From Head to Head

By Patricia Winton

One of the interesting minor facets of Italian life is watching the diverse hats and caps worn by members of the many branches of the military. I’m in no way an expert on the subject, but I enjoy looking at the often jaunty headdress of the military people I encounter on public transportation, in the street, and especially in parades.

Venetian Military Band Trumpeter

Many branches sport elaborate dress hats for formal occasions but opt for simple berets for everyday use. These berets carry insignia for the service branch, and often of the regiment. In addition, the color of the beret can indicate to the conescienti, of whom I am not one, just which unit the person hails from.

The wearer of the everyday beret usually cocks it over one ear. A short ribbon often trails from the rear, floating in the breeze or bobbing in step.

Some groups which you might not automatically think of as military include the Forest Service and the Red Cross Volunteer Nursing Corps. They wear uniforms, put on distinctive headgear, and march in military parades.

A sample of berets from various services include, top row: Medico, (medic), Guardia di Finanza (tax police), Polizia Penitenziara (prison police), bottom row, Lagunari (marines), Paracadutista (parachutists), Corpo Forestale (forestry service)

Soldiers representing the various branches of the military based in the Alpine region wear distinctive headgear that makes their region immediately recognizable. Left, Alpine Marshall; center, Alpine Engineer; right, Alpine Guardia di Finanza

 Women usually wear the same berets as men, but for formal occasions, they have their own hats. Pictured above are for women Caribinieri, sailors, and tax police.

Some formal headgear reveal pomp and whimsy at the same time. The man on the left is a member of the Corazzieri, the honor guard for the President of the Republic. Other notable formal hats include, top, Granatiere di Sardegna, (Sardnian grenadier); center, Bersaglieri (sharpshooters); bottom, Carabinieri (military police that police both civilian and military populations).

No look at military head coverings in Italy would be complete without a peek at the Vatican’s Swiss Guard. Like other soldiers in this country, they wear plain berets at times. At others they envelop their heads in helmets crafted from a 500-year-old design.

Finally, a random sampling of other headgear worn by a variety of Italian military  personnel.

I blog on alternate Thursdays at Italian Intrigues . I hope you'll drop by often. Also, please visit my website at www.PatriciaWinton.com .

Georgian Folk Costumes

By Edith McClintock

Below are historical drawings of Georgian folk costumes (with hats) grouped by ethnicity, region and class, followed by current versions of folk costumes from a Georgian youth dance festival I attended a few years ago. Can you sort out what region the Georgian youth folk dancers are from based on their costumes? There is one male costume that is similar to all three regions. Do you see it?

It dates from the Middle Ages and is called a chokha. It's calf-length with a tapered waist and bandoliers (shoulder-belts with loops or pockets for cartridges) sewn across the breast. Accessories typically include a hat (which can be felt or shaggy--see my friend wearing a shaggy tourist version at the very end), tall leather boots, and a belt that holds a dagger called a khanjali.

East Georgians: Kartlian peasant, townsman-craftsman, townsman-merchant, upper class Kartl-Kakhetians and Ingilos

Ethnographic Drawings by Nino Brailashvili, 1930s-1980s

West Georgians: Megrel-Gurians, Imeretians and Acharians

Ethnographic Drawings by Nino Brailashvili, 1930s-1980s

Georgian Highlanders: Tush, Khevsurs, Svans and Rachians

Ethnographic Drawings by Nino Brailashvili, 1930s-1980s

Georgian youth folk dancers:

Tourist versions of headgear from the Georgian Highlands:

Dance version of chokha with shaggy fur hat:

For more, visit my author website and/or personal blog, A Wandering Tale. Even better, order a copy of Monkey Love & Murder on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or the Book Depository (free shipping nearly anywhere in the world).

Nigerian Gele Fashion

By Jenni Gate

In Nigeria, women’s fashion has included the gele, or head wrap, for at least 400 years, and most likely longer. It’s thought that in the days before slavery, head wraps were used as a display of wealth when worn by men, and a sign of social status and spirituality when worn by women. The word gele (pronounced gay-lay) is a Yoruba word used by people of southern Nigeria. Other regions of Nigeria also use head wraps. In Igbo culture, the word used for a head scarf is ichafu, The trend for women wearing head wraps has spread across Africa and is also a tradition being passed down in African American communities. A head wrap is not only beautiful, it can also cover a bad hair day, protect the head from the sun, and express creativity.

Browse through gele styles on Pinterest for stunning examples of the art:

http://pinterest.com/smilesparty/nigerian-brides-gele-styles/

Tying a gele has become an art form, and the Yoruba women tie them in the most flamboyant way. The Yoruba, especially, believe a gele makes even an ordinary woman look like a queen. They can be tall, turban-like, intricate, or simply elegant. Geles have become a necessary part of a woman’s outfit for social occasions such as weddings, christenings, funerals, even birthday parties. Because a poorly tied gele can ruin an outfit, there are gele specialists in Nigeria, similar to celebrity hairdressers in the US and Europe, who are known for their fantastic head-wrapping skills. Traditionally, the hair is completely covered by the wrap, leaving just the face exposed. Modern styles often leave a strand or two of hair at the side of the face, or hair gathered to spill out of the back. Prices for tying a gele can range from the equivalent of a few dollars to several hundred for popular gele masters. In Houston, Nigerian Segun Otaleye, also known as Segun Gele, offers tying classes and personal appointments commanding $650 for brides and their wedding party plus $1,000 or more for special occasions outside the Houston area.

Watch Segun Gele work his magic here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FI-xfeCrRf8

The wrap, one-half to one yard in length, is usually folded in half lengthwise several times until it is about 6 inches wide. The longer the fabric, the larger the head wrap will be. The fabric is wrapped around the head and tied into a knot under the hair at the base of the neck. Depending on the length, the design may start with the middle at the nape of the neck and the ends first tied at the top of the head. The ends are pulled up and wrapped, sometimes twisted and tucked into the folds at the top of the head or tied into a bow at the side. A gele master can wrap and tie various shapes and textures into the design. Professional designs can be formed into a fan, hat, flower, or other shapes. The end result may even look like a dish or beehive.

The fabrics used to make a gele are called aso-oke. The best materials to make a gele are usually stiff, such as damask, taffeta, cotton, or thickly-woven silk. Lace and velvet and other fabrics can also be used, sometimes as a secondary fabric adorning the gele. Colors are bright, reflecting the personality of the wearer.

To see how popular the gele is in Nigeria, watch this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivXbutxjRO4

The satellite dish analogy is somehow apt to so many of these designs. From the simple to the ornate, they are stylish and fun.