Hats and Caps
Birka Cap with Herringbone Pattern, wine red
Strawhat Maciejowski-Bible made of bulrush bell-shaped
Medieval hat - You are what you wear...
The hat has gone out of fashion. At least in everyday life. In our society, headgear usually only fulfills the function of keeping warm in winter and is rarely used as a fashion accessory. It was quite different in the Middle Ages. Hats were not only functional, but even advanced to a recognition mark with symbolic power for whole estates. Not to be underestimated is the headgear also in Larp as well.
But let's be honest, in our opinion, a headdress brings the necessary spice to the overall concept of the outfit and should therefore not be missing in any case.
What material were medieval hats made of?
Textile headgear or hats were mainly made of wool, as it is robust, water-repellent and warming. The bund hat is in a special position, but it is also a kind of undercoat and therefore not to be counted among the upper headgear. Today we have more materials available than in the past, which opens up more possibilities with cotton, for example. Especially sensitive people appreciate that this is less scratchy than wool. Also leather was available at that time and headgear from it conceivable.
Of course, the medieval straw hat must not be neglected at this point. But what actually makes it medieval? If the straw hat is not made of polystraw (synthetic) are not much, because the braiding is often the same. However, straw hats are usually decorated modern or quilted with a sewing machine and thus secured against "opening", which is why such hats made of straw then not suitable for medieval reenactment.
What are the colors of medieval hats?
Here the motto is again not to orientate on movies and choose gray/brown, but colorful is the trump card! The Middle Ages were colorful and so a colorful medieval outfit is a bigger eye-catcher than a gray-brown robe. However, one must always consider the status and the fortune of the character, which one would like to represent. Dyeing cost a lot of money depending on the color and therefore a different dress code applies to a servant than to a Count.
