Ostdeutschland Bucket Hat, Reversible Cotton Twill

One word in old German letters across the front

A single word in blackletter characters, set in a gentle curve over the front: Ostdeutschland. This hat needs no more than that to make plain where its wearer comes from. The print is white and stands out clearly on all three colours.

Two sides to wear

The hat turns completely and can be put on with the inside facing out, in which case the lettering is hidden and the hat reads as a single colour. The outer fabric is cotton twill, the crown flattened on top, the brim short and stitched several times over. Small eyelets at the sides let air through.

Short brim, flattened crown

Unlike a sun hat with a wide rim, the brim here is narrow and angles slightly downward. The hat therefore shades the face without cutting off the view to the side, and the rows of stitching hold the rim in shape. The flat crown means the hat lies on the head rather than piling up.

Colours and sizes

Black, navy or olive, each in S/M and L/XL. Two sizes thus cover the usual range of head sizes; anyone falling between them takes the larger, since the hat has no band to adjust it.

When it goes on

A hat for a festival, the lido or an afternoon round the neighbourhood, against the sun in summer and over a jacket on grey days. Being pure cotton, it can be squashed down and stowed in a rucksack.