Slouch Hat

Common military felt hat and Australian favourite

A Slouch Hat is a wide-brimmed felt hat with a chinstrap usually worn as part of a military uniform. Slouch Hat refers to the fact that one side droops with the other pinned against the side of the crown.

This style of hat has been worn for many hundreds of years, especially during the English Civil War when it became associated with the Cavaliers, the Royalist army of King Charles I. The Slouch Hat was also fashionable for the aristocracy throughout Europe during that time until it was superseded by the tricorn.

The Slouch Hat has been worn and still is by military personnel from around the world – Australia, United Kingdom, India, New Zealand, Southern Rhodesia, France, the United States, Germany amongst others.

Australia has had the Slouch Hat as the standard issue headwear from around 1885 and continues to be so today and is considered to be a national symbol.

The Australian Army Slouch Hat has one side of the brim turned up and pinned to the side with the Rising Sun badge, also known as the General Service Badge or the Australian Army Badge. This feature allows a rifle to be slung over the shoulder without issue. The Slouch Hat often features a Puggaree hat band.

In the United States it was also called the Kossuth hat, after Lajos Kossuth.

Other names for the Slouch Hat

• Kossuth Hat
• Lajos Kossuth Hat
• Slouch

Famous Slouch Hat wearers

• Cavaliers
• ANZACs