The deer stalker hat is a close-fitting cloth hat with sharp brims at the front and back, often made of tweed or twill. It has two side flaps that can be pulled down to cover the ears and tied under the chin. Originally worn by deer hunters, it became fashionable in the 19th century and is famously associated with Sherlock Holmes.
A deer stalker hat, also sometimes called a “front and back,” is a close-fitting style of cloth hat with sharp brims at the front and back. Deer stalkers are usually made of tweed or twill fabric. Perhaps the most notable feature of the deer stalker hat, however, are the two side flaps that can be pulled down to cover the ears, tied under the chin, or tied together at the hat’s crown. As its name implies, the deer catcher was first worn by hunters engaged in the activity of deer stalking, a British term describing the secret concealment of a deer.
The construction of a deer hunter hat is designed with the warmth and comfort of the wearer in mind. A pair of brims at the front and back of the hat protect the neck and face from sunburn and glare. When the side flaps are worn they keep the ears warm and covered, and when tied under the chin they provide an extra layer of warmth for both sides of the wearer’s face. The side flaps can also be tied to the top of the deer stalker to keep them out of the way when not needed.
Typically, a deer hat is made from twill, a woven fabric with diagonal ribs, or from tweed fabric with a twill weave. The choice of twill to make deer stalkers reflects the background of the hat as a heavy-duty sports cap, as twill fabric is very heavy and durable. Twill is woven by passing the weft thread over several warp threads at once, resulting in the diagonal rib pattern. A deer stalker hat is usually made of checked or houndstooth twill, because the light and dark shapes in these patterns provide a kind of camouflage for the hunter. Many modern deer stalkers are made with orange checkered twill as a consideration for the safety of the hunters who wear them.
The deer stalker style became popular in 19th century England, where it was worn by sportsmen and hunters. In the latter part of the Victorian era, sportswear became more fashionable, and the deer hunter hat became an important part of a country gentleman’s hunting outfit. During this period of menswear, other garments once considered appropriate only for sportswear began to emerge as popular daywear items, such as knickerbocker pants and blazer-style jackets.
Perhaps the most famous wearer of the deer cap style is the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. Interestingly, Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Holmes, never specifically stated that Holmes wore a deer hunter hat. The original illustrators of Conan Doyle’s works were the ones who put Holmes into a deer hunter, usually when he was traveling or in the field. Later depictions of Holmes with his deer hunter in town are inaccurate: the dapper Holmes would never wear a jock cap in an urban setting. Another fictional character who is known to wear a deer hunter, in this case an all-red version, is Holden Caulfield from JD Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye.
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