Few hats have traveled further than the bucket hat. It began as plain, rain-shedding headwear and grew into a badge of cool worn by rappers, rock stars, and screen legends. Here are the bucket hat's most famous moments — and how to get each look for yourself.
First, where it came from: the bucket hat started in early-1900s Ireland as a farmer-and-fisherman's hat, sewn from wool or tweed whose natural lanolin shrugged off the rain — and soft enough to fold into a coat pocket. The U.S. and Australian armies later reshaped it into the wide-brimmed boonie (or "giggle") hat during World War II. From there, it marched straight into pop culture.
Gilligan — the first screen bucket
The bucket hat's first brush with fame came on television. Starting in 1964, Bob Denver wore a soft white bucket as the hapless first mate on Gilligan's Island — a look so tied to the character that the floppy cotton style is still nicknamed the "Gilligan hat" to this day.
Get the look:
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Scala Congaree Water-Repellent Cotton Bucket Hat — a soft, casual cotton bucket in the classic Gilligan mold, with a water-repellent finish for real-world weather.
LL Cool J — the hip-hop icon
In the 1980s the bucket hat became hip-hop's crown, and no one wore it better than LL Cool J. His Kangol bucket — frequently worn with the kangaroo logo front and center — helped turn the British brand into a household name. It's still the definitive rap-era hat. (Read the full story of LL Cool J and the Kangol bucket.)
Get the look:
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Kangol Bermuda Casual Bucket Hat — the smooth, lightweight Kangol bucket that defined LL's look, kangaroo logo and all.
Liam Gallagher & Britpop — the Oasis bucket
Across the Atlantic, the bucket hat became the unofficial uniform of 1990s Britpop. Liam Gallagher of Oasis wore his Kangol pulled low as part of that swaggering, parka-and-shades silhouette — and the look roared straight back into fashion with the band's long-awaited reunion.
Get the look:
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Kangol Casual Wool Bucket Hat — a soft wool Kangol bucket with the low, lived-in profile at the heart of the Britpop look.
Rihanna & the fashion revival
By the 2010s the bucket hat had graduated to high fashion. Rihanna helped lead its runway comeback, styling bold, texture-forward buckets that turned a humble sun hat into a genuine statement piece — and sent everyone else scrambling to catch up.
Get the look:
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Kangol Faux Fur Bucket Hat — a plush, statement-making bucket for anyone who wears their hat as the whole outfit.
A bucket for sunny days
For all its pop-culture history, the bucket hat never stopped being a brilliant sun hat. A lightweight, breathable version keeps the shade coming at the beach, the festival, or on the trail — the everyday bucket you'll actually reach for.
Get the look:
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Kangol Bermuda Bucket Hat — the breathable, everyday Kangol bucket in the brand's signature shape, made for warm-weather wear.
Get the fit right
A bucket hat should sit comfortably around the head with the brim angled gently down. Use our hat sizing guide to measure, then explore the full bucket hat collection at Fedoras.com.
Fedoras.com is not affiliated with or endorsed by any studio, estate, brand, or artist mentioned. Style references are provided for inspiration only.
