Concept hats that will drive you crazy with laughter
The Life.com site recently published a wild slide show with some really crazy hats.
Many of these hats were actually “worn” at the world famous Royal Ascot meet. Incidentally Royal Ascot is being held over this weekend. Undoubtedly an event on the Social Calendar in Aristocratic Britain and one where hat wearing by both men and women is mandatory. In women’s hats it is not generally believed that one should hold back and be too conservative.
Here is a list and a bit of a commentary on the hats displayed:
1. Mmmm Cheesy
A very (I mean very) large hat being a replica of a slab of blue cheese (made for a giant)
(Royal Ascot 2008)
2. King Kong would love this one
A felt hat shaped like a replica (a good one) of a Gorilla’s hand.
(1953)
3. Berry Nice
A dish of strawberries on a hat resembling the grill on one of those 1970s round barbeque’s.
(Ascot – date not given)
4. Gooooooaaall!
A very large replica of a soccer field
(Ascot 2004)
5. A big hit at the Office
A hat featuring rubber duckies and a large sign “I paid for this hat on expenses”.
(Ascot 2009)
6. Yes, the sink’s in there too
A large blue hat surmounted by a large replica bathroom
(Ascot 2008)
7. Just Say Naught
Fancy horse head hats
(Ascot 2007)
8. Someone is Very Patriotic
A very creative hat based on the British Union Jack flag and a heart motif – my personal favorite.
(Ascot 2007)
9. Guess who’s the butt of the joke?
A very large replica ashtray and cigarette
(Ascot 2007)
10. How Dainty: Watercress Sandwiches
A large helping of Watercress Sandwiches – Yummy
(Ascot 2008)
11. The Race is On
A kind of turban like hat with fake turf and very plastic looking horse models – tacky.
(Ascot 2006)
12. Staying Cool
A very large replica of a “99″Ice Cream cone – a British ice cream treat Vanilla ice cream in a cone with a Cadbury flake – a personal favorite treat – but not in a hat thanks.
(Ascot 2009)
13. Head Stands
A model of the stands at Ascot.
(Ascot 2008)
14. The World on her Shoulders
A strange collar with names of European Countries – not the whole world.
(Ascot 1973)
15. We bet this one got a great reception.
A large replica cell phone on a large brimmed blue hat – bizarre.
(Ascot 1992)
16. All that Jazz
Creative musical head wear featuring a very large trumpet.
(Sep 2005)
17. Our Daily Bread
Salvador Dali wears a replica loaf of bread.
(1958)
18. A Hat of Note
A creative hat made of sheet music
(Sep 2005)
19 We’ll be the Judge of that.
A trucker hat – how did THAT get in there?
Well many of the hats appeared or are due to appear at Royal Ascot. If you like Horse Racing and the whole ambiance of horse racing and the hat wearing you may also wish to check out another Life slide show featuring horse racing events and their fans from many eras and different countries many of the feature hats.
Check out the Life.com website for many great images and a nostalgic look at hat wearing in past periods.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey Darla,
I have a lovely summer hat that I got in Montreal years ago. The problem is, it doesn’t stay on my head when outdoors in windy weather. How do I go about securing it to my head?
Hi Noreen
The wind is a big problem. I think it’s mostly a question of holding on to your hat or making it fit more snugly (You can wear a headband or something like that). Hats with very large brims are impossible to hold on – have you seen the flying Nun?
If you are crafty you can attach a piece of elastic to the hat or a more drastic solution would be to have a ribbon that ties under the chin. Attaching such a ribbon or threading it is a bit beyond my skills. Maybe some of our readers can weigh in?
Even with chin straps the hats still fly off the hat in severe wind gusts although you do not have to chase them across the road or lose them in a river, lake or sea.
Hope that helps
Darla
Oh an old fashioned solution is the hat pin. Much to dangerous it can pierce your hat or poke out your boyfriend’s eye. You notice they went out of style lol
Thanks so much for your help, Darla. Using something elastic would be the best bet for me when striving for a secure hat fit!
I have an idea for a blog post: What kind of hat suits a particular face shape. Also, what if you have a big head/small head?
My face is round and I do not want to make it look rounder.
I have been collecting materials on appropriate hats for different face shapes and stature for both men and women. I plan to do a piece on that in the not too distant future. If anybody has a good reference source on that topic please feel free to contact me through the contact box on this site.