Hats bought during travels serve as great mementos, as they can often be worn for many years, decades even, while evoking memories about the place of visit or event, including the people you have met.
Personally, I find this to be preferable over shirts and other forms of souvenir. I have bought caps from cities as near as Phuket to as far as Belgium. While the one from Belgium is already fairly worn today almost 20 years since I bought it, it is still every bit as wearable as a pair of torn jeans.
In comparison, a shirt which I had bought at Amsterdam at about the same time is now torn beyond redemption.
“On bad hair days, hats and caps can come really handy. Sometimes they go well with the gear and get-up for the day, and complement a bag or a pair of shoes I have on. A headgear can thus be both decorative and functional.”
I remember getting my first cap, one with army-style motifs which I was very attached to, from a close friend of dad’s in the early 1980s when I was about seven. I believe that cap originated from Thailand, and was a black coloured one with motifs of yellow feathers and various military insignia around it. Sadly, that cap is no longer with me, but the many others that eventually came into my possession over the years are kept with collecting in mind.
I often buy hats in my travels, and one or two were given as gifts by good friends. Unlike building a crystal and mineral collection, building a hat collection is quite easy and doesn’t have to cost a lot of money.
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Collection of Hats and Headgear – An Overview
There are only a handful of these that I wear regularly when I go out, and many were bought and worn only once or twice, while some never at all. Nevertheless, they remain and form part of the collection, and are divided into the following categories:
BASEBALL CAPS
FEDORA, TRILBY AND WESTERN
FLAT CAPS
BEANIE AND OTHER STYLES
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SAFETY HEAD GEAR
The Hat Collection – Details
“…but the many others that eventually came into my possession over the years are kept with collecting in mind. I often buy them in my travels, and one or two were given as gifts by good friends.”
Baseball-style caps form the bulk of the collection, followed by flat hats and fedoras. These are the styles I usually prefer to wear when I’m out.
There are some flat hats which are now lost – gone missing over the years – three which I had bought from England, leaving six in the collection.
Others such as safety hard hats and helmets I have lumped into the collection as well. They are, after all, headgear every sense of the word. Same with the kopiah and balaclava.
Details of the collection of hats and headgear are outlined below. Some names and style may not be accurate, and a comprehensive list is found on Wikipedia as reference. Price and city or country of origin are provided where applicable, accompanied by short remarks about the hat. Here, origin means where the hat was purchased from, and not where it was manufactured.
BASEBALL CAPS
Brand:
N/A
Category:
Sports
Style:
Cap
Material:
Genuine Leather
Origin:
India
Year:
2015
Price:
This leather cap was bought and given as a gift from a friend during his recent trip to India. The leather scent is strong and may be off-putting to some, and doesn’t seem to go away easily. A well-made cap nonetheless.
Purchased during my golf playing days, Ping is still one of my favourite brands when it comes to golf clubs, and I use a special one in the form of a putter.
Brand:
JEEP
Category:
Sports
Style:
Baseball Cap
Material:
Cotton
Origin:
Malaysia
Year:
2015
Price:
RM59.90
I don’t exactly connect with the brand, but wanted to add an orange cap to the collection, and this cap showed itself at a special price that made buying it almost a must.
Brand:
ALFA ROMEO
Category:
Sports
Style:
Baseball Cap
Material:
Cotton
Origin:
Malaysia
Year:
2010
Price:
RM30.00
This cap was issued during the event to commemorate the Alfa Romeo Centenary Celebration, given to participants of a convoy drive to a Sime Darby plantation in Banting where each of us planted trees. The event was called “100 Trees for 100 Years”.
Brand:
COCA-COLA
Category:
Sports
Style:
Baseball Cap
Material:
Cotton
Origin:
Malaysia
Year:
c.2012
Price:
Free with purchase
Buy 2 bottles of Coke and get this cap for free. Have always loved red caps. How could I say no.
Brand:
N/A
Category:
Sports
Style:
Baseball Cap
Material:
Fabric
Origin:
China
Year:
2003
Price:
N/A
A cap which was given out during the Nanning International Arts Festival of Folk Songs in China in November 2003.
Brand:
MANCHESTER UNITED FC
Category:
Sports
Style:
Baseball Cap
Material:
Fabric
Origin:
Malaysia
Year:
c.2011
Price:
N/A
A Manchester United Football Fan Cap which happened to fall into my possession when tenants of a condo I was renting out failed to pay their rent, and I got this as part of the loot they left behind when they were evicted.
Brand:
HERSCHEL SUPPLY CO.
Category:
Sports
Style:
Baseball Cap
Material:
Acrylic
Origin:
Malaysia
Year:
2015
Price:
RM169.00
A Herschel chequered plaid cap, selected as a gift for purchase of over RM250.00, when the wife bought a bag and wallet.
Love the colours, love the material, love the design. Found this while shopping at Plaza Balikpapan in December 2015 during a backpacking visit of this city, after an exhaustive dive trip off-coast.
Brand:
MUSTANG
Category:
Sports
Style:
Baseball Cap
Material:
Cotton
Origin:
Malaysia
Year:
2014
Price:
RM50.00
A celebration of 50 Years for this marque, bought during an International Motor Show in Kuala Lumpur.
Bought this at a Levi’s Store at the Premium Outlet in Phuket, Thailand. Had to borrow money from a friend to buy this one, as I didn’t have enough cash on me. Quite a pricey cap, but comfortable and of the right colour.
Brand:
DUPONT
Category:
Sports
Style:
Baseball Cap
Material:
Cotton
Origin:
Brugge, Belgium
Year:
1997
Price:
N/A
Bought as a souvenir during a quick cruise trip to this town in Belgium. Also bought a matching shirt with the same fonts, colour and design on the front as found on the cap. Shirt is no longer around, while cap is now pretty worn and beaten up.
A very nice well-worn cap from Nautica, Mid Valley Megamall.
Brand:
PLUS
Category:
Sports
Style:
Baseball Cap
Material:
Fabric
Origin:
Malaysia
Year:
c.2012
Price:
N/A
The cap came free with purchase of Touch ‘n Go toll cards. Or it could be won from a friendly competition during that Motorshow event.
Brand:
HITACHI
Category:
Sports
Style:
Baseball Cap
Material:
Polyester
Origin:
China
Year:
2011
Price:
N/A
Received this as a souvenir during the Hitachi factory visit in Guangzhou, China, to witness a factory testing of one of the electrical equipment for a hospital.
Brand:
CAPE COD
Category:
Sports
Style:
Baseball Cap
Material:
Cotton
Origin:
Malaysia
Year:
2012
Price:
N/A
Honestly, I have no recollection of how this cap came into my possession.
Brand:
N/A
Category:
Sports
Style:
Baseball Cap
Material:
Cotton
Origin:
Malaysia
Year:
2000
Price:
N/A
A souvenir baseball-style cap from Guoman Resort Port Dickson during my tenure as a hospital engineering consultant, for the Facilities and Biomedical Engineering Maintenance Workshop we had there back in Year 2000, with Faber Medi-Serve Sdn Bhd, Radicare (M) Sdn Bhd and Pantai Medivest Sdn Bhd.
Brand:
N/A
Category:
Sports
Style:
Baseball Cap
Material:
Cotton/Polyester
Origin:
Malaysia
Year:
N/A
Price:
N/A
Just another cap, an all-black one which I have no recollection about its origin.
A gift from an ex-girlfriend. I had our names sewn on the inside of the cap. I did the sewing. They are still there, but you won’t find my name – this was a time when I used to go by a different name.
Brand:
N/A
Category:
Sports
Style:
Baseball Cap
Material:
Polyester
Origin:
Malaysia
Year:
Pre-2002
Price:
N/A
A souvenir cap from Arnott’s Biscuits of Australia, back when dad used to work for a company that distributed this brand of food item.
Brand:
N/A
Category:
Sports
Style:
Baseball Cap
Material:
Fabric
Origin:
Malaysia
Year:
N/A
Price:
N/A
I’m guessing this one came with a Rejoice 2-in-1 shampoo. At least that’s what it says on the cap front.
FEDORA, TRILBY AND WESTERN
Brand:
Nichii
Category:
Classic
Style:
Panama
Material:
Wool
Origin:
Malaysia
Year:
c.2011
Price:
N/A
Purchased at Nichii – believed this was designed for women, but I have worn it on numerous occasions – it is now slightly torn, but still in wearable condition.
Brand:
N/A
Category:
Classic
Style:
Fedora
Material:
Corduroy
Origin:
N/A
Year:
N/A
Price:
N/A
Unfortunately, I haven’t the slightest idea where this hat came from, when and for how much.
Brand:
N/A
Category:
Classic
Style:
Fedora
Material:
Felt
Origin:
Balikpapan, Indonesia
Year:
2015
Price:
INR 145,000.00
Bought this during the same trip as the Eiger cap above, but from a different mall – from a leather goods retail shop at eWalk at Balikpapan, Kalimantan, Indonesia.
Brand:
N/A
Category:
Classic
Style:
Trilby
Material:
Felt
Origin:
N/A
Year:
N/A
Price:
N/A
Again, another hat with no recollection of its origin and details, but remains one of my most worn hats in the collection.
Brand:
ha&co
Category:
Classic
Style:
Trilby
Material:
Acrylic
Origin:
Malaysia
Year:
2016
Price:
RM59.00
Appreciate the ventilation provided in the mesh design of this synthetic material, keeping the head space inside cool even in hot climate. Bought this just before Chinese New Year of 2016.
Brand:
N/A
Category:
Classic
Style:
Western
Material:
Felt
Origin:
N/A
Year:
N/A
Price:
N/A
Another hat without record of its purchase. Seldom worn due to its large size, and worn only on very rare occasions.
Striking colour and micro-weave texture on the entire outer surface, my previous CEO who sometimes wore a fancy hat to meetings, remarked that I am never to wear a hat nicer than his, when he saw me wearing this hat to work one day.
Brand:
FEEL…CO.
Category:
Vintage
Style:
Flat Cap
Material:
Fabric
Origin:
Malaysia
Year:
pre-2010
Price:
RM40.00
Bought at a time when I was particularly looking for a white flat cap. This fit the bill then, but doesn’t quite fit my head anymore these days – tight!
Made of thick wooly material mixed with acrylic and cotton, this flat cap may be a bit too warm for sunny Malaysian weather.
Brand:
N/A
Category:
Vintage
Style:
Flat Cap
Material:
Acrylic, Cotton
Origin:
Malaysia
Year:
pre-2013
Price:
N/A
Cannot remember where this tattered-style flat cap came from. Thick and warm like the wooly one above, this is like-wise seldom worn.
Brand:
FEEL…CO.
Category:
Vintage
Style:
Flat Cap
Material:
Polyester
Origin:
Malaysia
Year:
pre-2010
Price:
RM40.00
Believe this was purchased at the same time as the other similarly branded flat cap above. Unlike the other one, this one still fits well, and is comfortable to wear.
Bought prior to the Europe tour of 2013. It resembles fleece, but it’s stated Polyester on the label.
Brand:
WARM KEEPER
Category:
Weather
Style:
Beanie
Material:
Acrylic
Origin:
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Year:
2013
Price:
€5.00
Bought during my tour in Amsterdam in December 2013. Took a stroll to some shops whilst waiting for dinner to be served, and came across this. Thought the colour and price were too good to pass up. UPDATE: Lost this while it was loosely stashed in my Vanguard bag whilst walking the streets of Sydney. Bought replacements from Cotton On (described below).
Bought during a holiday trip to Melbourne and Sydney, as replacement to the Warm Keeper above. Second one for colour variation. Round insignia adds visual interest.
I think I bought this for myself for under RM50.00, if I recall this correctly.
Brand:
N/A
Category:
Weather
Style:
Beanie
Material:
Corduroy
Origin:
Malaysia
Year:
Pre-2012
Price:
N/A
Cannot remember where this beanie was purchased. Sorry. It’s a nice one!
Brand:
N/A
Category:
Religious
Style:
Kopiah
Material:
Fleece
Origin:
N/A
Year:
2001
Price:
N/A
I used to wear this religious head gear but was criticised by a Muslim lady for doing so. Out of respect, I stopped wearing it…but also because there were more stylish hats in the collection for use.
Brand:
N/A
Category:
Weather
Style:
Bucket
Material:
Fabric
Origin:
N/A
Year:
Pre-2012
Price:
N/A
The only bucket hat in the collection. It says Rome on the front. I was in Rome at the end of 2013, but this was not bought during that trip. Then again, it may not even be from Rome.
Brand:
N/A
Category:
Weather
Style:
Costume Hat
Material:
Acrylic
Origin:
Malaysia
Year:
N/A
Price:
N/A
Now, where did this come from again?!
Brand:
N/A
Category:
Weather
Style:
Balaclava
Material:
Acrylic/Polyester
Origin:
Malaysia
Year:
2000
Price:
N/A
This was purchased for my first climb up Mount Kinabalu back in 2000, but was never used as I found it uncomfortable having something over my face. Plus, it wasn’t as cold as expected. Probably of some use only if icicles start forming on the face and moustache.
SAFETY HEAD GEAR
Brand:
BLACK KNIGHT
Category:
Safety
Style:
Hard Hat
Material:
HDPE
Origin:
Malaysia
Year:
2010
Price:
N/A
Issued as part of a set of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) during the construction of a 300-bedded hospital I was overseeing as Resident Engineer in 2010.
Brand:
PROGUARD
Category:
Safety
Style:
Hard Hat
Material:
HDPE
Origin:
Malaysia
Year:
pre-2009
Price:
N/A
Received this when I attended a CIDB green card seminar and training.
Brand:
LTD VTEC 2
Category:
Safety
Style:
Helmet
Material:
Molded Injected Plastic
Origin:
Malaysia
Year:
2011
Price:
RM120.00
Riding a motorcycle with or without a valid rider’s licence (in my case the latter) requires the use of a safety helmet by law. This helmet will always serve as a reminder of my happy moments on a motorcycle.
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