The Crown of Fashion and Tradition

What does a person’s hat say about them? Throughout the entire history of humankind, headwear has played an essential role in society, carrying rich social and religious symbolism. Above all, it marks status, gender, marital situation, ethnic and religious affiliation, and the profession of its wearer.

This book is the first popular-science edition in Russian literature dedicated to such an important and expressive element of traditional clothing as headwear. Its origins, varieties, and cultural significance are revealed through dozens of captivating stories told by Kirill Babaev—an academician and traveler who founded, in 2014, the world’s first museum of traditional headwear “World of Hats.”