Rothco G.I. Type Navy White Sailor Dixie Cup Hat Vintage Military Headwear

As early as 1866 Sailors were authorized to wear a white sennet straw hat which was worn during the summer months, but in 1886 a low rolled brim, high-domed item constructed of canvas was written into regulation. Aside from a brief hiatus, this piece would become a mainstay of the enlisted Sailor’s sea bag for more than 100 years. The canvas was eventually replaced by cotton as a cheaper, more comfortable material.

Though it is fabled to uses for everything from a sunscreen to a flotation device, its only official purpose by the Navy is to serve as the uniform headgear for enlisted males in paygrades E-1 to E-6.

The cap, fondly called the Dixie Cup came to symbolize the Navy and was so familiar with the public that it was frequently featured in the backgrounds of movies where Sailors would be seen in train stations and airports to symbolize travel.

The little cover was so beloved that he wrote when it was temporarily phased out in favor of a combination cover in 1973, the uproar was tremendous from both enlisted members and civilians who came to view the “cracker jack” uniform look as iconic.

• Rothco G.I. Type Navy White Sailor Hat is 100% cotton.