The pompom on the hat appeared much earlier than it became a fashion accessory.. It has been used in different cultures and for different purposes. In the past, this element had practical, symbolic and identification meaning.

Pom-poms were worn by military personnel, sailors and clergy. Only in the 20th century did it finally become an element of fashion, says Express..

Some of the oldest images of headdresses with pom-poms are associated with the Scandinavian world. After an archaeological discovery in Sweden at the beginning of the 20th century, researchers turned their attention to a figurine dating back to around 790 AD. It depicts the god Frey wearing a headdress with a pompom.. It is not known for certain whether this element had a purely decorative function, whether it denoted status, power or ritual significance. However, it is the Scandinavians who are often credited with the spread of pom-poms in Europe.. As a result of the Viking campaigns at the end of the 8th century, pom-poms appeared in Britain. In the Scottish Highlands, a tradition has developed of wearing hats with a “touri” - a round pompom on the top of the head.. Such headdresses, known as balmorals or glengarries, helped determine membership in a particular regiment..

By the 18th century, the pompom beret had become a recognizable symbol of Scottish military culture..

In the 19th century, pom-poms were actively used in the infantry of Napoleon Bonaparte. The color and shape of the pompom helped distinguish battalions and ranks of soldiers. In the chaos of the battle, this was of practical importance - the element on the head made it possible to quickly identify military personnel.

In France, the pom-pom acquired a completely different purpose.. Sailors wore it as a kind of shock absorber - in cramped cabins with low ceilings, it protected the head from blows during pitching..

The word pompon, which means a small ball of fabric, probably comes from the French language.. Subsequently, this word was fixed in the English language..

The pompom also played an important role in religious clothing.. In the Roman Catholic Church, a beret with a pompom was a sign of the dignity and function of a clergyman. The color of the pompom indicated the rank of the clergy, which made this element part of the church hierarchy.

For the indigenous peoples of South America, pom-poms had social significance.

They were attached to clothing and hats to indicate a person's marital status or status in the community. Here pompom was a symbolic language understood by all members of the community.

In the 20th century, during the Great Depression, the pompom began to lose its sacred and identification functions.. Clothing manufacturers used leftover yarn to create pompoms as affordable hat decorations.. This added personality to things during times of acute economic difficulties..

Over time, the pompom finally became established as a fashionable element..