Pope Hats
March 26, 2012 5:17 PM   Subscribe

Pope Benedict XVI has revived many dormant style traditions and introduced a few fashion innovations of his own. Also, he often wears fanciful hats. Examples: A Sombrero, A camauro (camel skin hat of red wool or velvet with white ermine), a free baseball cap, a wide brim red cappello romano, (I.E. saturno), a Yarmulke (a little zucchetto), Mitra Pretiosa, Papal Tiara (there are many in existence) and so many more. A Time Magazine gallery. Also: Papal shoes & slippers.

This is the site for Ecclesiastical Finery
posted by growabrain (71 comments total) 5 users marked this as a favorite
 
I wonder if he has to pay for any of it. I imagine it's good advertising for the brands he wears.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 5:23 PM on March 26, 2012


I wonder if he realises.
posted by mattoxic at 5:26 PM on March 26, 2012


So...the pope now wears funny hats?
posted by VTX at 5:26 PM on March 26, 2012 [2 favorites]


Obligatory Fellini clip.
posted by twirlip at 5:30 PM on March 26, 2012 [11 favorites]


I read that as "doormat styles." Seems unlikely, but the world is an odd place.
posted by rtha at 5:31 PM on March 26, 2012


Man, I am super disappointed that the Vatican is claiming that those aren't sassy red Prada shoes.
posted by elizardbits at 5:31 PM on March 26, 2012


He has to have an array of stylish hats to keep all that oppression in check. If he lets it out all at once the world would be doomed.
posted by Malice at 5:34 PM on March 26, 2012


Man, that's one creepy looking Pope.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 5:35 PM on March 26, 2012 [6 favorites]


I find this disturbing. I'm not sure why.
posted by Jode at 5:36 PM on March 26, 2012


That Fellini clip is the best. It overdoes the overdoing and then adds a little more too much, with a whole church on top!
posted by GenjiandProust at 5:37 PM on March 26, 2012 [2 favorites]


also this is missing the highly important and descriptive "Pope Palpatine" tag
posted by elizardbits at 5:39 PM on March 26, 2012 [8 favorites]


I'm lazy. Can someone else please make a tumblr of this?
posted by thecjm at 5:44 PM on March 26, 2012


Infallible eye for the Jesus guy.
posted by spitbull at 5:45 PM on March 26, 2012 [5 favorites]


Vaguely recall I head story years ago I think about John XXIII. A poor fisherman gave him a home made cap. The pope noted that with this new cap was so nice that he wouldn't be needing the old one, and gave whatever he happened to be wearing at the time in return.

I hope it's true.
posted by IndigoJones at 5:50 PM on March 26, 2012 [1 favorite]


The Other Pope died last week. He is still on the job though.
posted by unliteral at 5:53 PM on March 26, 2012 [1 favorite]


That Fellini clip is fantastic.
posted by benito.strauss at 5:58 PM on March 26, 2012


Hey, if your mind is in the 12th century, then your body might as well be there too.

What's sad is that all those beautiful clothes and hats surround a face that resembles nothing so much as an evil potato.
posted by emjaybee at 5:59 PM on March 26, 2012 [2 favorites]


The zucchetto is not a yarmulke. They're both round, but they're neither the same sort of hat, nor are they worn for the same reasons.

As for his appearance, the guy's 84. Come on.

NOT HAT-MONGERING
posted by jquinby at 6:02 PM on March 26, 2012


I was all set to snark on him wearing a Nazi hat or something until I realized there is already a picture of Hitler Jugend Ratzinger in the "many more" link. It's simply there amid the sombrero and sunglasses. Just kind of slipped in.
posted by Justinian at 6:05 PM on March 26, 2012


Good for him, wearing cool pope hats looks like a lot of fun.
posted by Blasdelb at 6:06 PM on March 26, 2012


NOT HAT-MONGERING

Of course not, it's called haberdashery.
posted by GenjiandProust at 6:06 PM on March 26, 2012 [3 favorites]


That person knows way too much about Pope shoes, and I just read the entire thing. They are basically ugly red versions of regular old-man loafers. The black ones with the buckles look like stereotypical Thanksgiving pilgrim shoes. And putting laces on shoes apparently turns them into "hiking boots"? None of these shoes look comfortable to me. They have no arch support.
posted by autoclavicle at 6:07 PM on March 26, 2012 [2 favorites]


Somewhere in the darkest recesses of my vast and imponderable gif folder there is an image of Pope JPII wearing a Devo hat.
posted by elizardbits at 6:08 PM on March 26, 2012 [1 favorite]


It is glorious.
posted by elizardbits at 6:08 PM on March 26, 2012


Popes wear extravagant outfits and people are impressed. A cat puffs up and rivals are scared off. It goes all the way down to fish at least - e.g. blowfish. I'd like to see such pictures juxtaposed, a particular papal outfit, and a puffed up adder, dog, turkey etc.
posted by VikingSword at 6:16 PM on March 26, 2012 [2 favorites]


BEHOLD
posted by elizardbits at 6:19 PM on March 26, 2012 [10 favorites]


THE POPE IS WEARING A SOMBRERO. YOUR ARGUMENT IS INVALID.
posted by Slap*Happy at 6:21 PM on March 26, 2012 [2 favorites]


This goes surprisingly well together with the Karl Lagerfeld post.
posted by quoquo at 6:33 PM on March 26, 2012 [2 favorites]


Papal fashion sense (especially Joey da Rat's) has got to be one of the last things I want to hear about. (Yet: car crash, train wreck, etc.) Although it does come preloaded with maximum parody potential.

It is a mark of how deep runs my cynicism about all things Catholic Church that one of the first things that came to mind upon seeing this thread's topic was that Monty Python skit about some berobed & bewigged magistrates at the end of their day, shedding their robes to reveal that underneath they're dressed in high drag in lacy underthings, corsets, garters, etc., as they bitch about their cases in arch-queeny tones...
posted by Philofacts at 6:47 PM on March 26, 2012


Previously.
posted by uosuaq at 6:55 PM on March 26, 2012


He should be Pope Bartholomew.
posted by scruss at 6:57 PM on March 26, 2012 [1 favorite]


I really want to look at this and think "Oh, how whimsical," but the Catholic Church's recent participation in the war on women in the U.S.A. makes me think instead "not every monster looks cute in a hat."
posted by Joey Michaels at 6:59 PM on March 26, 2012


Jode: "I find this disturbing. I'm not sure why."

Maybe because the Vatican is not only, essentially its own country, but is wealthier than most countries. And yet the leader of the Vatican preaches about helping the impoverished and yet hoards gold and artwork worth billions of dollars. And the leader, the Pope, goes to poor countries wearing clothing that's worth more than the average family makes in several lifetimes. And he tells these people not to use contraception, but to have more children that they can't afford?

Something like that maybe?

Or is it something simpler?
posted by Splunge at 7:30 PM on March 26, 2012 [7 favorites]


Vaguely recall I head story years ago I think about John XXIII. A poor fisherman gave him a home made cap. The pope noted that with this new cap was so nice that he wouldn't be needing the old one, and gave whatever he happened to be wearing at the time in return.

In a similar(ish) vein, when Bono and Bob Geldof went to visit Pope John Paul II to discuss a Vatican endorsement for international debt relief, Bono started noticing that towards the end of their meeting, JP was checking out Bono's sunglasses....with a gleam in his eye.

So Bono let him have them.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:46 PM on March 26, 2012 [2 favorites]


So Marx said something about 'Religion is the opium of the people' Fellini makes it look more like the acid of the people.
posted by Katjusa Roquette at 7:53 PM on March 26, 2012


Maybe because the Vatican is not only, essentially its own country, but is wealthier than most countries. And yet the leader of the Vatican preaches about helping the impoverished and yet hoards gold and artwork worth billions of dollars. And the leader, the Pope, goes to poor countries wearing clothing that's worth more than the average family makes in several lifetimes. And he tells these people not to use contraception, but to have more children that they can't afford?

These are all such good points. I agree that we shouldn't take any leader seriously unless he is dressed in clothes he bought from Goodwill. Maybe Walmart, but that's pushing it. The sight of President Obama, who supposedly cares about the lower classes, wearing a Hart Schaffner Marx suit--well, it makes one ill. Utter hypocrisy.

And the idea of the vatican, or any museum, hoarding gold and artwork--all that snobby cultural stuff that only rich people like--when there are people starving. Don't they know how much food for African children something like the Mona Lisa could buy??
posted by Cortes at 8:25 PM on March 26, 2012 [5 favorites]


I really want to look at this and think "Oh, how whimsical," but the Catholic Church's recent participation in the war on women in the U.S.A. makes me think instead "not every monster looks cute in a hat."

Not only that but they are also probably the pivotal reason that there's no same-sex marriage in Maine.
posted by XMLicious at 8:32 PM on March 26, 2012


And the idea of the vatican, or any museum, hoarding gold and artwork--all that snobby cultural stuff that only rich people like--when there are people starving Don't they know how much food for African children something like the Mona Lisa could buy??

Except that museums' primary message is "hey, come look at this cool stuff" and the Vatican's is "we worship a guy who told us to take care of poor people."
posted by corey flood at 8:38 PM on March 26, 2012 [3 favorites]


The well dressed pope isn't complete without his commissioned scent.

He is picky about his robes and his red shoes are tailor-made, but Pope Benedict has taken the meaning of bespoke to a whole new level by ordering a custom-blended eau de cologne just for him.

Ecce homo!
posted by 2N2222 at 8:42 PM on March 26, 2012 [4 favorites]


Except that museums' primary message is "hey, come look at this cool stuff" and the Vatican's is "we worship a guy who told us to take care of poor people."

I hear you, corey. If only the Catholic Church would get its act together and start helping the poor.
posted by Cortes at 8:51 PM on March 26, 2012 [4 favorites]


This goes surprisingly well together with the Karl Lagerfeld post.

Holy shit, it's the same guy - just more gay!
posted by Meatbomb at 9:30 PM on March 26, 2012 [1 favorite]


I liked the hat that looked like Saturn. You know, with the rings.
posted by Barry B. Palindromer at 10:49 PM on March 26, 2012


Might he have been one of J. Edgar Hoover's clandestine party pals?
posted by Vibrissae at 12:41 AM on March 27, 2012


I think I've linked to this before, but Colm Tóibín's essay 'The Pope wears Prada' really is a great read on this topic.
posted by Mocata at 2:02 AM on March 27, 2012


"Why! You could be made Archbishop of Canterbury tomorrow and he would think nothing of it! No one would." A thought appeared to strike him. "Would you like to be Archbishop of Canterbury tomorrow, Stephen?"

"No, thank you, sir."

"Are you quite certain? It is scarcely any trouble and if the Church has any attraction for you...?"

"I promise you, sir, it has none."

"Your good taste as ever does you credit. A mitre is a wretchedly uncomfortable sort of thing to wear and not at all becoming."


Chapter 26, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell (Susanna Clarke)
posted by malusmoriendumest at 3:03 AM on March 27, 2012 [1 favorite]


Help me out, I can't for the life of me recall how are these hoods called. Are they worn on different occasions? The version on the right seems vaguely familiar...
posted by hat_eater at 5:30 AM on March 27, 2012


"He had mischief in his eyes as well as godliness," he says. "If the Catholic Church is the glam rock of religion, this guy was just the most vivid of performers."

While they were seated together, Bono noticed the pope staring at him. Concerned that his powder-blue "fly shades" were an offensive accessory, Bono removed them. When Bono approached to receive the rosary beads, the pope continued eyeing the sunglasses.

"So I asked if he wanted them," Bono said. "He not only nodded, but he put them on and made the wickedest smile. It was a great moment for a lot of reasons, and one of them was, I thought, 'We'll be on the front page of every newspaper.' I don't mean me, but our issues. I knew what a picture of the pope in sunglasses was going to do."


I love that story! I never articulated it to myself, but that "mischief" is something I noticed about John Paul II, too. Thank you EC!
posted by gjc at 6:08 AM on March 27, 2012


And the anti-Catholic LULZ just never gets old. Stay classy, Metafilter.
posted by gjc at 6:09 AM on March 27, 2012 [2 favorites]


And the anti-Catholic LULZ just never gets old. Stay classy, Metafilter
Give us an excuse to dis the rest and we'll do that too. Catholics don't have a special place here. They're just the easiest.
posted by unliteral at 6:27 AM on March 27, 2012 [1 favorite]


Give us an excuse to dis the rest and we'll do that too.

If you're looking for a chance to prove "equal-opportinty dissing", there's a thread on atheists as well. Go for it.

(Somehow I suspect no one is going to take me up on that invitation. I wonder why.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:36 AM on March 27, 2012 [1 favorite]


We wouldn't enjoy hating on the catholic church so much if they were not so hateful. Don't shoot the messenger, etc.
posted by lazaruslong at 6:54 AM on March 27, 2012 [1 favorite]


check today's SMBC strip...
posted by Theta States at 6:56 AM on March 27, 2012


Wow, that's a bitchin' camauro.
posted by FAMOUS MONSTER at 7:05 AM on March 27, 2012 [5 favorites]


I would like to point out that while it's quite fun to lay lots of blame at the foot of the Church... let's compare percentages of population.

Canada: 44%, with Ontairo fairly close to that national average (legalized gay marriage, and hey what was that story about Prostitution)
United Sates: 22%, again with the above mentioned Maine pretty close to that average

It's fairly clear that there is a much larger story then the Catholic Church.

Yes the American Bishops have been rather dickish of late... but I've always got the feeling that was more reflective of "American religious leader" then of "Catholic religious leader"
posted by cirhosis at 7:05 AM on March 27, 2012


Mod note: Okay, not actually a thread for fighting about Catholicism. Please stick to fighting about millinery.
posted by taz (staff) at 7:15 AM on March 27, 2012 [4 favorites]


Ecclesiasteez.
posted by The Prawn Reproach at 7:22 AM on March 27, 2012 [1 favorite]


Relevant.

And the anti-Catholic LULZ just never gets old. Stay classy, Metafilter.
posted by gjc at 2:09 PM on March 27


Well, if they will insist on continuing to be funny and absurd, whatcha gonna do?
posted by Decani at 8:17 AM on March 27, 2012 [1 favorite]


If you're looking for a chance to prove "equal-opportinty dissing", there's a thread on atheists as well. Go for it.

(Somehow I suspect no one is going to take me up on that invitation. I wonder why.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 2:36 PM on March 27


Absolutely fine. As long as the atheist-dissing is accurate and fair, and not, say, a bunch of lazy old canards about Stalin, crazed overuse of the word "strident, a bunch of whiny "Y U NO RESPECT" stuff, "just as bad as fundamentalists" etc...
posted by Decani at 8:20 AM on March 27, 2012 [3 favorites]




Please stick to fighting about millinery

Thank you for knowing the vital difference between haberdashery and millinery!

posted by elizardbits at 9:05 AM on March 27, 2012 [2 favorites]


How can there possibly be a post of Pope Hats without even a mention of the most important event in papal headgear in history, now nearly 50 years ago. Pope Paul VI surrendered his crown of the papacy on the altar of St. Peter's Basilica and then sold it with the proceeds going to the benefit of the poor.

It is unlikely that any Pope will ever wear a crown again, what most folks are familiar with as a pope hat is a Mitre, or bishop hat. What Paul VI did was a symbol of giving up the temporal power of the church in favor of focusing on helping the poor.
posted by Blasdelb at 9:15 AM on March 27, 2012 [4 favorites]


Well, yes and no - that very wiki article states that Cardinal Spellman (NYC) had the US RCC buy the crown instead of having it sold off at auction or whatever. It's not clear whether or not the proceeds went to charity.
posted by elizardbits at 10:09 AM on March 27, 2012


TBH considering it was Spellman, the money was likely rolled back in to RCC accounts and used for more ecclesiastical construction projects.
posted by elizardbits at 10:11 AM on March 27, 2012 [1 favorite]


It makes one long for the days of Hadrian VII. Now there was a real pope.

I was going to post a link to that brilliant Stewart Lee bit about the papal shoes, but Jerry fucking Sadowitz has had it taken down off YouTube. Thanks a bunch Jerry!
posted by howfar at 10:15 AM on March 27, 2012


The well dressed pope isn't complete without his commissioned scent.

He is picky about his robes and his red shoes are tailor-made, but Pope Benedict has taken the meaning of bespoke to a whole new level by ordering a custom-blended eau de cologne just for him.

Ecce homo!

More like "Olfacte homo!", eh, 2N2222?

A Catholic friend of mine defended Pope Ratzinger's perfume conceit by two arguments: "Lots of people give him gifts!" (it wasn't a gift, he requested it), and "He's the head of a worldwide religion!" (yeah, ... how could he be taken seriously at the Worldwide Religion's Heads Conference without a signature scent?).

Catholic apologists never cease to amaze me.
posted by IAmBroom at 10:27 AM on March 27, 2012


Popes have a very long history of commissioning perfumes, and it does make a sort of non-intuitive sense with an understanding of Catholicism. Smells are pretty central to Catholic doctrine, practice, and liturgy.

"For in Catholic tradition there is sin portrayed as stench, and sanctity as suave odor. St. Ignatius of Loyola invites those doing his Spiritual Exercises to ‘apply’ their imaginary senses, smell included, to contemplation of themes such as sin. Also, Catholics encounter the sweet smell of flowers in sanctuaries, at feast days, weddings and funerals, and perhaps from flowers placed before statues of favorite saints. There is St. Thérèse of Lisieux, called the Little Flower. There are the oils used in certain sacraments, blessings, and consecrations, and some of these oils have a distinct scent. There is incense in various qualities and strengths."*
posted by Blasdelb at 11:02 AM on March 27, 2012


I can see the commercials now: scantily clad nubile young men and women of unearthly beauty frolicking semi-scandalously at some luxurious beachside resort while Generic Pope Figure steadfastly refuses to admire them.

CALVIN KLEIN'S REPRESSION FOR MEN
posted by elizardbits at 11:10 AM on March 27, 2012 [1 favorite]


Watching a news broadcast on TV last spring, I saw a video of the resplendent, sparkly pope giving his Easter homily about the Christian virtues of simplicity and humility. Thousand upon thousands of adoring people listened in quiet adoration.

Someone wearing jeans, a T-shirt and sneakers could stand up and talk about simplicity and humility and no one would listen. People are strange.
posted by Corvid at 3:11 PM on March 27, 2012


Thank you for knowing the vital difference between haberdashery and millinery!

But that's just it: millinery refers to women's hats and haberdashery to men's, yet the hats in question are solely worn by men. So surely we should be fighting about haberdashery.
posted by jedicus at 5:59 PM on March 27, 2012 [1 favorite]


scantily clad nubile young men....

I think this condition has already been met.
posted by longdaysjourney at 8:28 PM on March 27, 2012


Does the pope wear a new hat for each public appearance?
posted by khedron at 10:42 PM on April 16, 2012


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