The Fez hat, also known as a tarboosh, is a red felt hat with a black tassel that is fashioned like a truncated cone and originated in Fez, Morocco. To know more, read this article on Fez hats.
What is a Fez hat?
The name “fez” refers to the Moroccan city of the same name, where the dye used to colour the hat was derived from crimson berries. The fez is a felt hat in the style of a short cylindrical peakless cap, usually red, and sometimes with a tassel tied to the top.
Why do people wear them?
The brimless Fez, which was first worn by the Balkans during the Byzantine era and by Slavs, Bosniaks, and Serbs during the Ottoman period, made it easier for Muslims to pray because it allowed the forehead to touch the ground. It also served as a practical substitute for mail armour’s head protector when worn under a helmet. Men would wear their Fez with a material that is akin to a wrapped turban around, and it also serves as a basic frame for a turban.
There are several fraternal organisations that are notable for wearing fezzes, and fez is now worn in the Middle East, North Africa, Libya, and Southern Asia.