Fashion: Hats off to Hats!: A History A-B..
Except for the winter months, I would never have considered myself an avid hat wearer. But I can honestly say I have always admired the detail that can go in to the design of many a head cosy. You also don't have to be related to the Queen or attend Royal Ascot on a yearly basis to appreciate the wear of a good hat. Generation Lady Gaga know that more than most as current and more adventurous hat trends and head accessories sweep the catwalks of the world.
It turns out too that when I went to research the art of millinery - it of course, naturally goes back into centuries of history where I discovered that different types of hats were constructed for a variety of reasons; climate being only one, cultural or religious reasons played their part too but the good old-fashioned - because they just looked fashionably fabulous at the time and was the finishing statement many liked to add to an outfit! 
Listed here are many different types of hats, spanning over centuries, each of which have different means of technique to produce. As there are so many, it wasn't possible to squeeze them all into one article of course so we will do it in stages, beginning with the letters A and B..
AGAL - (Ah gaul)-The thick cords of wool which hold the KAFFIYEH, the clothe headdress of the desert people, in place.
ALPINE - Sporty types of hats of soft felt or tweed. The crown slants upward to a lengthwise crease. The narrow brim is rolled up at the back and turned down in front . Brush or feather trim in the headband. Adapted from hats worn by people in the Swiss Alps. Also TYROLEAN HAT.
ANNIE HALL - (Late 1970's) In the movie "Annie Hall," the actress Diane Keaton popularized a fashion consisting of a drooping hat, long vest, wide tie, baggy pants and a man's shirt.
ARCTIC CAP - Fabric crown insulated with goose down. Mouton lamb storm flaps turn down to protect neck, ears and forehead.
ATTIFET - (Mid 16th C) French headdress consisting of hair rolled over pads. Worn with heart-shaped cap. Also ARCELET, MARY STUART COIF AND CAP.
AUROLE - A late nineteenth century hat with an upturned brim that framed the face in a semi-circle shape, popular throughout the 1940s.
AUTO MOBILE BONNET - (Early 20th C) Large brimmed hat worn with a long chiffon, net or tulle scarf that enveloped the face and hat and tied under the chin. Worn to protect the wearer while riding in the new open auto mobiles over dusty roads.
BABET - Cap with a small puffered caul set high on the head, the sides descending over the cheeks.
BABUSHKA - (Ba-boosh-ka) - Russian word for grandmother. A Russian peasant scarf worn either tied under the chin or at the back of the neck
BABY STUART CAP - Close fitting, shirred lace infant's cap. From the 17c. portrait of the infant Stuart prince by Van Dyck.
BAKER BOY HAT - (or Newsboy hat) It has the same overall shape and stiff peak in front as a flat cap, but the body of the cap is rounder, fuller, and paneled with a button on top, and often with a button attaching the front to the brim (as the flat cap sometimes has).
BALACLAVA - A type of headgear which probably originated in some cold mountainous country in Asia. It is usually knitted and covers the ears and often the face with an opening for the eyes.
BALMORAL - The Scotch BLUEBONNET of the highlanders. Blue woolen beret cap with top projecting over a tartan band of Stuart colors, checkered design. In 1850, Queen Victoria and her Prince Consort made the Aberdeenshire, Scotland castle of Balmoral their summer residence, The Queen dressed the prince in the Highland costume and created a fashion.
BANDEAU (BANDEAUX) - A decorative headband worn as a hat, such as those popular in the 1960s: or as a decorative headdress like the 1920s headache bands.
BANDINO HAT - (1930's) Woman's large-brimmed hat. Named for Luca della Robbia's 15c. renditions of the Christ Child.
BARBE - (14 to 16c.) A long piece of vertically pleated linen, worn under the chin and covering the chest. With a black hood and long black veil. The headdress of widows and mourners.
BARBETTE - (late 12c.,13c. 14c.) Linen chin band, pinned in position on top of the head. Illustration shows the FILLET, a stiffened band of linen, wound over the BARBETTE covered with a small veil.
BARRET - Wide, flat cap worn during the Middle Ages by priests. Barret of velvet with embroidery and feathers shown in the 15c. and 16c. paintings by Holbein.
BASEBALL CAP - Gored cap with visor. Button on top. These type of hats are very much in vogue at the moment and have been for several years.
BASQUE BERET - (Bask ba ray) Flat, round, woolen fabric cap worn by Basque peasants. Usually woven in one piece
BAVOLET (Ba vo lay) - A cap worn by French peasant women. A 19c style called the CURTAIN BONNET, had a back ruffle, called a bavolet, that shaded the neck. In the 16c., the BAVOLETTE was a piece of fabric that was folded and attached to the cap, with the folds projecting over the forehead and hanging down in the back.
BEANIE - (20c., American) Small, round skull-cap, cut in gores to make it fit the head. Also BEANY, DINK, DINKY. See CALOT. The current beanie is a knitted type of hat, but is still described as above.
BEAVER - A hat of various crown and brim shapes. Originally, in 14c., made of beaver skin. In 16c., made from felted beaver fur. In 17c., the tall top hat, made of silk in imitation of beaver.
BEEFEATER - The narrow-brimmed hat worn by the British Yeomen of the Guards and Warders of the Tower of London since the 16c. These type of Hats consists of a flat-topped, medium-high crown gathered into a headband.
BEEHIVE - High, tapered crown, Shaped like a beehive. Hat usually has a narrow brim.
BELLBOY or BELLHOP - A small, stiff cap in pillbox shape, usually trimmed with braid or buttons, sometimes with a chin strap. Copy of a cap worn by hotel bellboys.
BERET (ba ray) - A cap with a round flat crown of varying widths. Made of felt, wool or other fabric. Forms of the beret have been found since Ancient Times. A larger beret style was a favourite of King Henry VIII during the sixteenth century. In 15c., HALO BERET. Also BASQUE BERET, PLUMED BERET, TAM O' SHANTER, PANCAKE BERET, MONTGOMERY BERET.
BERRETINO (Ber ret tee no) - Square, scarlet skullcap with corners pinched in. As worn by Cardinals of the Catholic Church. See BIRETTA
BETHLEHEM HEADDRESS - Truncated, cone-shaped cap, decorated with gold and silver coins and jewels. Worn with a veil. Ancient Moslem headdress. Copied in the 1930's . Also TARBOOSH.
BIBI BONNET - (bee bee bunneh ) - Appeared around 1830's as a smaller version of the POKE BONNET. At first it was fitted close to the sides of the head, later the brim flared upward and forward in front. In the late 19c., any small fanciful and elegant type of hat was called BIBI. In 1956, Sally Victor came out with a BIBI style.
BICORN or BICORNE - (By corn) A variation of the cocked hat, appearing around 1790, and supplanting the TRICORNE. The brim of the BICORNE is folded up in front and back. The BICORNE became the military dress hat of the British, American and French. Other types of hats similar to these are the WELLINGTON, which was a version that had tassels. The NAPOLEON hat was a BICORNE with a tricolor cockade.
BIGGIN - (der. Fr. BEGUINE, a cap worn by nuns ) A coif like cap, with ties under the chin, 16c. and 17c.
BIRETTA (Bi ret ah) - Since 17c., a square cap with three or four upright projections, radiating from the center crown . Worn by Roman Catholic clergy. Developed, since 13c., out of a cap formed like the modern beret. Also BERRETTA, BIRRETTA, BIRETUM, BARRET-CAP, BARETTE, BERET.
BLUEBONNET - Broad, slat cap of dark blue wool, woven in one piece. Narrow tartan headband. Colored tuft on top. Also BALMORAL.
BOATER - (British term) A stiff, straight-brimmed, straw hat with a flat crown and a ribbon band. Also known as a SKIMMER or a SAILOR STRAW. These types of hats were introduced about 1864 for children, then worn by women. Worn by men from 1880 to 1930.
BOLLINGER - A bowl shaped stiffened crown, topped with a button or knob, with a narrow brim.
BONGRACE - (16c. and 17c.) Oblong shaped, stiff material which dips over the forehead and drapes in back, worn over a coif.
BONNET - Until 16c., any masculine head covering other than a hood was a bonnet (French), cap (English). Scotchmen still call their caps BONNET. Since 19c., the term refers to a soft head covering for women that ties under the chin.
BOUDOIR CAP - (Boo dwar) - Softly shirred cap with a lace ruffle. In 19c., and 20c., a cap worn to cover undressed women's hair. Lingerie or morning cap worn by flapper in the 1920s
BOURRELET - Originally a twisted scarf or turban worn on the helmet. A 15c. term for the padded roll worn by both men and women as a base for a headdress.
BOWLER - (Bole er) A stiff felt hat with a round crown and small brim rolled slightly on the sides. In 1850, William Bowler made a hard felt hat, designed by the London hatter, Lock, for Sir William Coke. These type of hats were created to protect the head while riding horseback. The hat has a low melon-shaped crown and a rounded brim that turns up at the sides. The hat shape was adapted for women and children, accepted for town wear by men until WW II. Also BILLYCOCK, DERBY.
BRETON SAILOR - (Bret on) - (French, bretonh) Woman's hat with a brim that turns up evenly all around, originally a masculine hat worn by the Bretons..
BRIDAL HATS - Many types of Hats worn by brides or the wedding party
BRIDAL HEADPIECES - Head wear worn by brides
BRIDAL VEILS - A long length of tuelle worn to flow down the back of the bride and is usually attached to a decorative headpiece.
BROADBRIM - Term is nickname for Quaker, Friend. See QUAKER HAT.
BUBBLE - Melon shaped, pillbox cap.
BUCKET HATS - A modern fabric covered casual hat with straight sides, flat crown and a small brim. These types of hats are very popular today.
BULBOUS - (16c., German) BALZO, REBALZO (16c. Italian ) A large, dome shaped cap. This hat completely covered the hair.
BUMPER BRIM - Hat with a tubular shaped brim. Size of brim and crown varies. See KRIZIA CAP for 1970's version
BUSBY - (buz bi) - A tall, cylindrical fur cap with regimental colored bag like ornament hanging form the top, over the right side. Brush on top of center front. Originally 15c., these types of hats were part of the cavalry uniform of Hungarian Hussars.
BUSH HAT - Wide-brimmed man's felt hat, turned up brim at one side. Also SOUTH ARFICAN SAFARI HAT, CADDIE, CADDY, SLOUCH HAT can be grouped as similar types of hats.
BUTTERFLY HEADDRESS - (15c.) Variation of the HENNIN. Box like cap, wired and draped with sheer veiling so that it stands out like butterfly wings.
BYCOCKET, BYCOKET - (By cock et) High crowned hat with wide brim that is peaked in front and turned up in back . Middle Ages, 16c., Italian students in 20c. (See picture)