The word toque has been known in English since around 1500. It is a loan word from the French tuque (15th century), presumably by the way of the Spanish toca 'woman's headdress', from Arabic *taqa طاقة, itself from Old Persian taq 'veil, shawl'. The word toque in Breton means 'hat'. (Google)
I have three toques, and I struggle with them all. While it may look okay-ish in that ↑ selfie, the situation soon becomes ridiculous. This ↓ is how it begins to want to work its way off my head when I wear one for more than about 30 seconds. I mean, a toque is supposed to more or less adhere to the head, and not try to lift off and look like a black chef's hat.
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| Sue opines that my head is too big. |
When we went out to photograph the bridge lights (yesterday's post), I used an alternate toque that we discovered in the box where we keep scarfs and gloves and so on. Apparently, it had been thrown into the box and forgotten for good reason, and there it should have remained because it was worse than the above toque.
It was so much worse that Sue burst into fits of laughter on the way home in the car.
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| What the heck is going on with my head? I swear that this was not staged. It just happened. |
I only wear toques (in winter, obviously) when I am out with the camera, so I don't have to adjust a brimmed hat every time I raise the camera to eye-level. But we are on the back end of winter now, so I guess that I will make do with regular hats for the duration and think about the toque situation again next winter.
I almost added "if I am still around" to the end of the previous sentence. I have never been tempted to think like that, but I will be 77 by next winter, so thoughts like these begin to surface.
Meanwhile, I refer you back to the title and ask, who said "Fool of a Took" in the movies, and in what circumstance? (Answer before scrolling down.)
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It was Gandalf speaking to Peregrin Took in Lord of the Rings.
I call it a stocking hat.
ReplyDeleteI have on toque I like above all others. Makes no difference how expensive gifted ones are, I always so back to the old reliable. So comfortable!
ReplyDeleteI think many of us use that “if I am still around” at this age. It is hard not to think that way!
I was flummoxed when I started reading Louise Penny and she talked about Gamache and his toque -- I had no idea (and finally more or less figured it out!). This is a style of hat I cannot wear in public. My face looks like it is going to explode. I have too much hair, I guess. Back in the early 70s when the movie "Love Story" came out, Ali McGraw wore hats like this all the time and they became very "in." For everyone except me. Pity, that, for they are warm in the winter!
ReplyDeleteOh dear, AC. Don't go down that road of "if I'm still here" ... just don't. We none of this are getting out of this alive. As my TG says, just keep moving forward. But I must admit that almost daily I wonder when and where my inevitable demise will occur. It's silly but I guess since we are human, we will muse thus. I don't understand (and by that I mean, I am truly mystified) why you continue to slap a toque on your head in winter when, one, you know exactly what is going to happen, and, two, there are so many styles of hats out there that would not be so eager to leave your head, and you could buy one and be good as gold? Please explain, hahaha xoxo
ReplyDelete@Jenny: Other hats have I, but they have brims, and I must deal with them every time I snap a photo. It is one thing to fuss with my head in summer but quite another in winter.
ReplyDeleteMine are all knitted fabric, and after trying them on, I find the ones that are really too small, and give them to the thrift stores. How about one that was off-white with a huge tassel? It looked awful with my snow white hair and the tassel also was very amusing. Gone gone gone! Oh end of life. Yes let's talk about it. Rather than being scared and denying it's going to happen. How many of us have prepared all the papers that we should? I've got to renew mine, I changed some ideas about DNR (do not resuscitate). I talked briefly to my son who's my health care surrogate yesterday, explaining how he'd be notified if my friend who I text with each day had not gotten any responses and came over to see what was going on. She has a key and his phone number. And I need to be talking about my own feelings with in -person friends too!
ReplyDeleteWhy not wear a beret? Those won't slip, will they? My sister gave me 2 hats as gifts, but I don't wear them. I don't like hats or scarves on my head.
ReplyDeleteI agree about a beret. I think it would work better.
ReplyDeleteBerets do not typically cover the ears. My ears are definitely part of the issue.
ReplyDeleteMine do. You pull them down
DeleteThere are trapper hats, but they do have a brim, but you might be able to find some without a large brim. My husband often purposely perches his stocking cap on his head like your second phot. The man is oblivious!
ReplyDeleteI seem to be constantly pulling them down too but they do such a good job keeping the ears warm so I persist.
ReplyDeleteI meant the third photo.
ReplyDeleteI would call it a stocking cap but I like toque better. I dread having to wear one; as a fellow big headed person, it never looks good or stays on.
ReplyDeleteYup, a stocking cap. I have a battered old beret I bought in Paris back in 1985. I still wear it almost every time I go out. I encountered a stylish lady in a grocery store recently and complimented her on HER beret. She returned the compliment and added "It keeps the head warm."
ReplyDeleteGo to L.L.Bean and get yourself one of those winter caps that look like a pilot/bomber cap. They have a snap under the chin, and ear flaps that can be up or down. They were popular in the '50s. Many are lined with real or fake rabbit fur. If you want to stay warm; they don't stretch like knit toques, so you need to get it for your correct size. Time to measure your noggin! Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteI love a good toque, but not all toques are created equal, and like all Canadians, I finally find the perfect toque and then lose it. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteThis is quite funny and relatable, but for me it's motion sensor faucets in public washrooms. They are consistently repelled by me, and I often have to try several before I can wash the soap off my hands, lol.
Utilizo este tipo de gorro cada vez que la temperatura baja lo suficiente como para necesitar que mi cabeza quede protegida. Desde luego es el más práctico a la hora de hacer fotografía por lo que tu dices, no hay que ajustar el sombrero o la gorra cada vez que me pongo la cámara ante los ojos. Por otra parte es muy cálido si es de buena calidad y puedes proteger hasta tus orejas. Yo cumplo 77 este mismo año en el mes de septiembre y es cierto que hay pensamientos que comienzan a revolotear por mi mente. Puede pasar cualquier cosa en cualquier momento, incluso lo que consideramos habitualmente como lo peor, pero de momento y aun parándome a considerar esos pensamientos, también me digo que es mejor guardarse el temor para cuando llegue el momento. De nada sirve preocuparse por lo que ha de venir. Y además mi salud parece por el momento buena para continuar disfrutando de lo que la vida me permite disfrutar. Un abrazo y perdón por la epístola.
ReplyDeleteI am wearing a large ugly hat now to protect from the sun
ReplyDeleteI got a knit hat with ear flaps. Seems to help keep the thing in place. I am turning 82 soon and no longer think about "if I'm still here..." somehow it got replaced by "wow, I'm still here" in the morning. It's definitely an improvememnt. :-)
ReplyDeleteLots of folks wear these types of caps here in New England as well, ourselves excluded. Patrick will usually wear baseball caps or the Irish cap he bought in Ireland. I have awful hat hair after wearing any type of cap.
ReplyDeleteI've worn a tuque all my life. Yes some of them don't stay on well but they really keep your head warm.
ReplyDeleteWhen yo find the one that works, don't lose it.
ReplyDeleteBecause it was Pippin's last name, if I recall directly. I have always spelled it with two 'u's, and pronounced it the French way.
ReplyDeleteAnd I have a wool hat with ear flaps and a tie that goes under my chin in a bow when it is windy. Because I have the same problem that you have, complete with giggling spouse. Whose tuques stay firmly and flatteringly in place. I blame it on slippery hair, partly. Maybe you should forego washing?
Live so enjoyably today that you have no concerns about if you'll be around next winter! All the best wishes to you both. Aloha
ReplyDeleteI try not to laugh at Joe when his hat invariably goes like this. I usually fail!
ReplyDeleteIn my part of western North Carolina, they call them boggins. John and I tend to call them watch caps, as in the navy usage,
ReplyDeleteWow! That's the first time I've heard of a toque. I think I used to call it a snow cap.
ReplyDeleteGosh... It's been a while since I've seen the Lord of the Rings.
I have several, but seem to prefer just the one.
ReplyDelete"We've had one breakfast, yes, but what about second breakfast?"