Tall, Dark, and Furry: a History of the Bearskin

[@Floorguy1000]

Am I the only one who lives in fear that the HatHistorian will run out of hats? I find all the episodes entertaining, witty, and very informative.

[@hathistorianjc]

You're not, I do too.

[@69thRegOfFoot]

Don't worry I'm here I have 100s of hats he hasn't done yet

[@rliang3422]

He can always expand into non-western hats. There are plenty. 😂

[@puppetguy8726]

Next chapter will be ShoeHistorian 😁

[@hathistorianjc]

@@rliang3422 I will as I acquire some. I already started a bit with the fez and the conical hat

[@trikyy7238]

I'm so glad there are niche channels such as yours. You never fail to inform and entertain. Chapeau!

[@luddite6239]

Thank you for this. My grandad was a Warrant Officer in the Welsh Guards, and the thing that would really annoy him was when people referred to the bearskin as a "Busby". I only made that mistake once when I was ten. "It is NOT a Busby! It is a BEARSKIN!" he bellowed "Only the Royal Horse Artillery wear Busbys."

[@vathek5958]

They look reasonably similar but have entirely different origins

[@29jgirl92]

I love that you go the extra mile to always wear the hat you're speaking about, and often a full costume! Really adds to the video!

[@puppetguy8726]

April 9 1940 was, as far as I know, the last time the bearskin hats were used in combat, which occured outside the Royal palace in Copenhagen

[@dennis12dec]

The plumes on the side of the bearskins of the Guards Regiments are as follows: Grenadier Guards - White left side Coldstream Guards - Red right side Scots Guards - None Irish Guards - St. Patrick's Blue right side Welsh Guards - White Green White left side

[@SHDW-nf2ki]

PETA raging abut us Canucks still using bear skins for hats makes me so sad. I get wanting to stop needless animal cruelty, but like you said. Getting rid of the hat won't erase the need to control the bear population.

[@toddfraser3353]

I do find it interesting how a lot of tourists forget that these are soldiers, and actively try to annoy a guy with an automated rifle with a bayonet.

[@markdudley3831]

That's half the fun of it ! And even the british command wouldn't issue live rounds to a soldier silly enough to wear a bear skin hat . hahahaha

[@sanseijedi]

I think of it as natural selection.

[@creid7537]

What do you need the solider for, if the rifle is "automated"?

[@stelladonaconfredobutler9459]

its irritating. Why are they allowed so close?? the horses are teased all the time.

[@fukkitful]

Even unarmed, it wouldn't be smart to annoy these guys. Same with the guards for The Tomb of the unknown soldiers. The are allowed to defend themselves.

[@coldlakealta4043]

the 48th Highlanders regiment of the Canadian Army march in both bearskins and kilts, to the sound of bag pipes. It's pretty spectacular.

[@WillCooperBagpipes]

Though they may look similar, the hats worn by Scottish regiments are actually made of feathers, traditionally ostrich, though sometimes emu feathers are also used

[@KevinOfford013]

@@WillCooperBagpipesyes feather bonnets worn by highland regiments.

[@tonydeltablues]

Fair play for wearing the bearskin to camera for the duration of the video :-) I appreciate the time, effort and research it clearly takes to produce these videos. HatHistorian, a tip my hat (a humble fedora is all I can manage) to you. Tony

[@ernestcline2868]

10:26 I had the misfortune to be in a high school marching band that included a white faux fur bearskin in their uniform. Pretty much everyone in the band despised the Q-tips, which is what we called them, because they were hot, awkward to wear, and difficult to keep clean.

[@thomasbeach905]

When I was young, in the 1950-60’s, it was not uncommon for a marching band’s drum major to wear a bearskin while the members wore kepis.

[@Yandarval]

There have been one or two attempts to move from Canadian Bearkin to some fake material. Cleaning is one of the problems with the fake ones. So the Household Division still stick to the real deal.

[@soul0360]

The hastles you mention, is another reason why they are used for guard units. Spending many hours daily on making your uniform look pristine, is one of the ways that these units learn disipline. And by putting a lot of time into something, especially in a group setting, fosters proudness, of yourself and the people around you. Same goes for experiencing hardship. Such as wearing a hot uncomfortable hat, and making sure that you and your buddies hydrate and ventilate when ever possible. I assume, that your school wanted to instill the same values into your marching band. After all, any coherent unit needs discipline. While I have no musical talent or fondness. I do love seeing a marching band, that look and sound like one entity. It is one of the ultimate expressions of teamwork.

[@ernestcline2868]

@@soul0360 Nah, whoever picked the uniforms a couple decades earlier thought they looked cool. Not that wool uniforms in the Southern US were particularly cool. They did wear well, which is why we were stuck with them.

[@philipsmith7913]

I remain amazed as to the level of research required to enable you to deliver such an easy going delivery. Excellent.

[@steadmanuhlich6734]

HatHistorian, Bravo! Your videos are outstanding and not only full of information but perfectly delivered with facts, illustrations, and style. Bravo. Hats off!

[@gerardacronin334]

Very interesting. Bearskins in the UK always seem to be worn very low on the forehead. I wonder how they can see anything!

[@Anthony-rb8ib]

Wow this guy has so many hats, you'd think he's some kind of Hat Historian

[@bobmetcalfe9640]

1. Camouflage wasn't a thing in the Napoleonic wars largely because there was so much smoke on the battlefield that it was important to be able to tell who you are shooting at. Although the shape of the hat was more useful than the actual colour at long range. The Duke of Wellington was really pissed off when the British like cavalry abandoned the Tarlton and used a French style shako instead. 2. The guards regiments are distinguished also by the grouping of their buttons. I don't know if it is the same as it was in my day but Grenadiers buttons were singles, Coldstream in pairs, Scots guards in threes, Irish in fours, and Welsh in fives.

[@geogen1426]

Kudos to the HatHistorian.You are appreciated sir.

[@Steve-GM0HUU]

Thank you for another excellent video. I appreciate the effort that you got to to find these hats, uniforms and all the research. I did not know that I was interested in the history of hats until I found your channel 😂.

[@AbsoluteAmoeba]

0:04 YOU MOVED! 20 laps round the square for that one sonny! Love your videos btw.

[@hathistorianjc]

That's why I was looking around, to make sure no officer was around :p

[@jankrusat2150]

@@hathistorianjc Or the Regimental sergeant major...

[@Niamhua]

Btw the picture example you gave for Swedish troops when speaking of post napoleonic bearskins is actually a felt hat with a horsehair top rather than a bearskin. Though the guards did recieve them in 1820s so the info is spot on!

[@thurin84]

when i was in highschool, our marching band wore white busbies. our nickname was "Q-tips" and a right of passage was enduring a surprise "marshmallow crush".

[@michaelogden5958]

Always interesting videos! A bit off-topic: I am in Texas. It is hot and humid here this time of year. Just seeing you dressed up like that makes me want to lower the thermostat on my air conditioning unit. My sincere sympathies go out to the people who have to wear that stuff for real. Cheers!

[@CoreyBrass]

Another great video. You tell me things I didn't know I wanted to know until you told me. You're an example of what makes KZbin a really cool place.

[@CrispianBarlow]

The Royal 22nd Regt of Canada, the "Vandoos", one of the three regular infantry regiments of the CAF wear bearskins with a small beaver cap badge on the front

[@MichaelTavares]

I respect how much this man cares about hats

[@polygonalmasonary]

Brilliant video. Your research is outstanding and very detailed. Thank you 🙏🇬🇧♥️🌈

[@riverAmazonNZ]

That’s a lot of bears

[@jokesterthemighty227]

bear market innit

[@CAP198462]

Daaaa bears.

[@jsnkvideo]

Bears, beets, Battleship Galactica

[@klondikechris]

No worries. Canada has a LOT of bears!

[@MountainRaven1960]

That’s a lot of naked bears!

[@Defcon2000]

Thanks, great video as always! The whole history was extremely interesting to me, but I would have liked to hear a couple of words - and maybe see a picture or two - about the inside / the construction of the hat. It's made of fur or synthetic material of course, but how exactly does it work? Is the bear skin stiff enough to form this hat or is there other stuff inside to help the hat keep its shape? Is it really just one layer, made out of bear skin with a hollow top, so that in theory you could pull the hat down until the lower part touches your shoulders? Does the hat have some kind of inner layer that helps keeping the thing on your head? Like a harness made out of a number of straps inside a hard hat (industrial construction helmet), or foam pads or something? Does it have openings allowing some air circulation, or does it get extremely hot in the summer?

[@hathistorianjc]

There is an inner skullcap that keeps it on your head, with leather straps as you said like a hard hat, and the rest is built over a frame that was traditionally made of some sort of wicker, but now I'm not sure how the modern ones are made (my own, not-entirely-accurate replica is over foam)

[@TheSuzberry]

How heavy and hot is the bear skin? What does it look like on the inside? Can it be incorporated with a protective helmet.

[@hathistorianjc]

Heavy: about 1,5lbs Hot: very inside: looks a little like an old style riding helmet, with leather straps

[@TheSuzberry]

@@hathistorianjc thank you.

[@Pribumi1]

Not only was it worn by the foot guards in the UK, but the bearskin was also used in other regiments. The Honourable Artillery Company's band is issued to make its uniform as close as possible to that of the Grenadier Guards' so they have to configure their tunics and use a plumless bearskin. Also, the drum major of the pipe band of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards used bearskin rather than their pipers' counterpart of the bearskin. But, it was a nice video nonetheless!

[@STOCathain]

The width of these bearskins seems to fluctuate a bit depending upon the era, and probably the wearer as well.

[@anatoliyshelokov8868]

Впечатляющая шапка, но носить её наверное не удобно. Приятно было посмотреть.

[@ianrogerburton1670]

Thanks for a fascinating, brilliant and comprehensive video ! Also, some tourists think that the Foot Guards are highly amusing because they "look like toy soldiers" (it´s actually the other way round). Little do they realize that one of these fellas coming out of the smoke on a battlefield would have been absolutely terrifying as soldiers instinctively mistook their shadowy bearskins for being the heads of monster giants.

[@lloydcollins6337]

One of the hussar Regiments in the UK had a polar bear bearskin which their bass drummer wore - I believe it was a gift in the 1950s from the US president.

[@Brave_Sir_Robin]

I recently saw the yeoman warders at the Tower of London and my god the uniforms are much more intimidating in person. They look so tall and impressive when they march right past you 😂

[@asch7906]

I was just wondering yesterday about a bearskin video someday. Well, here we are.

[@jerrystaley1563]

What... no mention of the Winkie guards in the classic movie "The Wizard of Oz?" Without them, how would the Wicked Witch ever survive Dorothy and her cohorts? (Oh, my... she didn't.) Another great video and stunning costume uniform. PS: I assume your KC hat goes with the Missouri state flag but is that flag of Normandy represent your family's roots?

[@hathistorianjc]

Yup. Half my family is from KC, the other half from Normandy

[@whitewittock]

Witches hat there's one for the hathistorian

[@sgtommyc]

The Royal Danish Lifeguards tried to replace the fur with synthetics (some sort of nylon) back in the 70's with results as bad as you can think, on a dry summers day the hairs would stand out, because of static electricity, making the hats look more like fur balls than hats, on moist days they would more or less collapse, making them look like stove pipes. That experiment was quickly brought to an end :)

[@soul0360]

I remember seeing pictures, looked hilarious. They got scrapped during the trial phase, didn't they? Or where they actually used on Guard duty? If so. Not the proudest moment, for a deservingly Proud Regiment. Though I'm sure a lot has been done in materials Sciences since then. Just the thought of changing to synthetics, makes my skin crawl. Part of the symbolism of that hat, is what it's made from. If changing the material, they might as well make something more comfortable and practical. There are several designs from Danish history, where materials used, would be less of a concern.

[@sgtommyc]

@@soul0360 Now you're asking me to remember stuff that took place half a century ago, oh dear!! It all started with a short news story about the old hats being a bit worn and not at all looking flashy any more. The next day there were lynch mobs in the streets, or at least in every newspaper, shouting about the cruelty in killing animals, just to make her Majesty's guards look dashing to the tourists. Imagine that happening with todays interweb!! Blood would have been drawn somewhere I'm sure. The department for military equipment took notice, and started testing various synthetic substitutes, but they all failed miserably, or at least that's what the public was told, I remember seeing pictures of a wet plastic bearskin hat looking more like a fancy hairdo under the shower. So a few years later, without making it a newsflash, a couple hundred bearskins were ordered from Canada?? and new hats were made, without any fuss. But, if my memory still serves me just a bit, then the Miniature guards of the Tivoli garden are wearing synthetic bearskin hats today, they look as fancy as the Royal Guards but with a tiny difference in fluffiness.

[@HistoryNerd1814]

The British use Canadian black bears

[@soul0360]

@@HistoryNerd1814 Same for Denmark

[@mustafa7vip7]

How did you got this bearskin (where) ?

[@hathistorianjc]

ebay

[@mustafa7vip7]

​@@hathistorianjcname of the product please?

[@dylantindall5573]

Thank you. I've often seen images of this hat throughout my life, but never got round to an active inquiry. I was watching highland piper videos recently, full kit including the bearskin. In the right circumstances - approaching through mist, smoke or early morning light - pipers wearing bearskin hats could easily be mistaken by the young uninitiated soldier of the late 18th or 19th century for a larger and more intimidating column of cavalry and foot than of foot soldiers alone.

[@trolletarian]

If you look carefully, you'll notice the hats the pipers wear drape down on the right hand side, which a bearskin doesn't do. These are feather bonnets, rather than bearskins, made with black ostrich feathers. They look awfy similar, but not quite!

[@charlieross-BRM]

I was really anticipating that this was going to reveal the details of how these hats are constructed and cared for; life span and weight, etcetera.

[@hathistorianjc]

Well, my thing is more how they came about, but from what I can see, they are built over a frame traditionally of some sort of wicker, though I'm not sure if that is still the case, weigh about a pound and a half, and are regularly shampooed to keep them clean, and can last for decades if properly cared for

[@jimmydesouza4375]

I dont know why i watch your channel. I think i have worn a hat all of 5 times in my life.

[@gubbins1933]

Delightful as usual. Thank you. Equal parts informative and bonkers. Cheers

[@sjb3460]

tHE bearskin hats look to be very heavy, sweaty and very hot in the summer and ungainly and clumsy.

[@bern1228]

Thank you for another fascinating hat history!

[@mustafa7vip7]

Please product name and how mush it cost?

[@hathistorianjc]

I got it on ebay from a vendor that no longer seems to be around. It cost around 150$ or so

[@441rider]

I have the famous Dynafelt Beaver and felt water blend. The Brits grabbed a lot of bear skins and Beaver in Canada.

[@billbeyatte]

Thanks for doing all the research.

Thank you very much for this Video. As always it was most interesting

[@resolute123]

I keep on saying to myself, "what other hats could he possible cover? Surely there are no more hats?" I was wrong. Excellent! You kinda addressed the peaked hat in your 50 Mission Crush Cap, but I'd like to know more of it's history as you still see it with police officers in the US, head gear for the Marine dress uniform, or the humble milk man in the early part of the 20th century.

[@nicholaswoollhead6830]

You continue to be one of my favourite youtubers.

[@heartland96a]

Having looked thru your videos on military hats I don’t see one for the “Jeep” cap perhaps you will be doing that soon

[@EvanEverhart911]

Excellent video! Ive always loved bearskins! Now for Papakha hats and busbies!

[@zpy-nq7wv]

❤ ALWAYS VERY INFORMATIVE AND ENTERTAINING SIR ! 👍

[@viersangkaha158]

Since we are talking about bears, can you make a video about the Shaguma or red bear wigs worn by the Jinshotai during Boshin war. I understand why you might not be able to consider how hard it is to get access to them and how scarce the information is but I will very much appreciate it if you can talk about them.

[@Eloraurora]

I had to look up 'average daytime temperature Kenya' to relieve my anxiety for their bearskin-hat personnel. 20-28°C/68-82°F doesn't sound _ideal_ for a big furry hat, but at least it's not as bad as Arizona.

[@johnmcpherson5068]

Enjoyable and informative. How umusual.👍

[@CharlesJenkins-be2cv]

I’ve waited for this video for a long time

[@michaelamos4651]

Great channel. So informative and entertaining 👏

[@CAP198462]

L’histoire du casques aux pilotes, s’il vous plaît.

[@pbingre]

Wonderfull once more. Speaking of military hats, when will you narrate the history of the french military "chapeau de brousse", model 1949 - the one used by Tintin in "Coke en stock"?

[@PetiteLorrette]

Bonjour, pourriez vous faire une vidéo sur l'histoire de la barrette ? celle que porte les prêtres . Merci beaucoup

[@CAP198462]

Question please. I understood these were called busbys and not bearskins. Which is correct per King’s regulations, and where did busby as a possible name for this style of cover (hat) come from?

[@hathistorianjc]

The Busby is another distinct fur hat en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Busby_(military_headdress)

[@kelleyfair6229]

Please do a video on the Princess Diana hat. It was made famous by Princess Di but was also worn by United States Marines in the American Revolutionary War. A similar headgear is worn by the Norwegian Army ceremonial guards of the royal residence and the Norwegian Parliament. I think it is related to the Light Infantry. My wife wore a white Princess Di hat when we were married in 1990.

[@HeartDocRao]

Love love your content! Might I suggest an episode on the Nehru cap?

[@gc-tm1tv]

But how are they constructed? Are they made on a basket ware frame?

[@helenvojtko9673]

So much interesting information. Thank you.

[@Bigmoney60]

Hey hatHistorian, can you do a video about the peaked cap?

[@mikeharrison4768]

What is the correct way to wear the chin strap? Does it vary by regiment?

[@bendsherman1984]

I love all of these videos, they’re very i intriguing. I always get annoyed when I see the British Foot Guards depicted with Bearskins in the Napoleonic era, when they technically never wore them in the Napoleonic era, only after Waterloo they started wearing them.

[@Cats-TM]

Something he did not mention was the fact British bearskins (and presumibly other countries) have the strap above the chin. If I remember correctly it is because if it gets hit the head does not come with it. Also, he has what looks to be Duck Tails comics on his shelf so that is pretty cool.

[@jokesterthemighty227]

I'm suprised you didnt mention the Flinstones :D

[@normandiebryant6989]

I'd forgotten Fred and Barney in their Lodge hats. I think they had horns out each side, too.

[@jokesterthemighty227]

@@normandiebryant6989 Something with buffalo league or something xD

[@Yora21]

Tyroler Hat might be interesting to cover.

[@franman8605]

Have you done a video on the Pork Pie hat?

[@god8511]

Do the papakha hat of the Caucasus mountains

[@eisping]

I have got to ask: Ist that a real Bearskin and how much does one have to pay for one? And concerning Napoleon's height, wasn't there also a concersion error between French and English Yards?

[@davidduma7615]

Never let practicality get in the way of tradition.

[@DustyGamma]

Great timing, it's Canada Day, and I'm planning to go up to the Halifax Citadel, an old fort that have guards with bearskins. Edit: and just as I post this, noon here, they're letting off an artillery salute! darnit, should have gone sooner!

[@ashmarsim]

Thailand also uses the bearskin and they have different colored once too

[@sanseijedi]

And bears overwhelmingly approved abolishing bearskin hats.

[@jacobgurd1996]

Would you make a video on the origins of the Santa Clause hat? Thanks

[@dennisglorie9503]

On the subject of tall and pointless hats, the scots feather bonnet is worth a video xx

[@מיכהראובני]

From Were Did you get ‏‪that hat?

[@hathistorianjc]

Ebay

[@stephenandersen4625]

That was quite a demand for bear fur

[@ttaibe]

who are the gold scream guards? XD 10:28

[@richardbouchard1716]

Stayed all the way through to see how you would “pull off” the I tip my hat to you.❤

[@beecat4183]

I was hoping for an explanation of why the chin strap is worn under the bottom lip and not under the chin every time I see a picture of the UK version.

[@hathistorianjc]

Well nobody knows for certain, there are a few theories, some saying it was to prevent the soldier from having his neck broken or being strangled if someone grabbed the hat from behind, others say it was to protect the ckeeks better with the chains...

[@peter7936]

Also, worn by the Governor's Guards of Connecticut. The foot guards pre-date the revolution, so wear red coats as well as bearskins.

[@DukusOctaviosthe8th]

Make story of dundee jacaro hat! Plz...

[@JustJimWillDo]

Ah, the rare double-handed hat tip!

[@danielstickney2400]

One point people miss about the age of linear warfare: smoothbore muskets had a high, looping trajectory. A musket ball aimed at a man standing 300 yards away would pass right over the head of most men standing in between, might even go over the head of a man on horseback standing at 150 yards, and the "danger spaces" where a man could actually get hit were much smaller than the whole distance so it was actually safer to stand in a long thin perpendicular line. Tall bulky hats might have helped fool the enemy into misjudging the range so their shots would either go over or fall short.

[@DebatingWombat]

I highly doubt that, because that would’ve required the kind of complicated sights you don’t see on muskets, not to mention that round balls shot from smooth bores that got fouled up with black powder would’ve been inaccurate on both the horizontal and vertical axis anyway. The solution to the high trajectory (and other inaccuracies) was simply to avoid firing until the enemy was very close and firing in volleys. It’s not unusual to find orders not to fire until you could see the white in the enemy’s eyes to ensure the maximum impact of the first volley.

[@thomasbeach905]

One of the common commands (reminders?) given to infantrymen in the American Civil War (1861-5) was “Aim low!”.

[@earnestwanderer2471]

Excellent.

[@huwford2731]

Great video, although you had the strap in the wrong place, it isn't supposed to go under the chin, but then if you had worn it correctly it might have made speaking much more difficult.

[@ComfortsSpecter]

Incredible History Beautiful Fluffy Fur Thank You Great Man for This Good Work

[@ergonautilus]

Are they hollow? Are overly warm?

[@hathistorianjc]

They are hollow, but still pretty warm

[@stamfordly6463]

You missed the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys) who also wear the bearskin in full dress.

[@diogenebaril]

And their bass drum players wears a White bearskin.

[@jperala658]

I love that you did a French version of this.

[@hon.mr.ronburgundyiiiesq.2096]

Love that Missouri flag in the background!

[@vincentlefebvre9255]

He lives in St-Louis. He does his videos in english and in french.

[@midnightteapot5633]

The Russian Imperial palace had a veterans Guard company who wore bearskins right up until the Russian revolution and the removal of the Czar. The Pavlovski Grenadier regiment retained the brass fronted Mitre cap right up until around the same event.

[@fbisurveillancevan6939]

I have never heard PETA say that the Hells Angels should no longer wear leather vests. Why don't they start there?