25 November
International Hat Day falls every November 25th.
Today is a special day to wear your favourite hat or simply to learn more about its history. Hats have been worn as uniforms, fashion accessories, and protective gear for millennia
The slouch hat, so immortalized by our Diggers, is an object strongly associated with our Australian identity. It is is an iconic Australian military headdress, officially adopted by the Australian Army in 1903 and a symbol of the nation.
Characterized by its sloping brim, it's traditionally made of fur felt and worn with a puggaree (a coloured hatband). Originally, the right side of the brim was looped up, but the left side became the standard to prevent the brim from getting caught on rifles during parades.
These days, the most popular country hat is the Akubra Cattleman, this timeless hat suitable for everybody.
These days, we Aussies love our headwear in all its various shapes and styles to a point now, both as a protection from direct sunlight to purely fashion statements, we might be seen in bucket hats, baseball hats, beanies, cowboy hats – the range is open to individual choice.
Of course, for the discerning rugby league fan, nothing tops the range of Wests Tigers caps, proudly worn for their amazing colours, comfort and practicality – not to mention wearing your team's cap is a powerful way to display identity, unity, and support, serving both practical and social functions for players and fans alike.
Generally, hat options available are as large as any clothing brand. There are shoes, shirts, trousers, jeans – each selectively worn to satisfy choice – then there’s the hats.
Nowadays, the big sellers in hats are invariably brand names. Media advertising means millions in revenue to the big players in hat manufacture, but it’s best to always remember that, whatever hat we might choose, we are in Australia and here we need to be sun safe, as sun exposure can cause significant damage to our skin.
And hats are popular with everyone, men and women both. Men might chose theirs for playing sport for the benefit of sun-protection and better vision, or caps or others even for formal occasions.
On the other hand, ladies can be practical too, for all the pursuits that modern casual and sporting lifestyles require. When ladies choose hats, they also factor in their part of “the look” they wish, as a stylish accessory that adds to an outfit, with recent trends including wide-brimmed sun hats, bucket hats, and even cowboy-inspired styles becoming popular for both urban and rural fashion.
Whatever hat we choose, be as bold and out there as you want, but be practical and the core in this great southern land is protection from the sun especially.
"Whenever you wear your hat, your day will be special"
"Hats change everything"
"Hang onto your hat."
"Hats have power. Hats can change you into someone else"
