Known now primarily as the traditional cooks’ hat, the toque is a type of headwear which was in use from the 13th to the 16th century in Europe, distinguishable for the lack of brims.

The name of this kind of hat may have two different origins. It is the Breton for “hat” and the Arabic for “round”, a term which was known in English since 1505. It probably came through the Medieval French “toque”, probably derived from the Spanish “toca”, the long wig worn by the Spanish and French nobles since the 15th century.

Toque hat designed by Caroline Reboux, 1932/35. Decorated with black and green feathers. Collection Les Arts Décoratifs, all rights reserved.

However, it indicates a particular kind of hat which may vary in decorations and material, while it is characterized by the absence of brims, which made it a popular choice for sports during the 20th century.

Toque hat, dated 1810 ca. Collection Stiftelsen Nordiska Museet, CC-BY-NC-ND.

While this shape was already known in Europe from the 12th and 13th century, the toque came back to fashion at the end of th 18th century and again in during the Twenties and Thirties, decorated with precious stones or feathers.

Europeana Fashion collects among its items various examples of this particular kind of hat! Follow our social media this week to find the top seven or browse the collection to see them all!