WHAT ARE HATS?

A hat is an item of clothing which is worn on the head– a kind of headgear. Hats are differentiated from caps by being more elaborate; hats have a high crown, a brim, or both and are larger than caps. A hat may be either placed on the head or, in the case of some women's hats, secured with hat-pins (which are pushed through the hat and the hair). Many hats are intended only for men or for women, while other hats are fashionable for both sexes. Purveyors of men's hats are called hatters and purveyors of ladies' hats are called milliners.

HAT SIZES

When a hat is made, it is also blocked to a certain hat size. Generally, less expensive hats will be a named size such as small, medium, large, and extra large. Finer hats are more strictly fitted to a person's head and have a numerical size.

Metric hat sizes are simply the distance around the persons head measured in centimeters, usually rounded up to the next centimeter if the measurement falls between the centimeter marks.

American hat sizes are similar, but the distance is measured in inches and then divided by pi. i.e. .

Since C = 2πr and since 2r = d

More specifically: the American numerical hat size is merely the average diameter of the head, determined by measuring the circumference of a person's head about 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) above the ears, dividing by pi, and rounding to the nearest centimeter or eighth inch. Also note that in the UK, an equivalent hat size is an eighth inch smaller than in the US. Some hats will stretch a size or two, but this can not be depended on for sizing purposes unless previous experience with the model of hat in question indicates that it will stretch.

Major hat styles

Bowler hat: The bowler hat is a hard felt hat with a rounded crown created for Thomas Coke, 2nd Earl of Leicester, in 1850. In the United States, this hat is also known as a derby hat.

Top hat: A top hat is a kind of tall, flat-crowned, broad-brimmed hat worn by men throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, now usually worn only with morning dress or evening dress.

Trilby Hat:

Baseball cap: A baseball cap is a type of soft cap with a long, stiffened and curved peak. It is arguably the most popular style of hat in many Western nations. Baseball caps are often associated with gang or 'yob' culture and are popular with many lower socio-demographic groups including chavs and bogans.

Cowboy hat: Though thought of as a consistent style, cowboy hats are simply highly rugged and utilitarian hats. Made of felt or straw, they feature large brims (as wide as four inches or more) to protect against rain and sun and some are even designed to hold water in the crown. Common styles include a safari style brim (with the brim turned down in the front and back) or a brim sharply curved up on either side. The last brim style has the effect of lowering the front of the brim to better protect the wearers eyes from the sun.

Sun hat: Generally made from straw, cloth, or both and featuring an excessively large downturned brim, this style is simply designed to keep the sun off for gardening, yard work, or lounging.

Pointy hat

Homburg (hat)

Fedora (hat)

Slouch hat

Balaclava

Urban wear hat: Hats found in urban or suburban areas are intended to be more fashionable than functional. They have smaller brims of three or fewer inches and are flashy and made to stand out. A typical hat found in the city has an upturned back and downturned front, a wide grosgrain hatband, neatly tied, and an optional feather. The upturned back is an innovation to prevent the collar of the wearer's coat from hitting the hat.

Additionally, if the wearer often uses a rifle, pickaxe, or shovel, the side that the implement is used on can be folded up and pinned or clipped to the crown to avoid knocking one's hat off.

WHAT IS A GUITAR?

A guitar is a stringed musical instrument played with the fingers, or a guitar pick. The sound is produced by vibrating strings, which in turn resonate the body and neck.


Guitar Parts


Headstock

The headstock is located at the end of the guitar neck. The headstock usually consists of machine heads (used for tuning), a "nut" (marking the end of the playable section of the strings) and a logo identifying the maker or model of the guitar. Some guitars lack headstocks, for decreased size, decreased weight, or aesthetic reasons.


Strings

Guitars have frets on the fingerboard to fix the positions of notes and scales, which gives them equal temperament. Consequently, the ratio of the widths of two consecutive frets is , whose numeric value is about 1.059463. The twelfth fret divides the string in two exact halves and the 24th fret (if present) divides the string in half yet again. Every twelve frets represents one octave.
Guitars usually have six strings, although there are variations on this, the most common being a twelve-string guitar, the seven string guitar, the ukulele, which has four strings, and the bass guitar, which usually has four strings but also exists in five, six, eight, and twelve-string versions. There are also more exotic models involving multiple necks and pickups. The vihuela, a guitar variation which emerged in 16th century Spain, has six double strings made of gut.
A string winder can be used to turn the machine heads and help to string a guitar more quicklyThe weight of a string is determined by its diameter and is normally measured in thousandths of an inch. The larger the diameter the heavier the string is (with thinner strings being lighter). Heavier strings require more tension for the same pitch and are consequently harder to hold on to the fretboard. Heavier strings will also produce a louder note and for this reason steel-strung acoustic guitars will normally be strung heavier than electric guitars.



Fret

Thin metal wires or bars running perpendicular to the strings that shorten the effective vibrating length of a string, enabling it to produce different pitches.
They can be re-shaped to a certain extent and can be replaced as needed.
















Neck

A guitar's frets, fretboard, tuners, headstock, and truss rod, attached to a long wooden extension, collectively comprise its neck. The wood used to make the fretboard will usually differ from the wood
in the rest of the neck. The bending stress on the neck is considerable, particularly when heavier gauge strings are used, and the ability of the neck to resist bending is important to the guitar's ability to hold a constant pitch during tuning or when strings are fretted. The rigidity of the neck with respect to the body of the guitar is one determinant of a good instrument versus a poor one. Conversely, the ability to change the pitch of the note slightly by deliberately bending the neck forcibly with the fretting arm is a technique sometimes used, particularly in the blues genre and those derived from it, such as rock and roll. The shape of the neck can also vary, from a gentle "C" curve to a more pronounced "V" curve.

A guitar is a stringed musical instrument played with the fingers, or a guitar pick. The sound is produced by vibrating strings, which in turn resonate the body and neck.


Guitar Parts


Headstock

The headstock is located at the end of the guitar neck. The headstock usually consists of machine heads (used for tuning), a "nut" (marking the end of the playable section of the strings) and a logo identifying the maker or model of the guitar. Some guitars lack headstocks, for decreased size, decreased weight, or aesthetic reasons.


Strings

Guitars have frets on the fingerboard to fix the positions of notes and scales, which gives them equal temperament. Consequently, the ratio of the widths of two consecutive frets is , whose numeric value is about 1.059463. The twelfth fret divides the string in two exact halves and the 24th fret (if present) divides the string in half yet again. Every twelve frets represents one octave.
Guitars usually have six strings, although there are variations on this, the most common being a twelve-string guitar, the seven string guitar, the ukulele, which has four strings, and the bass guitar, which usually has four strings but also exists in five, six, eight, and twelve-string versions. There are also more exotic models involving multiple necks and pickups. The vihuela, a guitar variation which emerged in 16th century Spain, has six double strings made of gut.
A string winder can be used to turn the machine heads and help to string a guitar more quicklyThe weight of a string is determined by its diameter and is normally measured in thousandths of an inch. The larger the diameter the heavier the string is (with thinner strings being lighter). Heavier strings require more tension for the same pitch and are consequently harder to hold on to the fretboard. Heavier strings will also produce a louder note and for this reason steel-strung acoustic guitars will normally be strung heavier than electric guitars.


Fret

Thin metal wires or bars running perpendicular to the strings that shorten the effective vibrating length of a string, enabling it to produce different pitches.
They can be re-shaped to a certain extent and can be replaced as needed.


Neck

A guitar's frets, fretboard, tuners, headstock, and truss rod, attached to a long wooden extension, collectively comprise its neck. The wood used to make the fretboard will usually differ from the wood
in the rest of the neck. The bending stress on the neck is considerable, particularly when heavier gauge strings are used, and the ability of the neck to resist bending is important to the guitar's ability to hold a constant pitch during tuning or when strings are fretted. The rigidity of the neck with respect to the body of the guitar is one determinant of a good instrument versus a poor one. Conversely, the ability to change the pitch of the note slightly by deliberately bending the neck forcibly with the fretting arm is a technique sometimes used, particularly in the blues genre and those derived from it, such as rock and roll. The shape of the neck can also vary, from a gentle "C" curve to a more pronounced "V" curve

What are Stilettos?

They take their name from the slender switchblade, but stilettos, plural, are very high-heeled shoes. Some think they are as powerful in their own way as their namesake weapon.

Stilettos may be pumps, slings or sandals, but they all have a slender high heel in common. The "stiletto" refers to the metal pin that runs the length of the heel, reinforcing it. The heel is usually at least three inches (18 cm) high, but the sky is the limit, especially when a toe platform is added.

World War II brought a stolid, military feel to fashion, and the designers of the 1950s, such as Dior and his "New Look," took advantage of non-rationed fabrics to create billowing skirts and frothy blouses. Such creations demanded a shoe that was completely different from the chunky heels of the 40s. Shoe designer Roger Vivier responded with the stiletto.

In the 1950s, stilettos were usually pumps or slings and featured very, very pointed toes. Actresses such as Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield quickly discovered that these mile-high heels were 100 proof sexy, and their movies of the 50s and 60s show them tripping about in stilettos. Stilettos, because of their height, seem to elongate the leg, and a woman has to walk in a different way when wearing them. Her gait changes to a hip-swaying strut, so she can keep her balance. This strut draws men like bees to honey, and many men find a woman's sexiest article of clothing to be a pair of stilettos.

Considering the fact that podiatrists have warned for years that prolonged wearing of high heels can cause foot problems like bunions and hammer toe, one would think that their popularity would have declined. However, stilettos remain a popular part of women's fashion.

Stilettos are available in stores and on the Internet, in designer labels and knock-offs. Depending on the maker, they can cost from US$20 to over $1,200. One notable pair encrusted with genuine diamonds retails for over $2 million.