At The Drop of a Hat Trivia Quiz

Answer: Boater

Boater hats originated in the 19th century, introduced first by gondoliers from Italy. They wore the hat with a ribbon around it, usually in blue and red. Boaters are usually made out of straw and feature a flat crown and brim. They are very popular for wearing while going sailing. It is typically a hat for warm summer days.

Straw boaters can still be part of the school uniform in some countries. If you are an avid Harry Potter fan, you might have noticed that boaters were mentioned as part of the school uniform for the boys at Smeltings, the school Dudley Dursley goes to.

Answer: Chullo

The chullo is well known hat from the Andean region. It is made out of wool from the alpaca, the vicuna or the llama for instance and usually has earflaps. They have been in use in the region since the pre-Hispanic days and are very useful to keep the wearer warm. It is often said that the exact type and colour that you wear is important.

In recent culture the chullo has become very fashionable outside the Andean region as well. They are often referred to as "Incan hats". Another region where the hat is being used is the Himalaya region, earning it the nickname "Sherpa hat".

Answer: Fez

The fez is a hat made out of felt and shaped like a truncated cone or cylinder. Often the colour of the hat is red. It has tassels attached to it. The hat originates from the city of Fes (also called Fez) in Morocco and was first used in the 17th century. It was also widely used in the Ottoman Empire as part of the military uniform, until it was officially banished in 1925 by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

In modern culture the fez can still be found very often. The British comedian Tommy Cooper wore one during his performances. It was also fashionable for fans of the British music group Madness to wear them, when one of their band members Lee Thompson wore one in the video for "Nightboat to Cairo".

Answer: Glengarry

The glengarry is a traditional cap coming from Scotland. It is made out of wool. On top of the crown there is a pom-pom, called a "toorie". Often a glengarry is decorated by a rosette cockade, a circular symbol in different colours worn on a hat. At the back of the hat there are ribbons hanging down.

In the 19th century the glengarry became the official hat for the Scottish military regiments. The diced bands on the glengarry came in different colours as well as the "toorie", noting the regiment a soldier was in. The cap can be worn in different ways. Originally it was tradition to wear it slight angled with the right side touching the ear. After World War II it became more fashionable to wear it centered on the head.

Answer: Homburg

A homburg is a hat made out of felt with a grosgrain hatband and the brim curling up, in what is described as a "kettle curl". The hat was made popular by Edward VII after a trip to Germany. He visited the town of Bad Homburg and brought back a hat that he thought was to his style. He was very happy when the style was copied later.

The homburg is also called an "Anthony Eden hat" sometimes, after the former British politician. It was a silk-brimmed homburg in the colour black. It became popular in the 1930s. A famous wearer of this type of homburg is also Sergeant Arthur Wilson in the TV series "Dad's Army".

Answer: Kippah

A kippah (also called a kipa) is a cloth cap closely fitted to the skull, worn by Orthodox Jewish men. It is also referred to as a yarmulke. In Jewish law men are required to cover their head during prayer. A kippah is used for this purpose. There is debate going on whether this is a requirement or simply a custom. It has also been suggested that the kippah is used to distinguish the Jewish people from other people, especially while praying.

The color and fabric of a kippah are often used to distinguish between different movements. There are those that are crocheted (used by religious Zionists) or made out of suede (modern orthodox among others) or black velvet (used by Haredi Jews for instance). It is often suggested that the larger the kippah gets, the more traditional the wearer is.

Answer: Mortarboard

The cap worn by Kyle is known under different names, one of them being a mortarboard. This apparently comes from the likeness of the hat to the hawk used by bricklayers to hold their mortar. Other names for this cap is the graduation cap or the academic cap. The cap is a horizontal square board with a tassel attached to the center. It is often used in graduation ceremonies.

Another use for the mortarboard is that of a mourning cap. This version does not have a tassel, but two black ribbons forming a cross on the cap. A black rosette ribbon is usually attached at the center of the two ribbons.

Answer: Panama

The Panama hat originated in Ecuador in the 19th century. It is a brimmed straw hat woven from the leaves of the toquilla straw plant. It was first shipped to the Isthmus of Panama, taking on the name of this region rather than the name where it was first produced. They are traditionally summer hats associated with tropical destinations. They are light in colour and weight and also easy for travel, as they are able to return to their original shape, even after you have folded it into your suitcase.

Since the hat was first introduced, it has become less popular, but is still considered to be the prince of straw hats. Apparently the national hero of Ecuador Eloy Alfaro financed the revolution by exporting Panama hats.

Answer: Stetson

The Stetson hat is a felt hat with a high crown and a wide brim. You can customize it by rolling the brim or creasing the crown. It was originally produced by the John B. Stetson company, founded in 1856. They produced the original hat of the West, called the "Boss of the Plains". Their company grew to become one of the largest hatmakers in the world. The original hat was made by John Stetson on a hunting trip and was made out of beaver felt.

Since then Stetson hats have traditionally been associated with westerns. They can be found everywhere in popular culture however. It also forms part of several police and military uniforms in the world.

Answer: Turban

Turbans have been around for many years. The origins of wearing this type of headdress are said to lie in the 14th century at the end of the Moorish occupation of Spain. Men started to wear scarves of fine linen or silk wrapped around the head. It is traditionally associated with Islam, as the prophet Muhammad was said to have worn a black and white turban and his followers are said to emulate this custom.

There is a variety of styles used for the turban, often denoting the region the wearer comes from or the branch of religion. They are also used by members of the Rastafari movement for instance, where they are used to protect their dreadlocks and keep them clean.