The Best Plague Doctor Hat

Buying Guide

While a plague doctor may seem like a character on a satirical television show or a part of a modern-day viral meme, at one point they were an integral part of society. During the bubonic plague in the medieval age, cities and towns hired plague doctors to see patients regardless of their income. Plague doctors weren’t always experienced physicians, however. Often, they were new doctors starting their career or sometimes had other jobs prior to becoming a plague doctor.

While their name suggests that plague doctors treated the sick, that wasn’t actually the case. They did provide some medical intervention, such as bloodletting, but their main task was to help the city record death tolls as a part of the public record. As such, plague doctors were not typically liked by their communities

Plague doctors have become almost a mythical part of history thanks to their unique and eye-catching costume. This consisted of a long overcoat and a bird-like beak mask, with a wide-brimmed top hat and gloves. The mask was a type of respirator designed to hold dried flowers to cover the stench of their patients, which at the time was believed to cause their illness. Plague doctors also used a long cane, but not to assist them in walking. It was used for examining patients without having to touch them. The plague doctor hat was more of a symbol of their profession. Doctors typically wore top hats with a wide brim at the time. If you’re looking to recreate the plague doctor look, the plague doctor hat is an essential part of this iconic costume.

• The classic plague doctor hat had a wide brim and a high dome, and was black in color. You can also find plague doctor hats with certain embellishments such as straps, buckles and buttons. These don’t typically add any functionality but can create a unique look.
• Some plague doctor hats have a chin cord, which is helpful for ensuring the hat stays on in windy weather. The cord can also be used to hang the hat from your neck if you don’t want to have it on at all times.
• You can find plague doctor hats in different sizes, such as small, medium and large. Others come in only one size. If you plan to be moving around a lot in your costume or plan to wear it for an extended period of time, then it’s best to get a hat that is the right size for your head so that it doesn’t fall off and is comfortable to wear.
• Keep in mind that the hat alone won’t be enough to look like a plague doctor. It has to work in conjunction with a beak-shaped mask, overcoat, gloves and cane to get the full look of the legendary doctors.
• Can you wear the plague doctor hat outside of using it in a plague doctor costume? Definitely. Without the iconic beak mask, the plague doctor hat is a fairly simple and plain black hat. You can wear it as a part of any outfit, but it works especially well with a steampunk aesthetic. You can also use the hat as part of a vampire, Mardi Gras or punk costume.