Welsh hat

The Welsh hat, known in Welsh as het Gymreig, is a distinctive item of traditional women's headwear characterized by its tall, cylindrical or slightly tapered crown and broad, stiff, flat brim, typically constructed from felt, beaver fur, or silk plush over a buckram frame.^[1][2] It emerged as a popular style among rural Welsh women in the early 19th century, particularly from the 1830s onward, and became an iconic element of Welsh national dress when paired with items like a mob cap, shawl, and woollen gown.^[3][4] The hat's origins trace back to broader European influences, including 17th-century "sugarloaf" hats and late 18th-century women's riding hats with high crowns, which evolved into the stovepipe-like form retained by Welsh peasantry as fashions shifted elsewhere.^[1][3] Produced by English firms such as Christys of London and Carver and Co. of Bristol, it was often made from materials akin to men's top hats, with regional variations: straight-sided crowns in North Wales and tapering ones in the southwest.^[2][5] By the 1840s, it had solidified as a symbol of Welsh identity, worn by figures like Princess Victoria during her 1832 visit to North Wales and promoted by cultural patron Augusta Hall (Lady Llanover) at events such as the 1834 Eisteddfod to preserve rural traditions and bolster the local woollen industry.^[4][5] Historically, the Welsh hat held practical and symbolic roles, providing protection from the elements while signifying status among working women; it was notably donned by Jemima Nicholas during the 1797 Battle of Fishguard to intimidate French invaders and by participants in the Rebecca Riots (1839–1843) as a marker of protest against toll roads.^[1][3] Though everyday wear declined by the early 20th century—shifting to special occasions like St. David's Day—it has experienced a modern revival through tourism, souvenirs, and artistic expressions, including by contemporary musicians and queer creators who reinterpret it as a badge of heritage and subversion.^[4][3] Over 220 examples survive from the 19th century, underscoring its enduring legacy in Welsh culture.^[2]

Design and Characteristics

Physical Features

The traditional Welsh hat is distinguished by its tall crown, which is typically cylindrical or slightly drum-shaped in form, topped by a broad, flat brim that creates a formal, upright silhouette adapted specifically for women's attire.^[2] This design, unique to Welsh national costume, emphasizes rigidity and lightness, with the crown often straight-sided or subtly tapering depending on regional preferences, though the standard blueprint prioritizes a balanced, eye-catching profile. The hat is constructed over a buckram frame for structural integrity.^[2][6] Predominantly black in color to convey formality and practicality, the hat's exterior is covered in silk plush or felt (often from beaver fur), contributing to its smooth, plush texture while maintaining structural integrity.^[2][6] Representative surviving examples from museum collections illustrate typical proportions, with crown heights measuring 14.5 to 23 cm (about 5.7 to 9 inches) and overall diameters around 37 to 38 cm (14.5 to 15 inches), while the brim extends 7.6 to 10 cm (3 to 4 inches) wide for effective coverage.^[7][8][9] In wear, the hat is positioned atop the head, either directly or over a decorative lace cap, and commonly secured with hatpins to prevent shifting during daily or ceremonial activities.^[3] This placement enhances its role within the broader traditional ensemble, framing the face while allowing for subtle variations in styling.

Regional Variations

The Welsh hat displayed notable regional variations in crown shape during the 19th century, reflecting local preferences and practical needs within Wales. In north Wales, including areas like Anglesey and Caernarfonshire, drum-shaped crowns with vertical sides were prevalent, creating a more angular and upright silhouette that complemented the rural working attire of the region.^[2] In contrast, southern and central Wales favored tapering or slightly sloped crowns, which provided a softer, more gradual profile and were often associated with urban and semi-urban settings in towns like Cardiff and Carmarthen.^[2][1] Subtle adaptations in brim stiffness and width also emerged by valley or county, influenced by daily activities; for instance, in rural Pembrokeshire, narrower and more flexible brims were sometimes adopted for greater practicality during agricultural or coastal labor.^[10] In the Gower peninsula, lower flat-topped variants with adjusted brims suited the windy coastal environment and tasks like carrying cockle baskets.^[1] These differences are evident in over 220 surviving examples from the 19th century, held in collections across Wales and beyond, underscoring the absence of a standardized national form due to decentralized production by independent makers rather than a centralized industry.^[2]

Historical Origins and Development

Theories of Origin

The Welsh hat is believed to have emerged in the late 1700s, possibly evolving from women's riding hats featuring high crowns and broad brims that were commonly used in rural areas of England and Wales during the Elizabethan period and beyond.^[1] These practical felt or beaver fur hats were designed for protection during travel and outdoor labor, gradually adapting to local Welsh styles by the end of the 18th century.^[3] One prominent theory posits the Welsh hat as a combination of earlier headwear forms, blending short-crowned, broad-brimmed hats with the high-crowned, narrow-brimmed designs worn by Welsh women in the 18th century.^[1] This synthesis reflects the retention of older European influences in rural Wales, where fashion changes were slower due to economic and geographic isolation.^[11] Such a blend allowed for versatility in daily agricultural and domestic tasks while maintaining a distinctive silhouette.^[12] Another influence stems from 17th-century Puritan or Pilgrim-style hats, characterized by their simple, unadorned designs such as the sugarloaf or capotain, which were introduced to Wales through migrations, trade, or religious movements between 1640 and 1660.^[1] These tall, flat-topped hats, popular across Europe and among dissenting Protestant groups, emphasized modesty and functionality, traits that resonated with Welsh rural communities.^[11] Contrary to the myth that the Welsh hat was a Victorian invention, its roots lie in pre-1830 practical rural attire, with the earliest reports appearing in 1780s travelers' accounts describing tall black hats on Welsh women.^[1] For instance, English visitors noted these hats as a common feature in Welsh peasant dress, as evidenced in Julius Caesar Ibbetson's 1792 painting Newcastle Emlyn Costumes, which depicts multiple women and children wearing uniform black hats.^[13] This predates its peak adoption in the 1830s, confirming its organic development rather than a fabricated national symbol.^[3]

19th Century Evolution and Popularity

The Welsh hat saw widespread adoption among rural Welsh women during the 1830s, evolving from earlier late-18th-century forms into a standardized tall-crowned, broad-brimmed style that became both everyday and festive attire by the 1840s.^[1][14] This peak in popularity coincided with a broader cultural revival, where the hat symbolized national pride and was worn to markets, chapels, and community events.^[15] A key promoter was Augusta Hall, Baroness Llanover (1802–1896), who actively encouraged its use in traditional costume revivals and at eisteddfodau, including through her 1834 essay advocating for Welsh dress across social classes.^[1][15] Her efforts, alongside the 1832 visit of Princess Victoria—who wore a similar hat in Bangor—elevated its status, transforming it from regional headwear to a marker of cultural identity.^[5] By the late 1840s, the Welsh hat had emerged as a national icon, frequently depicted in cartoons such as those in Punch magazine to represent Welsh women, identity, and rural prosperity.^[14][16] These illustrations often portrayed the hat-wearing figure as "Dame Wales," embodying a confident and thriving countryside.^[15] The hat's popularity began to wane from the 1860s onward, driven by urbanization that drew women to industrial centers like Merthyr Tydfil, where modern bonnets gained favor.^[17] Cheaper imported English hats further eroded its everyday use, as affordable alternatives replaced the labor-intensive local designs.^[14] Shifting fashions toward smaller, more ornate headwear sealed its decline, rendering the Welsh hat largely obsolete by the early 1900s outside ceremonial and eisteddfod contexts.^[15][17]

Manufacture

Traditional Production Methods

The traditional production methods for 19th-century Welsh hats closely paralleled those employed in contemporary top hat manufacturing, utilizing a structured process to achieve a durable, stiffened form suitable for everyday wear. The foundational element was a buckram shell, crafted from stiffened linen fabric, which was shaped over a wooden block or mold to form the crown and brim. This shell was then hardened by applying shellac or resin, creating a rigid base capable of withstanding shaping and use.^[10][5][18] Once hardened, the shell was covered with a layer of silk plush, a fine woven silk fabric introduced around 1820 that provided a smooth, glossy finish; earlier iterations of the hat, particularly from the late 18th and early 19th centuries, employed felt or beaver fur for the exterior covering instead. The covering material was cut to fit, eased over the shell, and secured by ironing, with the melted shellac or resin serving as an adhesive to bond it firmly in place. Beaver fur, often sourced from imported pelts mixed with local hare or rabbit fur, was brushed to a smooth or napped surface, while felt bases were similarly treated for uniformity. The resulting hats maintained a consistent black hue through dyeing of the silk or fur, ensuring a standardized appearance across regions.^[10][19][5] Brim attachment followed the covering step, with the crown and brim joined via folded edges that were hand-sewn together, often using a single continuous piece of silk stretched taut over the brim's edges or separate upper and lower pieces in locally made examples. Stiffness for the brim was achieved through the same shellac or resin hardening applied to the buckram, reinforced with layers of cheesecloth or flannel for added support, allowing the wide, flat brim to hold its shape without sagging. The interior featured a lining of cotton or silk for wearer comfort, sometimes layered over paper and including a maker's label, which was sewn in place to complete the assembly.^[10][18] Hand-sewn techniques dominated the entire assembly, performed by local milliners or specialized firms such as Christys of London, with visible tiny stitching holes around edges attesting to the manual labor involved. Production occurred in small batches, emphasizing quality and customization, which enhanced the hats' resilience to the damp Welsh weather through their robust, weather-resistant stiffening. Materials like buckram and felt were sourced locally in Wales where feasible, supplemented by English imports for silk plush and resins, prioritizing accessibility for rural makers.^[10][19][5]

Key Manufacturers

Christy's, established in Stockport and with operations in London, emerged as a leading producer of Welsh hats from the 1830s onward, specializing in high-quality felt versions that were supplied in bulk to Welsh markets.^[20] The firm, known for its expertise in felt and later silk hat production, manufactured many of the surviving 19th-century Welsh hats, contributing significantly to the standardization of the hat's distinctive cylindrical crown and broad brim through consistent English manufacturing techniques.^[5] Christy's bulk orders facilitated widespread distribution across Wales, where the hats were often retailed by local vendors, helping to establish the style as a regional staple during the hat's peak popularity in the mid-19th century.^[1] Carver & Co., based in Bristol, specialized in silk-covered Welsh hats and played a key role in exporting these to Wales throughout the 19th century, with production records indicating heightened demand during the 1840s as the hat gained iconic status.^[21] Operating under variations such as Late Dale & Co. and Carver, Jefferis & Co., the firm produced hats using plush silk over buckram frames, similar to contemporary top hats, which allowed for durable, weather-resistant designs tailored to Welsh rural needs.^[22] Surviving examples, often labeled with the company's mark, demonstrate their focus on finer silk finishes that appealed to middle-class Welsh buyers, further standardizing the hat's elegant, formal appearance.^[23] In addition to English imports, local Welsh milliners in towns such as Carmarthen adapted English production techniques to meet regional tastes, creating customized variations of the Welsh hat.^[24] In Carmarthen, makers like J. Phillips on Catherine Street produced Welsh hats locally, incorporating subtle modifications such as adjusted brim widths to suit southern Welsh styles, while vendors including D. & W. Davies in The Square resold imported models alongside homemade ones.^[24] The export dynamics of Welsh hat production were dominated by English firms due to the absence of large-scale factories in Wales, which influenced the overall design consistency across regions. Hats were routinely imported from centers like Stockport, London, and Bristol, where advanced machinery and material supplies enabled mass production, ensuring that Welsh consumers received uniform, high-quality items that reinforced the hat's symbolic role in national identity.^[5] This reliance on English exports, peaking in the 1840s, not only standardized features like the silk covering and felt construction but also integrated the Welsh hat into broader British millinery trade networks.^[21]

Iconic Events and Representations

Battle of Fishguard

The Battle of Fishguard, occurring in February 1797, marked the last invasion of mainland Britain when a French force attempted a landing in Pembrokeshire, Wales. On 22 February, approximately 1,400 French troops, including regular soldiers, convicts, and deserters aboard corvettes under Colonel William Tate, arrived in Fishguard Bay after storms diverted them from their intended target near Bristol. The invaders, part of a broader revolutionary effort to destabilize Britain, quickly occupied the area around Llanwnda, looting local farms and causing alarm among residents.^[25] Local resistance formed rapidly, with civilians playing a pivotal role in deterring the French. Leading this effort was Jemima Nicholas, a 47-year-old Fishguard cobbler, who armed herself with a pitchfork and single-handedly captured 12 French soldiers, marching them to St. Mary's Church for confinement. Inspired by her actions, groups of local women mobilized, donning traditional red flannel shawls over their clothing and tall black beaver hats—early precursors to the 19th-century Welsh hat, featuring broad brims and tall but shorter and less rigid crowns suited to rural Welsh life—to mimic the appearance of British Redcoats from a distance.^[1] The women's strategic presence along the cliffs and paths intimidated the disorganized and increasingly drunken French troops, who mistook the assembling group—estimated at hundreds—for a much larger British army reinforced by regulars. Combined with the arrival of Lord Cawdor's local militia and a bluff of imminent attack, this psychological ploy contributed to Tate's decision to surrender unconditionally just two days later, on 24 February, at Goodwick Sands. The event, lasting only three days and resulting in no significant combat casualties, has since been colloquially known as the "Fishguard Follies" for its farcical elements and the invaders' swift capitulation.^[25][1]

Artistic and National Symbolism

The Welsh hat emerged as a potent symbol of Wales in political satire during the 1840s, where it was frequently depicted on female figures to personify the nation, often alongside emblems like the leek or harp to evoke Celtic heritage.^[16] From the 1850s onward, the hat was prominently featured in tourist literature and Eisteddfod posters, portraying Welsh women in a romanticized rural idyll that emphasized traditional Celtic roots and pastoral simplicity. Throughout the 19th century, National Eisteddfod competitions awarded prizes for the finest Welsh hats, further embedding the garment in cultural celebrations and reinforcing its ties to authentic Welsh identity.^[1] The hat's influence extended to folk dance costumes, where it serves as a key element to convey historical authenticity in performances of traditional Welsh dances, complementing shawls, bedgowns, and aprons.^[3][26] A landmark artistic depiction came in 1908 with Sydney Curnow Vosper's painting Salem, which shows the model Siân Owen wearing the tall, black Welsh hat amid a chapel scene, elevating the romanticized ideal of Welsh womanhood and nonconformist piety. Widely reproduced in promotional prints, calendars, and Urdd Gobaith Cymru materials from the 1930s to 1950s, the painting cemented the hat's status as an enduring emblem of Welsh faith, family, and national heritage.^[27][28]

Dating and Authentication

Techniques for Dating

Historians and museums employ several techniques to date and authenticate surviving Welsh hats, focusing on physical evidence and historical context. One primary method involves examining maker's labels and stamps, which link hats to specific manufacturers and their production timelines. Labels from Christy's of London, established in 1773, appear on surviving examples from the mid-19th century, with museum records indicating production of Welsh styles during the 1840s when the hat's popularity peaked around 1840–1850.^[2][10] Similarly, stamps from Bristol-based Carver & Co. (later Carver, Jefferis & Co.), active from the 1850s to 1880s, are found on hats dated to circa 1850–1855, as evidenced by preserved specimens in collections.^[29][30] These marks are cross-referenced with trade directories and manufacturer archives to establish date ranges. Material analysis offers further insights into age and authenticity through scientific examination. While beaver fur was used in precursor high-crowned hats until the mid-19th century due to declining supplies from North America, 19th-century Welsh hats were typically constructed from silk plush over a buckram frame. Conservators use microscopy to inspect fabric weaves, such as the buckram foundation stiffened with shellac or resin, and dye compositions—natural dyes predating synthetic anilines introduced in 1856.^[1][31] For instance, 19th-century Welsh hats, like those in Ceredigion Museum from the second half of the century, exhibit silk-covered finishes.^[32] These analyses, including modern techniques like FTIR spectroscopy for fiber identification, help differentiate original 19th-century pieces from later reproductions.^[1] Provenance tracking verifies ownership history and supports dating. Many Welsh hats survive as family heirlooms, with documentation from wills, photographs, and oral histories providing contextual timelines. These records are cross-referenced against museum holdings, where over 220 19th-century examples are cataloged, including items at St Fagans National Museum of History and Peoples Collection Wales. For example, hats with known family lineages from the 1840s–1860s align with photographic evidence of rural Welsh women, confirming authenticity and approximate production eras. This method is particularly valuable for the roughly 400 known survivors, about half in public institutions.^[2] Stylistic markers provide comparative dating based on form evolution and regional differences. Crown shapes include drum-like (vertical-sided) forms in north-west Wales and tapering ones in south-west regions. Brim width and crown height also varied regionally, with examples from the 1830s–1860s featuring crowns around 20–25 cm tall. Surviving hats in collections, such as those at Ceredigion Museum dated to the second half of the 19th century, illustrate these variations, allowing experts to place undated pieces within 1830s–1860s timelines through visual and dimensional comparison. See the "Regional Variations" subsection under "Design and Characteristics" for further details.^[2][32]

Challenges in Attribution

One significant challenge in attributing Welsh hats arises from their frequent reuse as heirlooms across generations, often involving renovations such as the replacement of linings or ribbons, which obscure their original manufacturing dates.^[10] These alterations, combined with the hats' durability, meant they were passed down and worn for over a century in some cases, making it hard to distinguish the period of initial production from later use.^[10] The limited production window further complicates accurate dating, as most surviving Welsh hats were manufactured between the 1840s and 1880s, yet sparse historical records lead to frequent overestimation of earlier origins.^[10] While over 400 examples are known to survive today, only about 60 bear maker's labels, and the uniformity in construction and materials across this roughly 40-year span—primarily by English firms like Christy's—provides few distinguishing features for precise chronological placement.^[10] Attribution to specific makers or regions is hindered by the regional anonymity of many hats, as the majority lack labels or provenance details, with surviving labeled examples predominantly linked to south-west Wales or urban manufacturing centers like Bristol and London rather than local Welsh producers.^[10] This scarcity of documentation often results in ambiguous assignments, particularly for hats from rural areas where oral histories or family records are incomplete or lost. Attribution difficulties also arise from later reproductions created to mimic original Welsh hats for cultural revivals and performances, sometimes indistinguishable except through subtle differences in fabric quality or weave patterns.^[10] These reproductions can inflate perceptions of original survival rates and mislead collectors without expert material analysis.

Variations

Cockle Hat

The cockle hat represents a practical adaptation of the Welsh hat, tailored for the demanding coastal labor of cockle gathering by women in south-west Wales, particularly around Carmarthen Bay. Emerging in the mid-19th century, this variant featured a flat-topped crown and a soft, flexible brim made from wool felt or black straw, allowing it to withstand the wet, sandy conditions of the estuary without the rigidity that could hinder movement.^[33][34] Unlike the taller, stiffened standard Welsh hats reinforced with buckram, the cockle hat employed a simpler construction, often homemade to suit working-class needs, with no internal stiffening shell for greater flexibility during shellfish collection.^[35][14] Women wore the cockle hat tied under the chin with ribbons to secure it against strong sea winds, positioning it slightly forward over the forehead while the back receded and curved upward for balance. A thick woolen pad, known as a dorch, was placed inside to cushion the head and protect the hat when heavy baskets or pails of cockles were balanced atop it for transport home or to market. This lower-profile design prevented snagging on boats, nets, or other equipment during wading and gathering tasks.^[14][36][33] Complementing the hat, cockle women donned short apron skirts to facilitate wading in shallow waters without soaking their clothing, combining functionality with the everyday elements of Welsh rural attire. Documented in 19th-century accounts and museum artifacts, such as those held by Swansea Museum and the National Museum Wales, the cockle hat exemplified utilitarian regional variation, distinct from broader Welsh hat forms in its emphasis on labor efficiency over formal presentation.^[33][35]

Modern Reproductions

In the 20th and 21st centuries, reproductions of the Welsh hat have been produced primarily for educational, celebratory, and heritage purposes, diverging from the original felt or beaver fur coverings by employing lighter and more affordable materials such as card, cotton, velvet, or synthetic felt.^[37] These modern versions are commonly worn in school uniforms, choirs, dance teams, and annual St David's Day events, where their reduced weight and cost make them practical for frequent use by participants, particularly children.^[37] Children's sizes of these hats often incorporate decorative lace caps or trims with ribbons for tying under the chin, sized for ages 3-6 (approximately 53cm head circumference) or 7-11, and are manufactured for festivals and national celebrations.^[38] Producers, including commercial outlets like Welsh gift shops, offer these in felt with white lace detailing to evoke traditional styles while prioritizing durability and ease of wear.^[39] High-fidelity replicas, aimed at preserving historical accuracy, have been created using methods closer to originals, such as hand-felting wool or applying silk over buckram bases, as seen in the 1981 reproductions by Women's Institute groups in Wales, which were researched for authenticity and displayed at events like the National Eisteddfod.^[37] Artisanal makers, like Rachel Frost of The Crafty Beggars, continue this tradition with wool-felted hats lined and trimmed in silk for heritage demonstrations.^[10] For tourism, adaptations include miniaturized versions in non-traditional materials like pewter, brass, silver, or china, often as keychain ornaments or decorative items depicting women in Welsh costume, and occasional colorful variants that depart from the classic black to appeal to souvenir markets.^[40]

Cultural Significance

Role in Welsh Identity

The Welsh hat has long served as an icon of rural Welsh womanhood, embodying the industriousness and resilience of working-class women in agrarian communities during the 19th century.^[1] Its distinctive tall crown and stiff brim, originally adapted from practical headwear, became synonymous with the image of the diligent, self-sufficient Welsh peasant woman, preserving a sense of cultural continuity amid rapid social changes.^[41] This symbolism was amplified through the Celtic revival movements of the mid-19th century, particularly at eisteddfodau, where the hat featured prominently in cultural celebrations starting from the 1850s, reinforcing ties to Wales's ancient heritage.^[41] As a national emblem, the Welsh hat emerged in the 1840s as a potent symbol of Welsh identity, frequently depicted in cartoons and illustrations to represent the nation itself and counter the anglicization pressures of the industrial era.^[1] During this period of economic upheaval and cultural assimilation, the hat's adoption in public displays and media helped assert Welsh distinctiveness, evolving from everyday rural attire into a marker of national pride and resistance to external influences.^[4] Its use in flags, logos, and promotional imagery continues to evoke a unified Welsh ethos, underscoring the nation's commitment to preserving its linguistic and traditional sovereignty.^[1] In terms of gender roles, the Welsh hat has been associated with empowered female figures, highlighting women's central contributions to community defense and cultural preservation throughout Welsh history.^[1] Worn predominantly by women, it symbolized strength and agency, transforming a simple utilitarian item into an emblem of female solidarity and capability in rural and national contexts.^[41] The hat's integration into the broader narrative of traditional Welsh dress was significantly shaped by Lady Llanover (Augusta Hall), who mythologized it as part of an idealized national costume in the 1830s and 1840s to bolster cultural distinctiveness.^[4] Through her advocacy, including essays and Eisteddfod prizes, she promoted the ensemble—including the hat, flannel gowns, and shawls—as a cohesive symbol of Welsh heritage, encouraging its wear among her circle to support local industries and resist fashionable imports.^[41] This effort solidified the hat's role in reinforcing Wales's unique identity against broader British homogenization.^[42]

Contemporary Usage and Revival

In recent decades, the Welsh hat has experienced a radical revival, particularly within feminist and nationalist circles, where it serves as a symbol of resistance and cultural pride.^[3] This resurgence, echoing the subversive disguises of the 19th-century Rebecca Riots, has seen the hat adopted in queer and feminist art projects, such as the Qwerin dance collective's performances that blend traditional Welsh folk dance with contemporary gender commentary.^[3][1] Similarly, the band NoGood Boyo incorporates the hat into satirical performances that highlight political messaging and Welsh identity.^[3] The hat continues to appear at cultural festivals, including the National Eisteddfod, where it is worn by performers in choirs and dance teams, reinforcing its role in celebrating Welsh heritage.^[1] In modern contexts, it features prominently in St David's Day parades, with schoolchildren and participants donning traditional attire to mark the patron saint's feast on March 1.^[3] Folk dance troupes, such as those performing at public events, also utilize the hat to evoke historical Welsh customs.^[3] Tourism further sustains its visibility, with reproduction Welsh hats available through specialized costume shops like Marigold Costumes in Cardiff, which stocks original and replica items for visitors interested in Welsh heritage.^[43] A niche alternative usage emerged in the maritime sector during the 1950s, when "Welsh hat" referred to the black, conical ancillary stacks fitted to the funnels of Orient Line passenger ships, such as the Orsova, Oronsay, and Orcades.^[14][44] These extensions were designed to disperse engine exhaust more cleanly, reducing soot on decks and passengers.^[45][14] In the 21st century, the Welsh hat has been promoted by institutions like Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales for heritage education, with displays and reproductions encouraging exploration of Welsh identity through contemporary art and performances.^[1] Artists such as Meinir Mathias have reimagined the hat in modern contexts, placing it on diverse figures to symbolize progression and unity.^[3] This ties into its broader symbolic heritage, underscoring enduring ties to Welsh cultural pride.^[1]