# What do you call this hat? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 24, 2002, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this-hat/99775 "2002-03-24T00:22:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2002, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this-hat/99775/1 "2002-03-24T00:22:15Z")
Cap, actually. The kind worn with military dress uniforms. Has a bill, crown is essentially round, and taller in front than in back, reminiscent of a pompadour hairdo. Also seems to be the same type of cap favored by leather-clad motorcylists, a`la Marlon Brando in “The Wild One.” Is there a specific name for this type of cap? ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2002, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this-hat/99775/2 "2002-03-24T00:41:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gary T \* > \*\*Cap, actually. The kind worn with military dress uniforms. Has a bill, crown is essentially round, and taller in front than in back, reminiscent of a pompadour hairdo. Also seems to be the same type of cap favored by leather-clad motorcylists, a`la Marlon Brando in “The Wild One.” > > Is there a specific name for this type of cap? \*\* It’s a Service Cap. There are two other uniform caps, the Garrison Cap (sometimes called an Overseas Cap. Also known by a crude name that I won’t repeat), and the Campaign Hat. The latter is the one with the broad brim and a high crown with four dents in it, like the drill instructors wear in movies. See Jack Webb in _The DI_ ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2002, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this-hat/99775/3 "2002-03-24T03:46:27Z")
Ok, that one was answered pretty quickly, so here’s another: What is the hat that the characters in Mad Magazine’s _Spy VS. Spy_ wear? I don’t know know what to call it except “the spy hat”: low crown with very broad brim. Except as a spy cliche’ dating to the 60s, I’ve never seen it in any other context. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2002, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this-hat/99775/4 "2002-03-24T03:56:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lumpy \* > \*\*Ok, that one was answered pretty quickly, so here’s another: What is the hat that the characters in Mad Magazine’s _Spy VS. Spy_ wear? I don’t know know what to call it except “the spy hat”: low crown with very broad brim. Except as a spy cliche’ dating to the 60s, I’ve never seen it in any other context. \*\* Is it in here? [http://www.walkingstuff.com/accessories-hats.html](http://www.walkingstuff.com/accessories-hats.html) ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2002, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this-hat/99775/5 "2002-03-24T06:07:12Z")
Lumpy: I believe the Spy vs. Spy spies are wearing classic men’s fedoras. There are many variations in width of brim and height of crown, but this is the basic idea of the fedora. > **[Dictionary by Merriam-Webster: America's most-trusted online dictionary](https://www.merriam-webster.com/)** > > The dictionary by Merriam-Webster is America's most trusted online dictionary for English word definitions, meanings, and pronunciation. #wordsmatter > [@](#): > > Main Entry: fe·do·ra > Pronunciation: fi-'dOr-&, -'dor- > Function: noun > Etymology: Fédora (1882), drama by V. Sardou > Date: 1895 > : a low soft felt hat with the crown creased lengthwise Samples. [http://www.millerhats.com/meurope\_index/meurindex.htm](http://www.millerhats.com/meurope_index/meurindex.htm) [http://www.millerhats.com/indianajones\_index/indjonesindex.html](http://www.millerhats.com/indianajones_index/indjonesindex.html) ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2002, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this-hat/99775/6 "2002-03-24T06:09:59Z")
Oh, and as for context–look at spy/suspense movies from the 1940s. Just off the top of my head, _The Third Man_? _Casablanca_? Yes? That’s the background. Trenchcoats and fedoras. ---
**Author:** ![Milton\_De\_La\_Warre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Milton\_De\_La\_Warre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Milton_De_La_Warre)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2002, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this-hat/99775/7 "2002-03-24T21:50:43Z")
I’ve heard the Service Cap jokingly referred to as “The Bus Driver Hat”. Of course, bus drivers haven’t worn hats like that in a long time. I don’t think the Navy or Coast Guard calls the overseas cap a “garrison cap”. I don’t know if the Marines do, but I would bet they have a special name for the hat that’s unique to them. I think but am not sure if Drill Instructors are only ones in the Marines allowed to wear the Campaign Hat (“Smokey The Bear Hat”). I am pretty sure that the Marine Band leader (whatever he or she may be officially called) is the only person in the whole US Military whose (full dress) uniform includes a big bearskin covered hat like the Buckingham Palace guards (I forgot their name) wear. The RAF used to have a pretty odd looking full dress hat that may or may not still be part of the uniform. I don’t know exactly when it was discontinued, but the US Navy had officers wearing cloaks and “Cap’n Crunch” fore-and-aft type hats for some dress occasions. I believe it may have been done as late as the 1950’s. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2002, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this-hat/99775/8 "2002-03-24T22:03:26Z")
Thanks for the info. Is there another name for the service cap in non-military applications (such as bus drivers)? And now I realize I don’t seem to know what the overseas/garrison cap is. The only other military caps I can recall are the kepi (soda jerk cap?) and the sailors cap. Assuming neither of those is the overseas cap, could someone describe it? If I’m not mistaken, the typical civil war soldier’s cap with brim was also called a kepi, but I assume it’s obsolete. ---
**Author:** ![DAVEW0071](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e19b73/32.png) [@DAVEW0071](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DAVEW0071)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2002, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-this-hat/99775/9 "2002-03-24T22:34:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JCHeckler \* > \*\*I am pretty sure that the Marine Band leader (whatever he or she may be officially called) is the only person in the whole US Military whose (full dress) uniform includes a big bearskin covered hat like the Buckingham Palace guards (I forgot their name) wear. \*\* From the OAD: > [@](#): > > **bus-by** ( **buz** -bee) _n._ (_pl._ **bies** ) a tall fur cap worn as part of certain full-dress military uniforms. Sorry I can’t verify the part about the MB leader being the only person allowed to wear one.