehapenny.co.uk/2011/01/hat-week-brief-history-of-20thc-hats_12.html . 3 January 2015 . dead . dmy-all .
5. News: Marcus . Jonathan D. . Fashionable Display at Boca Museum . 3 January 2015 . . Broward County, Florida . 8 March 2013 . 3 January 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150103210300/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2013-03-08/news/fl-cn-impact-0310-20130308_1_display-at-boca-museum-furstenberg-council-of-fashion-designers . dead .
6. Web site: Kiplinger's Personal Finance. 21 December 1977. Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc.. Google Books.
7. News: Cartner-Morley . Jess. Elan . Priya . Bucket hats: what's the appeal . 3 January 2015 . . London . 15 July 2014.
8. Web site: идиотка - Тълковен речник - значение на думата идиотка - какво е идиотка. Речник на думите в българския език.
9. Web site: Giggle Hat Recycled: The Story of Internment Camps in NSW Anzac Memorial, Hyde Park, Sydney . 2023-10-09 . www.anzacmemorial.nsw.gov.au.
10. Web site: Le bob, chapeau hypocoristique . 2023-07-11 . Libération . fr.
11. Web site: Verkaufen. Werben &. 23 June 2020. The North Face: Warum Rapper auf Funktionskleidung stehen W&V+. 30 July 2021. www.wuv.de. de.
12. Web site: 23 August 2018. German police in row over far right after officer blocked TV crew at Pegida rally. 30 July 2021. the Guardian. en.
13. Web site: Spartak Moscow 1 – 3 Liverpool. Scott Murray. The Guardian . UK. 22 October 2002. 29 April 2008.
14. Web site: Stage 9 – as it happened. Barry Glendenning. The Guardian . UK. 17 July 2007. 29 April 2008.
15. Web site: 2023-09-27. Lo stile parte dalla testa: I cappelli da uomo, per tutte le stagioni. Corriere Style. it.
16. Web site: 2023-01-10 . Jogadores mexicanos prestam homenagem a Seu Madruga . 2024-01-12 . Jornal de Pomerode . pt-BR.
17. Web site: Filho de Ramón Valdés guarda até hoje chapéu do seu Madruga . 2024-01-12 . NaTelinha . pt-br.
18. Web site: Quem é o SEU MADRUGA de Campina Grande . 2024-01-12 . Celino Neto . pt-BR.
19. Web site: Gool . Joep van . 2024-06-30 . De Vissershoed: Een Tijdloos Mode-icoon . 2024-07-05 . EZbuckethat . nl-NL.
20. Web site: Mina . Sharpe . 23 June 2014 . MCTV Exclusive – G.W. Bailey Talks Major Crimes and The Sunshine Kids Foundation . MajorCrimesTV.net . 20 September 2016.
21. See image: Web site: Robert . Morris . 19 January 2013 . Actor from 'Police Academy,' 'The Closer' to ride as Bacchus . Uptown Messenger . 20 September 2016.
22. See image number 4: Web site: defyingnormalcy . 4 October 2013 . Fashion Remix: Major Crimes, Episode 02.04 . Major Crimes (blog) . . 20 September 2016.
23. Web site: TNT . Fan Question - Provenza's Hat ¦ Major Crimes ¦ TNT . 10 October 2013 . . 20 September 2016.
24. News: 7 May 2022 . Bucket-hat Boris; Bagehot. . The Economist . 51 . 51(US)–51(US) . Gale Academic OneFile.