History Main / TheHatMakesTheMan

** In ''Discworld/WyrdSisters'', the crown of Lancre has absorbed the personalities of its past wearers, and when Granny tries it on out of curiosity she has a disturbing urge to start swanning around and chopping people's heads off. (The new king seems to be immune to the effect, though, judging by the sequels. Maybe you need to be magically sensitive, or maybe his personality's just so different that the crown has nothing to latch on to.)
** In ''Discworld/{{Sourcery}}'', the Archchancellor's Hat has absorbed power and personality from the Archchancellors of Unseen University who have worn it over the centuries. When it finds a wearer it likes, it's subsequently noted that it's more like that hat is wearing the man than the reverse.
** In ''Discworld/LordsAndLadies'', the meek Queen Magrat hides from the invaders in a disused armory where she finds the armor and helmet of the ancient warrior queen Ynci; she puts them on, and subsequently begins showing some of Ynci's character traits. This is a MagicFeather example, as it turns out in the end that the helmet and armor are fakes made for display in relatively recent times and Magrat is the first person to actually wear them in battle.
** According to Cohen in ''Discworld/InterestingTimes'', the turban conventionally worn by the GrandVizier. "Give 'em a turban with a point in the middle and it just erodes their moral wossname." This could just be a metaphor, though, as opposed to the Archchancellor's hat that ''literally'' has magical influence.

* One episode of ''Anime/KirbyOfTheStars'' was about an evil hat that can corrupt whoever puts it on.

The hat may be a form of personality-altering AppliedPhlebotinum. Particularly bad cases may function more like DemonicPossession, with the hat completely overwriting the wearer's personality. Or the hat may simply be a MagicFeather, giving the character the boost of self-confidence necessary to alter their behavior. However it works, the character's behavior is markedly different when they wear it.

* The {{Snowlems}} in "Literature/ColdSpell" are created by an ancient entity with no understanding of humanity, and were essentially without personality. However, her human acolyte gave them faces and hats and, in doing so, imbued them with a very basic personality based largely on the hat they wore. For example, the one wearing a top hat became the one in charge.

* ''Literature/DiogenesClub'': The {{Snowlems}} in "Cold Spell" are created by an ancient entity with no understanding of humanity, and were essentially without personality. However, her human acolyte gave them faces and hats and, in doing so, imbued them with a very basic personality based largely on the hat they wore. For example, the one wearing a top hat became the one in charge.

* While not shown when in Moga or Tanzia, the Shakalakas who accompany you in ''[[VideoGame/MonsterHunter Monster Hunter Tri (Ultimate)]]'' change personalities depending on the mask they wear. Cha-Cha acts like a BadassGrandpa with the Ancient Mask, while Kayamba in the False Felyne behaves like a WebOriginal/{{Lolcat|s}}.

** The ForgottenRealms Horn of Crowns causes its wearer to act in a crazed and violent manner.

Sometimes, [[HatShop the type of hat a person wears can tell you a lot about their personality]]. However, ''these'' hats go a step beyond and noticeably alter the personality of their wearer.

* Mannick of ''Webcomic/CharbyTheVampirate'' has a form of psychometry that allows him access to an individual's knowledge while affecting the way Mannick talks, thinks and behaves by wearing an article of their clothing they spend a lot of time in with a significant preference for hats. Some of these changes stay with him even after he has removed the item in question and [[spoiler: their are hints he has access to the ''powers'' of said individuals while wearing their hats]].

* In ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'', both the crown of a king and the Archmage's hat exert their own influence upon the wearer.
** According to Cohen, so does the turban conventionally worn by the GrandVizier. "Give 'em a turban with a point in the middle and it just erodes their moral wossname." This could just be a metaphor, though, as opposed to the Archchancellor's hat that ''literally'' has magical influence.

* A bumper for the channel SyFy had a woman try on a dress and be taken over by it (about 1:31 into [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-Hz5oPf3lM this video]].

* ''Wiki/SCPFoundation'', [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-1510 SCP-1510 ("The Tarnished Legionnaire")]]. A Roman legionnaire was affected by a curse that caused his body to rot away and his mind/soul to be bound to his helmet. Whenever a man who is between 28 and 35 years old puts on the helmet, the legionnaire's spirit possesses him.

* TerryPratchett was so associated with wearing his fedora, that when he wasn't wearing it at conventions, he officially ''[[PaperThinDisguise wasn't him]]''.

A subtrope of ArtifactDomination. If the hat alters the wearer's behavior for the worse, then it's also an example of ClothesMakeTheManiac. If it's used by someone else to control the wearer it's also a HypnoTrinket. If the hat grants special powers to the wearer, it's an example of HatMagic and/or ClothesMakeTheSuperman. It has very little relationship to PlanetOfHats.

A subtrope of ArtifactDomination. If the hat alters the wearer's behavior for the worse, then it's also an example of ClothesMakeTheManiac. If it's used by someone else to control the wearer it's also a HypnoTrinket. It has very little relationship to PlanetOfHats.

* ''Wiki/SCPFoundation'', [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-1510 SCP-1510 ("The Tarnished Legionnaire")]]. A Roman legionnaire was affected by a curse that caused his body to rot away and his mind/soul to be stored in his helmet. Whenever a man who is between 28 and 35 years old puts on the helmet, the legionnaire's personality possesses them.

* DoctorFate's Helmet of Nabu would cause him to be possessed by the spirit of the deceased wizard, Nabu.

* While not shown when in Moga or Tanzia, the Shakalakas who accompany you in ''[[VideoGame/MonsterHunter Monster Hunter Tri (Ultimate)]]'' change personalities depending on the mask they wear. Cha-Cha acts like a BadassGrandpa with the Ancient Mask, while Kayamba in the False Felyne behaves like a WebOriginal{{Lolcat|s}}.

* While not shown when in Moga or Tanzia, the Shakalakas who accompany you in ''[[VideoGame/MonsterHunter Monster Hunter Tri (Ultimate)]]'' change personalities depending on the mask they wear. Cha-Cha acts like a BadassGrandpa with the Ancient Mask, while Kayamba in the False Felyne behaves like a {{Lolcat|s}}.

* One episode of ''KirbyOfTheStars'' was about an evil hat that can corrupt whoever puts it on.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama: Revenge of the Island'', Mike (who has multiple personality disorder) puts on a slouch hat and suddenly becomes an adeventurer called Manitoba Smith.

If the hat alters their behavior for the worse, then it's also an example of ClothesMakeTheManiac. It has very little relationship to PlanetOfHats.

If it's used by someone else to control the wearer it's also a HypnoTrinket.

* A bumper for the channel SyFy had a woman timidly try on a dress and, seemingly, be taken over by the dress's bolder personality.

* A bumper for the channel SyFy had a woman timidly try on a dress and, seemingly, taken over by the dress's personality.