Traditional Hats and Headwear Around the World

Hats that belong to a place and a people: the sombrero of Mexican charros, the felt kalpak of Kyrgyzstan, the lace caps of Dutch and Breton villages, the silver crowns of Miao festivals. Each photo shows one traditional style, worn by someone where possible, and the caption says who wears it, when and what it signals. A style earns its place by being rooted in one culture and still worn today, whether at work, worship, festivals, weddings or on stage, rather than surviving only in museums. The gallery travels from the Americas through Europe, Africa and the Middle East to Asia and Australia.