Mariner's cap facts for kids
A mariner's cap is a cool hat often called a skipper's cap, sailor's cap, or fiddler's cap. It's a type of hat with a stiff front brim, usually made from dark blue or black wool. You might also find them made from corduroy or denim. These caps were first popular with sailors and are still linked to sailing, fishing, and boating. Sometimes, they even become a popular fashion item, like when John Lennon wore one in the 1960s.
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Caps in Eastern Europe
These types of caps first appeared in the early 1800s. They were cheap and practical hats for sailors and factory workers in Europe. They became very popular in Russia, especially among Jewish communities in cities. This is why they later got the nickname fiddler cap. This name came from the movie Fiddler on the Roof, where the main character, Tevye the Milkman, wore one.
A black version of this cap, called a kasket or Hamburg cap, was also popular. It had a narrow top and a band with fancy stitching. This cap became common in Russia after traditional Jewish hats were banned in the 1800s. Later, farmers in Israel wore them daily in the 1950s. Hasidic Jewish boys in many countries wore this hat every day until the mid-1900s. Now, they usually wear it only for special events.
Important leaders like Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin also liked these caps. They wore them during the Russian Revolution and the Russian Civil War. Later, dark blue and army green versions with a red star became part of the uniform for political leaders during World War II. Other socialist leaders, like Mao Zedong from China and Jeremy Corbyn from Britain, also wore similar caps.
Caps in Central Europe
These caps were once very popular with sailors along Germany's North Sea and Baltic coasts. Several different styles of the mariner's cap developed there.
The Elbsegler Cap
The Elbsegler cap means "Elbe sailor." It's a simple, low sailor's cap made from black or dark blue fabric. It has a band about three centimeters high. It also has a strap at the front, which used to be leather but is often plastic now.
The Altstädter Cap
The Altstädter cap means "Old Towner." It's a bit taller than the Elbsegler because its hatband is higher. Instead of a simple strap, it has a twisted cord above the brim. The brim itself is often decorated with a braided design that looks like oak leaves.
The Fleetenkieker Cap
The Fleetenkieker cap is similar to the Elbsegler. However, its top part is a bit larger and softer. This cap is named after the workers who used to clean the waterways in Hamburg, Germany. These workers were known as Fleetenkieker.
Heligoland Pilot's Cap
The Heligoland pilot's cap is made especially for harbor pilots in Hamburg. It has a tall hatband and a small top. The brim is decorated with oak leaves, and the cord can be twisted or braided. This cap was a signature item for former German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt, which is why it's sometimes called the "Schmidt cap."
Caps in Western Europe
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By the 1880s, these caps were common in Greece and Turkey. They often had a decorative cord and a special black embroidered ribbon on the brim. In Greece, this cap was part of the traditional clothing for many coastal villagers. It was even used as a disguise in the movie The Guns of Navarone.
Black or navy blue caps with a white top, called Tellermützen, were also worn by university students. You could see them in Germany, Denmark, and Sweden from the early 1900s until today.
Caps as Workwear
Black or navy blue versions of these caps were common workwear for sailors in the merchant navy throughout the 1900s. Skippers of yachts and other small boats often wore caps with fancy gold braid. These could be navy blue or have a white top.
From the 1930s to the 1970s, a waterproof version, called a mechanic's cap, was popular. Truckers, gas station workers, and breakdown mechanics wore it with their blue work uniforms. In a Tintin comic book from 1950, the detectives Thomson and Thompson wear these caps when they pretend to be mechanics.
Modern Use of Mariner's Caps
In the 1950s, black leather versions of the Greek Fisherman's cap became popular. This was because Marlon Brando wore one in the movie The Wild One. Later, similar caps with chains and metal studs were worn by members of the Black Power movement in the 1970s. Around the same time, a knitted gray or black version became popular among some Rastafarians. This cap helped them fit their dreadlocks.
From the mid-1960s, the Greek Fisherman's cap became a trendy accessory for both boys and girls. This was partly because The Beatles wore them during their US tour. Folk musicians like Bob Dylan and Donovan also helped make them popular. The cap became popular again in the late 1990s and 2010s, as people looked back to 1970s fashion.
See also
- Flat cap
- Forage cap
- Kasket
- Peaked cap
- Prince Henry cap
- Sou'wester
