| One could hardly exaggerate the meaning of | | | | "shapka - ushanka" The basic production - for the |
| "shapka-ushanka" in the life of any Russian man. | | | | bulk of population as we call mass market - was |
| The popularity of this head accessory had been | | | | established on the rabit skin. Every mother |
| fantastic since the World war II up to the dawn | | | | "packing" her kid to the kindergarten and tying the |
| of the Soviet Union in the beginning of 90ies. | | | | tapes of "ushanka" under the kid's chin was |
| With the opening of the Russian borders the | | | | rested assured and confident that her kid wouldn't |
| uninhibited flow of the new modern clothes, | | | | get frozen. I should mention that during the |
| accessories and hats of all styles and trades has | | | | Soviet power the ordinary Russian people were |
| seriously dropped down the privileged position of | | | | not spoilt with personal cars and private |
| shapka-ushanka. That's why you can hardy meet | | | | transportation. : It took long time to get to work |
| a person in a large city wearing it now with the | | | | from one part of the city to another and |
| exception for maybe military men or orthodox. | | | | "shapka-ushanka" was of real use and help during |
| About the military ...Since 1940 ushanka has | | | | severe frosts that are not a rare thing in Russia. |
| become a part of the uniform of Russian army | | | | So, one could hardly overestimate the role of |
| and militsia (police) Picking out the fact that the | | | | shapka-ushanka in his/her life :-) |
| half of Russian male population are either military | | | | If it was not too cold outside the "ears" of the |
| or "menty" (cops) and practically all of the male | | | | hat was turned up and tied on the crown. If a |
| population serve in the army at the age of 18 | | | | person works outside on the fresh air (during |
| (we have an obligatory conscription) the benefits | | | | winter) then there was a special variant to tie the |
| and advantages of shapka - ushanka were tested | | | | "ears" - backwards on the nape (the back of the |
| and highly estimated. | | | | head) that worked better (as on the one hand |
| So, shall we consider the hat that has become an | | | | the person kept ears save and on the other hand |
| concurrent part of the stereotype image of the | | | | didn't suffer from the heat) BUT in case of |
| Russian man (e.g. in Hollywood, on caricatures, | | | | severe frosts nobody was shy to turn the ears |
| etc) and that is called simply "shapka" in English. | | | | down and tie up under the chin to avoid chilblain |
| Shapka - ushanka - a winter fur hat, cloth or | | | | from Ded Moroz (Santa Claus) |
| combined (initially - A male hat) a wide-known and | | | | I should admit that there were also hats made of |
| widespread hat in Russia. It takes its name after | | | | different furs in the special fur ateliers. |
| its "ears" - (ushi - in Russian) that could be | | | | Shapka-ushanka made of squirrel, bear, dog, |
| lowered or turned down but usually up and tied on | | | | nutria, polar fox, marten of course mink! Oh, my |
| the crown. On request :-) when it's necessary "the | | | | God, mink hat! It was beyond one's wildest |
| ears" could be untied and turned down with the | | | | dreams. The dream of Soviet citizen during the |
| nape flap (the back of the head part) to save real | | | | period of the late stagnation and the beginning of |
| ears from frost and wind, partially cheeks, chin of | | | | Perestroika! The person was proud to wear it and |
| the person wearing "ushanka". | | | | when he/she took it off he/she put it in front of |
| If we dig down the "ushanka" descending history | | | | oneself on the table. So, everybody could see it. |
| we shall see that it comes from the Baltic (I | | | | It was the sign of prosperity. If one didn't |
| would add) Finnish hats, that already had ears and | | | | possess such a mink hat in province the waiter at |
| the tapes added for tying up in XIX century. | | | | the restaurant tried to pass you by :-) The owner |
| The fashion for the round crowned hats first | | | | of the mink hat never lowered "ears" of the hat |
| appeared among the St Petersburg working class | | | | even in the sever frosts but pulled his hat over |
| then was spread across Russia. | | | | his eyes more deeply. |
| The fur factories of USSR started manufacturing | | | | |