# Wighat? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 1, 2006, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wighat/362887 "2006-07-01T20:35:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2006, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wighat/362887/1 "2006-07-01T20:35:06Z")
On the Cramp’s live album _Smell of Female_ there is a song named “Call of the Wighat”. I have listened to this song for years, and have wondered what the hell a wighat was, on many occasions. The song is short on details, obviously. It does say it protects the protagonist from infanticide at one point, and it is a modern age taboo. I know the Cramps were kind of dadaist, so it is certainly possible no such lid exists. Does anyone know what one might be? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2006, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wighat/362887/2 "2006-07-01T20:39:06Z")
I think a wighat is one of those hats that has a wig or a small hairpiece attached to it. [This would be a wighat.](http://www.anneofgreengables.cc/xcart/product.php?productid=16197&cat=254&page=1) ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2006, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wighat/362887/3 "2006-07-01T20:43:44Z")
Well, you may be right, but I cannot find anyone calling them that. except in response to this question. But, it could protect your head, and I guess it really is kind of taboo. People do not often wear these things in public. Thankya ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2006, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wighat/362887/4 "2006-07-01T20:53:56Z")
Scroll down to the January 3rd 2006 entry of this blog, I think this may be what you are looking for. [Grumpy Shopkeeper.](http://grumpyshopkeeper.blogspot.com/2006_01_01_grumpyshopkeeper_archive.html) ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2006, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wighat/362887/5 "2006-07-01T20:57:42Z")
[Tommy Tucker](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Tucker) would know. > [@](#): > > Put On Your High Heel Sneakers, Baby put that wighat on yo head… > (1964) [Picture here](http://grumpyshopkeeper.blogspot.com/2006_01_01_grumpyshopkeeper_archive.html), don’t know how accurate it is. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2006, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wighat/362887/6 "2006-07-01T22:14:23Z")
My first thought was Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels-Devil with a Blue Dress, circa 1966, but **Squink’s** ref is older. This is supposed to be a [picture of a wighat](http://www.flickr.com/photos/barry_b/93172747/). ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2006, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wighat/362887/7 "2006-07-01T22:43:18Z")
[QUOTE=danceswithcats] My first thought was Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels-Devil with a Blue Dress, circa 1966, but **Squink’s** ref is older. This is supposed to be a [picture of a wighat](http://www.flickr.com/photos/barry_b/93172747/). [/QUOTE] Well, that would really just be a wig, in my eyes. But, it is styled into a hair helmet… ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2006, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wighat/362887/8 "2006-07-01T23:01:26Z")
That last looks only a bit like a wighat. I had one in high school. They were shaped a bit like a cossack’s hat. [Aha! May I present the 1967 wighat!](http://www.paperpast.com/html/1967_fashion.html) ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2006, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wighat/362887/9 "2006-07-02T09:11:52Z")
So, that thing that Carol Channing was wearing, that was a wighat? ---
**Author:** ![Ragiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6de8d8/32.png) [@Ragiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ragiel)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2006, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wighat/362887/10 "2006-07-03T17:58:46Z")
The wighat I had in high school was closer to **danceswithcats** ’ picture. It could be brushed to look as wiglike as the one pictured, but would never stay styled because it had the texture of a cheap shag rug. Not a very satisfactory wig _or_ hat IIRC. Things got pretty weird in the 60s. You kinda had to be there. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2006, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wighat/362887/11 "2006-07-03T20:10:47Z")
“I sat with my high-heeled sneakers on, Waitin’ to play tennis in the noonday sun, I had my white shorts pulled up past my waist, and my **wighat** was fallin’ in my face, but they wouldn’t let me on the tennis court!” –Bob Dylan