If you still hear your mother’s voice ringing in your ears telling you to “Wear a hat!” because you lose most of your body heat through your head, you should know that this is a myth that has since been debunked.
The myth seems to have originally been based on a U.S. Army experiment back in the 1950s that dressed volunteers in Arctic survival suits with only their heads uncovered. Now, as you might expect, those volunteers lost most of their body heat through their heads. After all, it was the only part of their bodies left exposed!
But the conclusion drawn from the data, written up in a U.S. Army survival manual in the 1970s, that hats should be worn in cold weather because 40-50% of body heat is lost through the head, is just simply incorrect.
In fact, when the body’s at rest, according to Barry S. Brown, a professor at the University of Arkansas, “heat loss through the head accounts for only 7-10% of total heat dissipation.”
He points out, however, that wearing a hat in cold weather is still strongly advised. So why not grab today’s VPOD.
This vintage 1940s jersey knit wool cap with floral fabric flowers will keep you warm and look quite chic when the cold wind doth blow.
It’s a sensible winter find for a vintage fashionista!
Available at Ballyhoo Vintage.
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