Giant Pith Helmet Thread of Doom

[indycop]

Does this vintage Abercrombie & Fitch panama sun hat count?

:eusa_clap Gonna wear that one to the next meet?

 

[rgraham]

I have an entire collection of them. My "beater" helmet is one of the African-style piths from Village Hat Shop. It's a decent helmet but the crown is a bit low. I also own one of the Wolseley pith helmets from What Price Glory...a really nice helmet. Currently I am on the lookout for one of the Indian-style helmets with the quilted cover. Below is my prize piece, an original 1930s Abercrombie & Fitch helmet in my size and in near perfect condition.

Can you please post some photos of the WPG Wolseley? Inside and out? That is the coolest style of pith helmet to me. It looks nice on their website, but I'd really like to see how it's built on the inside.

 

[BellyTank]

...When the weather cools some and we go walking/hiking, in the mountains or wherever, I like to wear the old BR pith along with Orvis "India Cloth" shirt and pants, my good old Bean brown leather boots and a home spun bamboo walking stick. That often gets the Patagonia crowd, including my wife who is nearly mortified to be seen with me, sort of spun up.

You should see these folks, then.

http://www.historicalhillwalkers.com/

B
T

 

[Edward]

Does this vintage Abercrombie & Fitch panama sun hat count?

Very Doctor Gonzo! Looks good!

 

[zetwal]

Below is my prize piece, an original 1930s Abercrombie & Fitch helmet in my size and in near perfect condition.

That A&F is really something. Very nice -

 

[big kahuna]

I'd love to have one, but at 7 3/4, I can't get one.

The open weave one that the Mail Carriers wear (also worn by utility workers in my area) are available at uniform supply companies (where cops, postlal workers, etc, buy their uniforms). I bought a white one that fits my 8 1/4 bucket, and sprayed it dark green for Venture Scout activities.

 

[Levallois]

Standard kit for the gentleman-officer during the Boer War - Wolseley pattern pith helmet, Stohwasser gaiters, silver-tipped swagger-stick, and Mauser Broomhandle purchased at Westley Richards (and so marked). I have a photo around here somewhere of me wearing these but I can't find the dang thing.

 

[Torpedo]

Standard kit for the gentleman-officer during the Boer War - Wolseley pattern pith helmet, Stohwasser gaiters, silver-tipped swagger-stick, and Mauser Broomhandle purchased at Westley Richards (and so marked). I have a photo around here somewhere of me wearing these but I can't find the dang thing.

Shades of Omdurman and young Winston Churchill, too... :eusa_clap

 

[KilroyCD]

Standard kit for the gentleman-officer during the Boer War - Wolseley pattern pith helmet, Stohwasser gaiters, silver-tipped swagger-stick, and Mauser Broomhandle purchased at Westley Richards (and so marked). I have a photo around here somewhere of me wearing these but I can't find the dang thing.

Very nice! That photo prompted me to do this grouping of an RAF Officer in India during WWII...

 

[Widebrim]

Around here, the official USPS helmets are white, and plastic.

I just noticed that city of Glendale helmets are also white.

 

[Widebrim]

I know it's been mentioned somewhere before (in relation to corrugated sweatbands attachments no doubt) -

Check out the Borsalino (and other) piths in Campione's book, Il Capello da Uomo.

The Italian piths used in North Africa during WWII were rather "alla moda," stylish, that is.

 

[BellyTank]

Yes indeed.
The "Casco Coloniale M35" is one of the more stylish tropical helmets,
similar to the Wolsely but, yes, more stylish.
The very early ones were woven wicker, with no cloth cover, then
there were covered ones, then the cloth covered cork model we mostly see.
The Italians were also great at decorating them, with fancy cockades and loads of feathers. The M35 helmet has a sewn-on pouch on the side, for the attachment of the feathers.


B
T

 

[Boodles]

Mike K that A&F pith is a beaut.

What a treasure.

I have an entire collection of them. My "beater" helmet is one of the African-style piths from Village Hat Shop. It's a decent helmet but the crown is a bit low. I also own one of the Wolseley pith helmets from What Price Glory...a really nice helmet. Currently I am on the lookout for one of the Indian-style helmets with the quilted cover. Below is my prize piece, an original 1930s Abercrombie & Fitch helmet in my size and in near perfect condition.

 

[Widebrim]

Yes indeed.
The "Casco Coloniale M35" is one of the more stylish tropical helmets,
similar to the Wolsely but, yes, more stylish.
The very early ones were woven wicker, with no cloth cover, then
there were covered ones, then the cloth covered cork model we mostly see.
The Italians were also great at decorating them, with fancy cockades and loads of feathers. The M35 helmet has a sewn-on pouch on the side, for the attachment of the feathers.

B
T

For the feathers of the Bersaglieri, I presume, and not the Alpini...?

 

[John in Covina]

I wear this one sometimes in the summer, such as when mowing the lawn at church. The sweatband suspension system acually acts as a dam for the sweat above it and I get flooded when I take the thing off.

 

[Treetopflyer]

Still Authorized

The pith helmet is still an authorized uniform item for wear in the US Navy. It is an optional item for wear with the tropical uniform, either white or Khaki. Although, the uniform regs call it a “tropical helmet”. I have seen it worn in Guam and it can still be purchased in the Uniform shop

 

[MPicciotto]

I'm one of KilroyCD's friends who wears one at the auction. I forgot mine today and it was a PITA to be spotted by both my father and another friend. Mine is a US surplus one, rather modern, but I also have a WW2 Navy one stenciled with a ships wheel on the front and a "Q.M." on the back.

Matt

 

[NeilA]

The pith helmet

A few questions:

1) Where did you get yours?
2) Does style of the helmet change function? (is one style better at keeping you cool for example)
3) What can you wear one with? Only your "adventure gear"?


Just a wave of curiosity rolled over me. I had to know.

 

[Lefty]

At least 20 threads came up when I ran "pith" in a title search.
this one looks good

 

[Edw8ri]

My grandfather wore a pith helmet when he did yard work. I inherited it, but never wore it much. Frankly, I'd rather wear a straw in the heat of summer. Eventually, I think my wife quietly did away with the old pith helmet.