Perhaps none have maximised hats more so than writer-illustrator Jon Klassen. Also, a childhood favourite of mine - Mr Bear, illustrated by Kozo Kakimoto (maybe the first to spark my hat addiction!). Benji Davies’ character Noi (with his distinctive, knitted balaclava) and Oliver Jeffer’s bobble-hatted boy come to mind. Other contemporary illustrators have used hats to their advantage. Some children’s characters have reached iconic status, due in part to their fancy hats.Įxamples include: the Cat in the Hat, Paddington, Wally aka Waldo (there he is!), Babar the Elephant, Raymond Briggs’ Snowman Mr Willy Wonka and the Mad Hatter. Mole in my forthcoming book, A Little Bit Worried, sports a dapper, blue bowler.

Papa Bear wears my battered suede cowboy hat in Jesus Loves Me ĭaddy Rhino wears an assortment of fancy hats in the Archie/Otto series Top a character with a hat, and it becomes instantly recognisable. Hats are terribly useful when it comes to characterisation, and I make frequent use of them in my work. White Ltd.Īnd the piece de resistance - my Thomas Farthing high crowned Fedora. My prized charity shop find - a vintage Homburg by ‘Hatter and Cap Maker’ A.J. A packable fedora that can be folded in half. I have fancy Panama hats, cowboy hats, and three bowler hats. (I pretty much wore it out.) In the 80’s I also sported a black beret (thanks, Ferris Bueller!) and a baker boy hat. From some years later, there’s a photo of a pre-teen me, birdwatching in a flat cap on the clifftops of Berwick, Northumberland.įor about a decade, it was a Yankee’s baseball cap. Tiny Tim wore a turquoise tasselled fez to clown about in (lovingly made by his nan), trying his hand at some magic tricks. I remember talking about it at the time with my therapist, and we decided it was absolutely a Good Thing to do. Several years ago, when Jane was seriously ill in hospital with Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, I wore a hat every day. I’ve noticed this over the years so that now it can be a deliberate act on my part. If I feel low, putting on some fancy headgear can boost my spirits and renew my confidence. I don’t know what it is about wearing a hat, but it fills me with joy. I have always had a penchant for fancy hats.

This hat is not mine