Witch Hat Types: Every Shape, and What Each One Is Called
A witch hat is a costume headpiece with two parts: a tall cone-shaped crown and a flat brim running all the way around its base. Everything sold as a witch hat is a variation on those two parts — the crown can be straight, bent, drooping or torn, the brim can be flat, upturned or ruched, and a veil, lace edging or chin strap may be added to either. The hat is the whole item unless the listing says it comes as a set.
The types at a glance
Listings mix these names freely, so the alternative names are given too.
| Type | Also called | How you tell it apart | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic cone | traditional witch hat, straight-point hat, pointed hat | Crown is a straight unbent cone; brim is flat and level all the way round | Group costumes and photographs, where the outline must read instantly |
| Bent-tip | curved witch hat, crooked hat, curved-point cap | Crown rises tall then bends over to one side; brim usually wide and flat | By far the most common shape in stock; general party wear |
| Slouch | droop hat, floppy witch hat, ruched-crown hat | Crown is soft and gathered rather than stiff; the tip flops right over | Stage and photo work, where movement beats a crisp silhouette |
| Tattered | distressed, weathered, torn witch hat | Surface carries deliberate holes, frayed edges and worn patches | Haunted-house and horror-leaning looks |
| Veiled | witch hat with veil, veiled pointed hat | A length of sheer fabric attached at the back of the crown and trailing free | Masquerade and carnival; the face stays visible |
| Hat-and-cape set | 2pc witch costume set | Sold with a matching cape; the hat is not available separately | A complete look in one order |
Classic cone
The reference shape. The crown is stiffened so it holds a straight line from brim to tip, and the brim sits flat and level, which is what makes the outline read as a witch hat from across a room even in low light. The one in stock is a sequinned pointed hat sold with a long black cape — also the shape most often bundled into a set.
Bent-tip
The commonest type by a wide margin. The crown is tall and the last stretch of it curves over to one side, usually to the wearer's right. The bend is built in rather than adjustable: the crown is either wired or shaped over a former. Almost everything in stock is this type — the purple and black high-curved cap, the white crown on a black brim, the blue hat with a black chin strap and the black hat with silver dot decoration are all bent-tip hats that differ only in colour and trim.
Slouch
A slouch hat is not a bent-tip hat with a bigger bend. The difference is in the crown material: a bent-tip crown is stiff and holds a fixed curve, while a slouch crown is soft and gathered, so it settles differently every time you put it on and the tip hangs rather than points. The ruched black hat with the asymmetrical brim is the clearest example — both crown and brim are unstructured, so one side of the brim waves down over the ear while the other side lifts. The black two-piece set is a milder version of the same construction.
Tattered
Tattered is a surface treatment, not a shape — a tattered hat still has a crown and a brim underneath, and will normally be a bent-tip hat as well. What defines the type is that the holes, frayed edges and worn patches are cut in on purpose and spread evenly over the whole hat, rather than being damage in one place. The grey and black tattered hat pairs this with an up-turned brim, which is worth noticing: an upturned brim opens the face, so the hat reads as ragged without also reading as hidden.
Veiled
A veiled witch hat has a length of sheer fabric fixed to the hat and left loose. On the purple veiled hat the veil is attached at the back of the crown and falls past the shoulder, so it trails behind rather than covering the face. The word veil covers two different things in listings — see below.
Trims, and where they sit
Trim is applied to a type, not a type of its own. Three appear repeatedly. Lace edging runs around the outer rim of the brim and outlines the silhouette — the red hat with black lace is the strongest example, and the white and purple hats use the same treatment. Tulle is pleated around the base of the crown where it meets the brim, as on the black hat with mesh at the back of the crown. Applied decoration means dots, sequins or glitter distributed across crown and brim, as on the silver-dotted black hat.
The parts, and what they are called
| Part | What it is |
|---|---|
| Crown | The cone rising above the head. Its height and stiffness are what separate the four main types. |
| Tip / point | The last few centimetres of the crown. Straight on a classic cone, bent on a bent-tip hat, hanging on a slouch. |
| Brim | The disc around the base of the crown. Described as wide or narrow, and as flat, upturned or ruched. |
| Underbrim / inner brim | The face of the brim you see from below. Often a contrast colour — grey outside and black underneath, for instance. |
| Hatband | A band, ribbon or buckle where crown meets brim. Absent on most costume hats; tulle trim occupies the same position. |
| Veil | Sheer fabric attached to the hat and left loose. Attachment point is normally the back of the crown. |
| Chin strap | A thin strap under the chin that keeps a wide brim on in wind. Present on some hats, absent on most. |
| Ruching | Gathered folds sewn into crown or brim so the fabric bunches. The defining feature of a slouch hat. |
Witch hat vs wizard hat
Traditionally the distinction is the brim: a witch hat has a broad flat brim, a wizard hat a narrow brim or none, often with star and moon motifs. In practice retail listings do not hold that line. Two of the hats described on this page carry the word wizard in their own titles while being wide-brim witch hats by any definition. If you are searching, treat wizard hat as a synonym and judge by the picture: look at the brim width, not the word.
Witch hat vs party cone hat
A party cone hat is a small paper or card cone held on with an elastic string, and it has no brim whatsoever. That is the single reliable test — no brim, not a witch hat.
Veil vs tulle trim
These get the same word in listings and they are not the same thing. A veil is a long free-hanging panel attached at one point and left loose; it moves independently of the hat. Tulle trim is pleated and stitched down around the base of the crown; it adds texture at the join but nothing hangs. If the photo shows the sheer fabric bunched at the crown rather than falling past the shoulder, it is trim, not a veil.
If you are choosing one
Almost everything here is a bent-tip hat, so the practical decision is usually colour and trim rather than type. Black is the default; purple is the second traditional colour and reads as the cartoon-witch palette; red, blue, white and grey all exist and all move the look away from horror and toward carnival. Sizing is rarely published — most are sold one-size, only one lists a numeric size option at all, and only one has a chin strap, which is worth knowing if you will be outdoors. For the trade-offs between shapes on the head, see the buying guide linked below.
Questions people actually ask
What is a witch's hat called?
Just a witch hat. There is no separate technical term in general use; the closest historical relative is the capotain, a tall stiff-crowned hat with a narrow brim worn in sixteenth and seventeenth century Europe by men and women alike. Listings also call it a pointed hat, a cone hat or, confusingly, a wizard hat.
What did witches actually wear?
Not this. The tall pointed hat became attached to the witch figure through book illustration in the nineteenth century; there is no evidence that people accused of witchcraft in earlier trials wore anything of the kind.
Why do witch hats bend at the top?
Because the bend is built in, not because the hat has collapsed. On most bent-tip hats the crown is either wired or shaped over a former so the curve is permanent. On a slouch hat there is no structure at all and the tip simply hangs.
What colours do witch hats come in?
Black is standard. Purple is the second traditional colour. Beyond those, red, blue, white-with-black and grey are all sold; colour has no effect on shape, and the same bent-tip crown appears in all of them.
What is the fabric hanging off the back of the hat?
Either a veil or tulle trim. A veil is a long loose panel attached at the back of the crown that hangs free past the shoulder. Tulle trim is pleated and sewn around the base of the crown and does not hang.
Do witch hats come in sizes?
Mostly not. Nearly all are one-size, made to sit on the head rather than grip it, and most listings publish no measurement at all. If a hat has a wide brim and you will be outdoors, the thing to look for is a chin strap rather than a size.
Related guides
- Witch Hats: How to Pick One — the buying guide — brim width, crown height and what each does on the head
- Costume Hats — the wider category: pirate, carnival and masquerade hats alongside witch hats
- Masquerade Masks — what pairs with a veiled or carnival-coloured hat
- Gothic Cloaks — often bought alongside a black pointed hat