The List of Famous Hats – James Tate (1943 – 2015)
Napoleon’s hat is an obvious choice I guess to list as a famous hat, but that’s not the hat I have in mind. That was his hat for show. I am thinking of his private bathing cap, which in all honesty wasn’t much different than the one any jerk might buy at a corner drugstore now, except for two minor eccentricities. The first one isn’t even funny: Simply it was a white rubber bathing cap, but too small. Napoleon led such a hectic life ever since his childhood, even farther back than that, that he never had a chance to buy a new bathing cap and still as a grown-up–well, he didn’t really grow that much, but his head did: He was a pinhead at birth, and he used, until his death really, the same little tiny bathing cap that he was born in, and this meant that later it was very painful to him and gave him many headaches, as if he needed more. So, he had to vaseline his skull like crazy to even get the thing on. The second eccentricity was that it was a tricorn bathing cap. Scholars like to make a lot out of this, and it would be easy to do. My theory is simple-minded to be sure: that beneath his public head there was another head and it was a pyramid or something.
Esme's Cloud 
Hats are super!
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Yours is a fine example too Porter Girl. People should wear hats more often, I for one own many, my favourites being a tri-corner, and a fine top hat. nods
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Both excellent choices of hat, I must say. I am also fond of the fedora, worn at a jaunty angle. Hats should be far more popular, you are so right.
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Thank you, I tried to post a photograph wearing one of them, but I see no option for adding pictures to comments. A fedora! Yes! All hats (including knitted ones) should be worn at a jaunty angle, it’s a law few know about.
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I wonder if, when a small child his mother knitted him swimming trunks as mine did me?
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The images conjured are something to be believed I can tell you Mike. Knitted trunks must have had you a strong swimmer as you fought to stay afloat in them laughs. Any photographs to share?
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Never knew the joys of swimming…the bloody things ‘sagged’ somewhat. All the kids wore them back in the day although thankfully they were never knitted in a Speedo version!
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‘sagged’ – hahahahaha. One stray piece of wool caught on a starfish and there’d be blushes all round. Everything was knitted back then though – trunks, hats, socks, trees, houses, planes, those were the days!
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My dad was the youngest of ten (the family lived in a two up; two down aside the Thames in Kew a shit hole then, I told worth a fortune now) and I’m wondering if such large families arose because of the knitted condom!
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That’s got to chafe, they were tougher the women back then methinks.
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By the look of her on an old snap I have the grandmother I never knew was a formidable woman…yet then again so is my wife!
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She’d have to be. I jest of course pegs it fast laughing.
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Hahah.
This seems to have been made up in the clouds
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Hahaha, the Cloud wishes it could take all the credit, but cannot, however I agree that the writer is very much of Cloud ilk. It is an amusing piece indeed.
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How are you today? Me? Easy at home on break from work
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Sounds marvellous mak, I am resting after a long bike ride, cycling is good for the soul, as I’m sure you know as I enjoyed your recent post on just that subject (cycling, not having a soul laughs).
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That makes two of us. I did a 46km ride this afternoon and I am now recovering from that exertion.
I enjoy cycling
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By the Gods…that’s an achievement! Well done that man. I love to get out on a bike too.
s.u.t.C
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Do you ride in the clouds? The air must be thin up there lo
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Yes, on the slip stream of the winds. Good sun cream is essential factor 2,000
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A magisterial allegorical poem; so learned in its pristine detailing of the hat-wearer’s insecurities and attendant colonialism, and I am led inexorably, indeed as inexorably as ‘inexorably’ follows ‘led’, to ponder why there are no muffins permitted in the aviary whatsoever.
Hariod de Selby
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De Selby – always welcome here on the Cloud bows. A superb comment aitch, and a cracker of a line to pinpoint too.
I shall counter it with –
“And, besides, I know what I look like,
I’ve caught glimpses of a hungry, stalking thing”
I dislike most critics views, and some do dislike his work, some clearly revel in it. I like the fact that he plays, make a game of it at times. Words should be examined from all angles and wearing all manner of hats whilst perusing them say I.
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Thanks for linking to my site. I’ve only put up pictures lately but hope to have some stories to offer soon. People like stories. Or, they used to when I was a kid. Now they just go around rubbing Vaseline on things.
The President and Founder
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You are very welcome President and Founder. The pictures tell a story all of their own, but I await the written ones in excited anticipation. (No pressure there then).
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I too, am a fan of anything positioned at a jaunty angle. Being a Canadian, we are rather fond of toques. I have a personal favourite, a red and white knitted one – I am unsure of how I acquired it – but it’s from KFC and it has the slogan Finger Licking Good crocheted around the rim. No need to vaseline my skull like crazy here.
🙂 Harlon
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KFC is the sign of the devil – sonmi and the Cloud are vegans see – however, telling everyone how great it is to lick your fingers regularly is a perfectly normal practice here upon the Cloud. nods. I had to look up what a ‘toque’ was! Jaunty is the only way to hear headgear, those who disagree are rarely full shillings.
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….and Harlon feeling very proud to be a Canadian today. A victory for cooperation rather than competition for our country last night. Is It possible to reserve Cloud 9 for a few moments?
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Congratulations to one and all over there, good news indeed! Cloud nine was in Jamaica, but I’ve had a word, and it is speeding your way as I type. Enjoy the bounce. smiles.
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