Not sure if it should be categorized as a hat or a face mask. Created by British designer Ana Rajcevic. [via
RocketNews24]
Ski mask by Emilio Pucci. From
Life - Dec 7, 1962.
It's an emergency helmet that doubles as a chair's backrest, during times of non-emergency. An odd but clever idea, if it saves lives. [
mamoris.me]
What desperate Chinese teachers are resorting to nowadays. The hats would also make a great fashion statement outside school. [via
ryot.org]
And here's what seems to be an American version of these hats (though the picture looks a little photoshopped):
Pictures recently taken at a Starbucks in Santa Monica showing a woman wearing a birdhouse hat have been circulating
around the internet. As usual, WU is ahead of the curve on such things, since we've already posted about the
1968 predecessor of her hat. Though we'll need a few more sightings of birdhouse hats before we declare them officially "no longer weird."
British actress
Jane Bough appeared in TV series such as
Upstairs, Downstairs (1972) and
Anne of Green Gables (1952), but she may be best remembered as the pioneer of the "budgie in a hat," variations of which she to various horse races during the summer of 1968.
Here's another prediction of yesteryear that never panned out. Found in the
Kingsport News - Apr 2, 1959:
J. McLaren Thomson, president of the National Hairdressers Federation, predicts that both men and women will have their hair short by 1999 so that they can wear space helmets. He said women will have a collection of wigs to wear with special dresses for gala occasions.
[Click to enlarge]
Imagine any kid enthusiastically wearing such a hat today.....
In the UK, and in some countries formerly part of the British Empire, they maintain the strange habit of making barristers (attorneys) wear wigs. Apparently these wigs, traditionally made out of horsehair, are very expensive, so barristers often own only one. And according to the
South China Morning Post, barristers rarely wash them, so over time the wigs start to smell bad:
Tong said he had never washed or dry-cleaned the wig before, for fear that it would fall apart. "It is made of horsehair that is glued together and is not very strong."
In fact, few lawyers would have their wigs cleaned as there is an odd perception that an old and discoloured wig is a better symbol of seniority. But the rows of white curls can become stale and smelly as they absorb sweat and oil from the scalp. A court dress shop in Admiralty charges HK$760 to wash it.
This info is seconded by
thelawyer.com:
The aim of most barristers is to achieve a wig with a worn and matured look to create the impression of experience when standing before a judge.
"None of them likes to look the new boy," says David John Harris, manager of the legal department at Ede and Ravenscroft, which has been manufacturing wigs for barristers, judges and royalty since 1726. "If it is really grubby looking, it looks like they've been around," he says.
Barristers will go to great lengths to make their wigs look fashionably old. There are a number of tried and tested ways to age one, including stamping on it, kicking it in the dirt, giving it to kids, letting the dog at it, or shaking it in a Hoover bag...
Wigs should last for 100 years but are often damaged by perspiration. Ede and Ravenscroft suggests cleaning wigs every four to five years, while Thresher and Glenny recommends every 25 to 30 years. "The longer you leave it, the better it is," says Hill.
The sweet smell of tradition!