The little-known reason why beanies have pom-poms at the top revealed – and it’s not just for looks
People are only now discovering the real reason why hats have pom poms. It’s more than just a fun fashion statement.
Pompoms have been around as an accessory on hats for centuries, but the beanie in its current form evolved from floppy berets during the Great Depression.
It is thought that its origins can be traced back to French sailors who attached pompoms to their hats as a form of protection so that they would not bump their heads in cramped spaces at sea.
The clever idea can also be traced back to Scandinavia, during the time of the Vikings from 800 to 1066, according to PLAN SPONSOR.
During the Great Depression, other accessories, such as tassels and jeweled ornaments, were too expensive to spend money on during the economic crisis. So people started making pompoms from leftover yarn from knitting projects.
The fashionable hats, featuring a bright red pompom known as a ‘toorie’, first became popular in Scotland.
In some European countries, soldiers wore caps with pompoms to indicate their rank or which regiment they belonged to.
The colour of the fluffy fabrics was also important, as it indicated the order of the wearer.
It is believed that French sailors added pompoms to their hats as a form of protection so that they would not bump their heads in cramped spaces at sea.
In some European countries, soldiers wore hats with pompoms to indicate their rank or which regiment they belonged to (stock image)
Nowadays, you still see hats with pom poms all over the world, but this is more for appearance than for practical use.
The word ‘pom-pom’ is also derived from the French word ‘pompon’, which means ‘a small decorative ball of fabric or feathers’.
In other countries, pom-poms are called ‘bobbles’.
Last year, an online shopper who spent $83 on a beanie couldn’t help but laugh when she first wore it.
Georgia from Melbourne ordered the hat via Patagonia’s website prior to a holiday in Canada.
According to PLANSPONSOR (stock image), pom pom hats can be traced back to Scandinavia, to the time of the Vikings from 800 to 1066.
However, when she received the hat, she was disappointed – and a little amused – to discover that the hat made her look like a combination of Jamiroquai, Viktor Krum from Harry Potter and Pharrell Williams.
“Today was the funniest day of my life, I laughed the whole time,” she said in a video.
Georgia couldn’t help but laugh at her ‘hilarious’ new hat and how old fashioned it was.
She tried folding it, turning it inside out and all sorts of other tricks, but to no avail.