What is a Budenovka hat?

The characteristic appearance of the Red Army soldier was the budenovka - a complex, multifunctional headdress. Along with the tunic and overcoat, it is considered as the calling card of the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army. Budenovka was depicted on postcards and posters issued a century ago. Until now, for foreigners it remains one of the symbols of Russia.

A little history of the appearance of budenovka

There is no single answer to the question of how Budenovka appeared, because there are two versions of these events: Soviet and imperial.

Soviet historians explain the appearance of this headdress by the need in 1918 to quickly equip the soldiers of the young Red Army and come up with an option for them to wear in hot and cold weather. The commission developing the new military uniform included artists Kustodiev, Vasnetsov and others.

Soon the first samples were sent to the operating units: long-brimmed overcoats with complex side fastenings, tunics, riding breeches and helmet hats, which were originally called “heroes”.

Budenovka consisted of several wedges that formed a pointed top. The shape of the headdress resembled the helmets of epic heroes, which is why it received such a name. In the army under the command of Frunze, it was gradually renamed “Frunze”. When the new uniform reached the cavalrymen of Semyon Budyonny, the name was reborn as Budenovka, and there were no other options in the future.

The imperial version says that in this uniform, sewn under the Tsar in 1915, Russian troops were supposed to participate in the Victory Parade over Germany in Berlin. It was also created according to Vasnetsov’s sketches. In this case, one can explain her “heroic” style. Helmets, hats, overcoats with “conversations”, loose tunics, fasteners on them and on overcoats - everything is full of ancient Russian motifs, which was alien to the young republic, choking in blood.

Important! One way or another, Budenovki appeared in the Red Army and existed until 1943. They did not withstand the test of frost during the Soviet-Finnish war of 1940 and gradually began to be replaced by warmer ear flaps, summer caps and caps.

What kind of hat is this?

The basis of the Budenovka cloth helmet was a cap made of 6 connected tapering spherical triangles. It was insulated with a cotton lining. A stitched oval visor was sewn in front. There was a backplate at the back. If it was warm, it was tucked up, raised and secured with buttons on the back of the helmet. If necessary, it could be unfastened and its elongated ends protected the neck from wind, rain and cold on all sides. It fastened in front under the chin.

A mandatory element was a pentagonal star as a symbol of belonging to the Red Army. It was sewn in the front center, above the visor. Initially, the stars were not red. They were blue in color, and then its color changed depending on the Red Army soldier’s affiliation with any branch of the army. The infantry received crimson stars, the artillery received orange ones, which were later replaced with black ones, and the cavalrymen received a blue version.

The armored troops (later the armored forces) received a red star, the aviators were assigned a blue color, and the engineering troops also joined the black version, the border guards settled on green stars on a gray background of the headdress. And only on posters or paintings were Red Army soldiers always depicted wearing Budenovkas with red stars.

The same hat has been worn by security officers since 1922. Their version was dark blue with a dark green cloth star. A year later, the color of the budenovka was changed to black, the stars to crimson. The following year, the helmet became a dark gray shade with a speckled star.

Several versions of budenovka

Over its quarter-century history, this headdress has undergone several changes:

• the version of the Red Army star changed - from cloth it became metal, in the form of a badge, then again cloth;
• the size of the star also underwent changes, sometimes increasing and sometimes decreasing;
• A linen Budenovka was introduced instead of a cloth one, which began to be worn only in winter. The summer headdress was devoid of a back plate, but had two visors - one in front, the other in back. This version was popularly dubbed “hello and goodbye.”With its sharp tip it looked like a German helmet;
• soon, instead of the linen version, a cap for summer was introduced, and the winter version was retained for the budenovka;
• spherical headgear wedges in the mid-20s began to end with a flatter rather than sharp end. The helmet became rounded, the pommel became less protruding. Its overall height has decreased.

How has she changed by now?

Canceled in the regular troops, the Budenovka hat was preserved in versions of children's hats. The industry produced similar helmets to protect the child’s head and neck from the cold. They were intended for boys of preschool or primary school age. Together with elongated elements that hide the ears and part of the face from the sides, this headdress was recognized by parents as a reliable cordon against bad weather..

Many of them sewed or knitted such hats themselves, always keeping the red star. With it, the child could participate in games on military themes - especially popular among Soviet children.

It is interesting that such an “ancient” style suddenly began to come back to life in the 21st century. Fashionistas now prefer to wear knitted versions with elongated ears. In its modern form, the budenovka has become a low, pointed headdress with hanging sides.. The most common type of knitting for a fashionable hat is purl stitch. So it looks united and monolithic. Only a hat that fits tightly to the head will keep its shape. A prerequisite for preserving the hairstyle is a fabric lining, preferably silk.

Important! Knitted with braids, cones, stripes, and circles, the Budenovka hat looks stylish and fresh. And its two- or multi-color versions are also very popular.Particularly beautiful are hats with Norwegian patterns lined with silk, fleece or faux fur.

What place does budenovka occupy in fashion today?

Military style is still one of the trends of the season. Girls are adopting overtly masculine styles of hats with great enthusiasm. Along with a cap and earflaps, the Budenovka has found its way into the wardrobe of brave and extraordinary individuals. They wear it with or without a visor, but always with a sharp top, an imitation of a small turned-down backplate and elongated side parts. The ears sometimes end with long tassels.

Among men, the budenovka as a woolen hat is also popular. There are more sophisticated options, knitted with various patterns and motifs. There are also simple one-color models, crocheted, dense, keeping the pommel sharp. Budenovka is also used as a bath hat made of felt, reliably hiding the head from exposure to high temperatures.. In this version, humorous inscriptions and drawings are usually embroidered on the helmet.