Bucket hat

Cloth hat with a downward-sloping brim

A man wearing a bucket hat

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

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Australian boy wearing tweed bucket hat, 1917

The bucket hat or fishing hat is said to have been introduced around 1900.[1] Originally made from wool felt or tweed cloth, these hats were traditionally worn by Irish farmers and fishermen as protection from the rain, because the lanolin from the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

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Barbra Streisand – with Elliott Gould and son Jason Gould – wearing a fashionable oversized bucket hat in 1967

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]

Bucket hats were a subject of controversy during the 2022 FIFA World Cup when Qatari officials seized rainbow-colored bucket hats from female Wales fans and staff, including former Wales women's football captain Laura McAllister. This news emerged following the Group B match between the United States and Wales. The hats were confiscated by FIFA-Qatari officials outside the stadium ahead of the game.[8][9][10] Former Wales players Danny Gabbidon and Ashley Williams had also worn "Spirit of 58" bucket hats on television when Wales qualified for the tournament in June 2022.[11]

Regional names and variations

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Graffiti of the "Hutbürger" in Dresden (2018) A Bengali man wearing a bucket hat

In popular culture

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IKEA branded bucket hats at an IKEA store in Emeryville, California in 2022.

See also

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References

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