Bucket hat

A bucket hat is a soft cotton hat with a wide and downwards sloping brim which is worn by both men and women. The brim offers shade from the sun for the eyes and face. They are usually made from heavy-duty cotton fabrics such as denim, or canvas. Two metal eyelets are commonly placed on each side of the hat so that it is cool to wear on hot days.

A similar hat is used officially by the U.S. Navy for enlisted service dress uniforms, commonly referred to as a "Dixie Cup" hat, as in the manufacturer brand, because the brim is flipped upward forming the shape of a paper cup. In some sub culture groups, these hats were modified by flipping the brim downward, forming the similar look of a bucket hat.

Bucket hats are favored by sailplane (glider) pilots, who require shade in their cockpits but cannot wear wide-brimmed hats because their visibility would be obscured.

They are also favored by competition archers, who require their aim to be unimpeded by glare, and their drawn bowstring to be unimpeded by a wide-brimmed hat.

In the UK, it is known as a "fishing hat" and is associated with the Mod/Indie scene.

History

In Israel, the bucket hat dates back to the beginning of the Israeli War of Independence. Israeli soldiers needed something that would protect them from the hot sun. At first, they used the Arab keffiyeh but realized they needed to distinguish themselves from the Arab soldiers. They used a local heavy-duty cotton fabric for simple hats, the "kova tembel" or "fool's hat". To this day, the "kova tembel" is used in the Israeli Defense Forces, and is a national symbol.

Popular culture

In American popular culture, the bucket hat is associated with the character Gilligan, from the 1960s television comedy "Gilligan's Island", who habitually wore one. Also, Col. Henry Blake of "M*A*S*H" wore a bucket hat decorated with fly fishing lures.

Bucket hats were also quite popular in old school hip hop fashion namely those from the Kangol brand. Rappers who were often seen wearing this type of hat were LL Cool J, Run-D.M.C. and Sen Dog also most recently Tony Yayo

Another musician known for his use of bucket hats is Reni, drummer for the band The Stone Roses. The hat is still sometimes called a "Reni hat" in the UK particularly by people who grew up in that musical era. Gregg Alexander from the band New Radicals is also known to wear a bucket hat.

Gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson was also famously known for wearing them, and is depicted as doing so in both films "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" and "Where the Buffalo Roam".

The bucket hat can be seen in the apocalyptic sci-fi film "The Day After Tomorrow" and is worn in a crucial sequence in the film in which the main female lead (Emmy Rossum) trudges through a flooded New York City.

One of the opening scenes of had the character, Luke Skywalker, wearing a bucket hat. The scene was ultimately cut from the movie.

Professor Henry Jones, Sr. wears a bucket hat in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

British boxer Ricky Hatton often wears a bucket hat at press conferences and weigh-ins.

Kisuke Urahara from the manga/anime Bleach wears a bucket hat with green and white stripes.

Professional wrestler Scotty 2 Hotty wore a bucket hat to the ring before wrestling in matches. His bucket hats usually had the top cut out to accommodate for his tall hairdo.

Adam Jones of Tenison Woods College would wear a regulation school bucket hat through out the school year even though it was only required for two of the four terms during schooling.

See also

* Boonie hat
* Tilley Endurables