Some Chat About a Hat: The Hathern Beanie
Hats come in many shapes and sizes but perhaps the most ubiquitous these days is the Beanie hat. Reputedly first recorded under this moniker in the 1940s, this winter warmer takes its name for the American slang for head – bean. It’s thought this came out of the term for a particular pitch thrown towards the head of the batter being known as a beanball. History lesson over, the humble beanie can be seen sitting atop the heads of a wide range of people from around October to March here in the UK. Its inoffensive yet effective design means it shares characteristics of the hoodie, in that it was once a niche item which is now worn by everyone from stay-at-home mums to the edgiest of edgy fashionistas. This wide appeal is testament to its simple effectiveness and its basic aesthetic.
With so many brands releasing their take on the simple beanie hat, it can be difficult to know which is for you and why. You can rule out that one with the Spiderman logo, you probably don’t want the festive one with the antlers and even the cool unbranded one is a bit plain for your tastes. That’s where we come in. With that understated, austere quality common with all beanie hats, ours is all you need to see you through this challenging winter.
Like the rest of our garments, our beanie comes with a story associated to its name. The Hathern Beanie is given its title by the Leicestershire village of Hathern, which was home to influential inventor and industrialist John Heathcote. Though he was born in Derbyshire, he settled in Admiral’s home county of Leicestershire, making his mark by improving machinery used in manufacturing. His main innovation was the creation of a bobbin net machine which helped create a lace called English Net.
Made from a considered mix of dyed wool yarn, it comes in four colours which fit with our existing gear, Hawk Navy, Harrier Green, Red Marl and Black Marl. Size wise, we’ve put in much more time than most would and as a result we can confidently state this hat is one size fits all.
