The ushanka is a fur or wool hat with ear flaps worn in cold climates, originally a Mongolian design adopted by Russian troops. It was worn by Soviet soldiers and is now worn by many in Eastern Europe and the US. It can be hard to find in the US, but new and vintage ones can be found online.
English speakers often call an ushanka shapka. Shapka is the Russian word for hat, and the ushanka is a type of men’s hat made of fur or wool that has ear flaps, worn in some of the world’s coldest climates. It is particularly known as the hats worn by Soviet soldiers, but evidence suggests that it was originally a Mongolian design. During the battles with Mongolia in the Middle Ages, many believe that Russian troops adopted the design.
The ushanka is circular and cylindrical in shape and worn above the ears, so the brim of the hat would cover the head in front to about halfway across the forehead. In very cold weather, you can fold up the hat’s ear flaps and secure the hat under the chin with a tie. When people don’t want to wear the ear flaps, they can conveniently tie them over the top of the hat.
A medieval hat would probably have been made from any available fur, including possibly wolf, bear, and fox. The typical ushanka worn by members of the Soviet Union’s armed forces or police was gray with a red star in the center. The use of this hat certainly predates the founding of the Soviet Union, and was definitely worn before by police and military officers in Russia. The red star taken as a symbol by the Communist Party would have been absent.
The police and the army did not exclusively wear the ushanka. In fact, most Russian men wore them. The hat isn’t exclusive to Russians, either: many people in Eastern European countries wear one. It is not uncommon to see people with this style in parts of the US, especially in areas where immigrants from Eastern Europe are concentrated. The Polish Army also makes the ushanka part of their military uniform. People who are recruited wear brown or black hats, and recruits tend to wear gray.
In modern Russia, certain traditions are linked to the ushanka. Wearing the ear flaps down can be considered unmanly. However, in cold weather, or for work that requires you to be outside in the cold, ear muffs can be quite useful. Russian sanitation workers often wear earmuffs while picking up trash. The modern ushanka can also be worn by women, simply because it is a useful hat during cold weather.
Today it can be hard to find stores in the US that carry anything other than vintage ushankas, often bearing Soviet insignia. On sites like eBay, and various British internet shops, one can find new hats for sale, and it may be possible to get a vintage one online. Inexpensive new faux fur ushankas are usually relatively inexpensive.
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