The Original Sou'wester Hat

Yarmouth Stores have manufactured oilskin clothing for well over 100 years, originally the go to workwear for fishermen, the merchant navy, agricultural workers and miners. Oilskin dressing was applied by hand to calico cotton in-house in our factory in Great Yarmouth. It’s documented that in 1953 the factory would produce around 2000 oilskin garments per week. The Sou'wester is a traditional form of collapsible oilskin rain hat, cut longer at the back than the front, protecting the neck from rain.The derivation of the name relates to the prevailing Sou'westerly wind at sea around the UK.

We've worked to produce a hat with the same aesthetic as our original Sou'wester, but reworked for wear today. Each row of stitching on the brim is sewn individually by hand. The crown is double lined for extra 'weather proofedness'.

The hat has storm guard ear cuffs, and an adjustable neck cord enabling it to be worn around the neck. These can be tucked away inside the crown. We use a leather slider on the neck cord which will soften and age with use.

The Original Sou'wester hat is made from the same waxed cloth as our Hooded Smock, so will be showerproof and resistant to the elements, however is not seam sealed so we cannot guarantee it to be 100% waterproof.