Pompoms are a popular accessory for winter knitted hats. Many owners of hats with such decorations do not even think about the fact that these thread balls may have not only a decorative, but also some other function. In fact, for several centuries they have been used for military, economic, functional and other purposes.
The history of the origin of the pompom on the hat
The name comes from the word pompe, which translates from French as “splendor”. These accessories began to be used back in the 18th century. At that time, cavalrymen of many European armies used special headdresses - shakos. To indicate rank and membership in a particular regiment, soldiers attached special marks to them, including pompoms of a certain shape and color. They were also worn by French sailors, but their purpose was different: soft balls of thread protected their heads from impacts on the low ceilings of ship premises.
The vestments of the clergy of the Roman Catholic Church included quadrangular-shaped caps called berrettas. Such decorations were sewn onto them, the color of which could determine the rank of the owner. The tradition turned out to be tenacious: such birettas can still be seen today in Catholic churches.
Pom-poms were known far beyond Europe. South American aborigines decorated their clothes with them. The color of these accessories indicated the marital status of the wearer. Scottish traditional men's national clothing includes a soft beret (called a Balmoral) with a ball of bright red thread sewn on top. These hats gained particular popularity during the Great Depression, which occurred in the 30s of the twentieth century. At that time, tailors had to save as much as possible on materials. Jewelry with stones and intricate tassels were replaced by pom-poms, which were made from leftover yarn, which was much cheaper.
Why do they make a pompom on a hat?
In the middle of the twentieth century. Pom-poms painted in the colors of their favorite teams have gained popularity among English football fans. They were also found on skiers' hats. At that time, they had long lost their original meaning as military insignia, remaining only on traditional naval caps. A little later, bright red jewelry became one of the integral elements of the style of the famous fashion designer Jean-Paul Gaultier, who spent a significant portion of the proceeds from the sale of his collections on charity.
Now it is just a decoration that does not carry any meaning. The color of such decoration on the hat also does not play any role. Cap manufacturers usually make this decoration at the seam.
Why are pompom hats fashionable?
Hats with such decoration look very beautiful, which is why such hats are fashionable. In addition, the pompom can be either small or large.
There are hats with a lot of pompoms, which are also popular. In most cases, such hats are bought for children and teenagers. Most adults believe that such hats are for children, and it is not so often that you can see an adult wearing a hat with such decoration.
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