People are just discovering the real reason why hats have pom-poms on top: and it’s more than just a cute fashion statement.
While pom-poms as an accessory on hats have been around for centuries, the beanie in its current form evolved from floppy berets during the Great Depression.
But it is believed that its origins date back to French sailors who added pompoms to their hats as a form of protection so as not to hit their heads in confined spaces at sea.
The ingenious idea also dates back to Scandinavia during the Viking Age, between 800 and 1066, according to PLAN SPONSOR.
During the Great Depression, other accessories like tassels and jeweled embellishments were too expensive to spend money on in an economic downturn, so people began making pom-poms out of leftover yarn from knitting projects.
The fashionable hats, topped with a bright red pompom known as a “toorie”, first became popular in Scotland.
In some European countries, soldiers wore hats with pompoms to define their rank or which regiment they belonged to.
The color of the fluffy fabrics was also important, as it indicated the user’s order.
It is believed that French sailors added pompoms to their hats as a form of protection from hitting their heads in tight spaces at sea.
In some European countries, soldiers wore hats with pompoms to define their rank or which regiment they belonged to (stock image)
Today, pom-poms still appear on hats around the world, but for aesthetic reasons rather than practicality.
The word “pom-pom” also derives from the French word “pompon,” which refers to a “small decorative ball made of fabric or feathers.”
In other countries pompoms are called ‘bobbles’.
Last year, an online shopper who spent $83 on a hat couldn’t help but laugh when she tried it on for the first time.
Georgia from Melbourne ordered the hat from Patagonia’s website ahead of a holiday in Canada.
Pompom hats date back to Scandinavia during the Viking Age, between 800 and 1066, according to PLANSPONSOR (file image)
However, when she arrived, she was disappointed – and a little amused – to discover that the hat made her look like a combination of Jamiroquai, Harry Potter’s Viktor Krum and Pharrell Williams.
“Today has been the most fun day of my life, I haven’t stopped laughing,” she said in a video.
Georgia couldn’t stop laughing at her new hat, which was “funny” and uncool.
He tried bending it, turning it over, and other tricks, but to no avail.