Sola topi

The pith helmet (also known as the safari helmet, the sun helmet, the sola topi or the salacot) is a lightweight cloth-covered helmet made of cork or pith, typically pith from the sola, Aeschynomene aspera, an Indian swamp plant. It is the quintessential and iconic hat made popular by the Europeans - most notably the British military and explorers of the colonial period - in Africa, India and the Tropics.

I had a vintage one that I used for decoration in my downstairs study in NJ. I also used it once on Halloween when I dressed up as a Great White Hunter. Lou & Serge were my small game lions. Looks like Lou wasn't nearly as excited by my idea for a costume party as Serge was.

Turns out there is not just one style of pith helmet. These are some of the different variations of British military helmets which were used in the 19th century; some were even worn on the battlefields of South Africa.






And here's Vince's favorite, the Bombay Bowler.

I myself favor the Wolseley.

You can buy a traditional khaki pith helmet - actually still made with pith - at Melvill and Moon in Kramerville. Which is exactly what I did.

vintage pith helmets on display at Melvill & Moon

And then, since I had bought it for Vince to wear to the Diner en Blanc, I brought it over to The Little Hattery in Cape Town who had made an all-white cocktail fascinator for me, and asked them to cover the pith helmet in white netting and put a white band on it to match.

The netting that they chose was so sheer however that it really didn't cover the khaki very well. And they are very strict at Diner en Blanc. They mean Blanc!

Rather than risk getting turned away at the door, I asked Dominik at The Little Hattery to paint over the khaki in order to match Vince's white linen suit ... 

... And me. A perfect match!