Tyrant Toppers: Dictatorial Headgear

by Robert W. Hunnicutt • October 24, 2011 • 14 comments

Libyan dictator Moammar al-Gadhafi was killed by rebel forces last week, and we can all say good riddance. He was a butcher and tyrant who reportedly stashed $200 billion overseas and had a creepy fixation with former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice. That said, he was a man with a flair for hats. He was a handsome and dashing young officer when he overthrew King Idris at the age of 27, and at that time favored high peaked caps. Later, he went for more traditional desert headgear. I think we can agree his passing marks the end of an era in dictator headwear, and that merits a look back at some earlier style mavens. Who’s your favorite dictator in a hat?

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Picture 1 of 7

Benito Mussolini

Benito Mussolini

Libya was an Italian possession when Gadhafi was born in 1942, so it’s clear he took inspiration from Il Duce’s many impressive chapeaux.

In Culture & Politics, Featured, Gear • Tagged , ,

14 Responses

  1. jon

    proofreading is your friend….two errors in the first sentence alone

    On October 24, 2011 at 5:28 pm • Reply
    • Robert W. Hunnicutt

      You are exactly correct. Going for laser eye operation tomorrow that should make that better.

      On October 24, 2011 at 7:24 pm • Reply
    • Defen Estrato

      Since you brought it up, I don't think so. You probably refer to two parts of the sentence that look like mistakes, but aren't:

      1) "Il" which the font disguises as a capital "i" and a lowercase "L" to like the same letter accidentally doubled. These two letters form the Italian word for "The" which in translation is the first part of his nickname: "The Leader;" and

      2) "many impressive chapeaux" is grammatically correct as the adjective "many" modifies and agrees with "chapeaux," which is the French word for "hats."

      I think Mr. Hunnicutt is being polite.

      On November 2, 2011 at 11:56 pm • Reply
  2. damifino

    asshats…all of them!

    On October 25, 2011 at 3:58 am • Reply
  3. Rodolpho

    Welcome for Hell

    On October 28, 2011 at 12:05 am • Reply
  4. exexpat11

    All but Jean-Bedel Bokassa's Burger King Crown seem to be variations on a theme.

    On October 29, 2011 at 8:00 pm • Reply
  5. snowolf

    Bunch of flaming idiots..I'll take discreet camo anytime..

    On November 2, 2011 at 10:32 pm • Reply
  6. Sam

    You forgot the GREATEST peak hat of them all —-"Der Fuhrer" Seig Heil !!!

    On November 3, 2011 at 2:11 am • Reply
    • 2WarAbnVet

      I noticed there were no Nazi hats on display. They really had some neat headgear.

      On November 3, 2011 at 3:32 am • Reply
  7. Anishinabi

    I think Ghaddafi's fez in other photos looked like a cross between a fez and a beret. Mussolini, who had his thumb on Libya adopted one, but decorated it with gold chain and do-dads. Ever notice how the South American despots favor the Nazi influence while the former British colonial monsters favor the British look? Bokhassa seemed to be emulating King Leopold of Belgium, the Euro-monster that once ruled the Congo. I was under a colonel in the USAF who with his scrambled egg on his screwed up head would have fit right in with some of these guys. Some of his subordinate officers would agree with me.

    On November 3, 2011 at 3:03 pm • Reply
  8. Luis HERNANDEZ

    It is a sad matter how Leftist's false History has reached you in the U.S… Pinochet real paper was not as a Dictator but as Leader of the first country world over that can break Commonist chains to form a developed and free nation as today Chile. Did you prefer have another Cuba in Southamerica? By the way, supposed victims of this fight are less than one tenth of killed in car accidents same time… would you think we must ban cars as bloody, diabolic items?
    Pinochet hat corresponds to Chile's General rank ones; by the way then was oldest-on-service General ever. Even Allende's traitor General Prat uses same. You are making excellent service to Commonism.

    On November 4, 2011 at 1:31 am • Reply
    • Scott

      Uh… what?

      On November 7, 2011 at 6:24 pm • Reply
      • bobanyman

        I'm with you on that one! Slighty confused…

        On November 11, 2011 at 8:04 am • Reply
  9. Bernardo

    Let's see … 5 who fought communism and 2 barbarian jungle humpers. 5 ok, 2 not okay.

    On November 4, 2011 at 6:26 am • Reply