There were several styles of hats worn among the Mongols in the days of the empire. This is only one of them, very simple to make, and apparently a unisex style.

These hats were (and are) usually made of silk, often with a cotton lining, and/or fur. Blue and red were popular colours for the crown; the brim facing usually contrasted with the crown, and might often be fur, especially for a winter hat. Winter hats might also have quilted crowns for additional warmth.

In a painting by Liu Kuan-tao in the National Palace Museum, Taipei (or here, for a detail), which shows Khubilai Khan himself on the hunt, the Khan is accompanied by a lady, probably his wife Chabi, who wears a hat similar to this one with a small veil which wraps around her head and helps keep the hat in place. Her hat also appears to have small v-shaped notches in the brim near the temples. The colour of the crown is not visible because of the angle and the veil, but the upturned brim is a reddish-violet colour.

Some of my pictures here show measurements for the pattern pieces. Please note that these dimensions make a hat which fits my head, and will not necessarily fit you! Check the cirumference of your own skull and adjust the sizing to fit.

For the crown: Cut four pieces shaped like the one above, plus four more of both lining and interfacing. Fuse the interfacing to the wrong side of the crown sections. With right sides together, stitch down the long sides to form a cone shape. Do likewise with the lining sections. With WRONG SIDES together, slip the lining inside the crown, matching seams. Tack the crown and lining together at the point of the crown.

For the brim: you will need, in addition to the brim and its facing, a piece of buckram or millinery felt cut 1" smaller all around for stiffening. With the fabric pieces, stitch the ends of each piece together (right sides facing) making circles out of the horseshoe-shaped pieces. Next, with right sides together, stitch the brim to the facing around the outside, matching seams. Trim the seam and clip the curves, being careful not to cut the stitching. Turn and press. You should have something resembling a floppy doughnut at this point. Slip the buckram or millinery felt into the brim; if using buckram, fuse it to the fabric.

To attach crown and brim: With right sides together, pin the crown, not the lining, to the inside (raw edge) of the brim and facing (remember, the facing should be down, so that when the hat is assembled and the brim is turned up, the facing will be visible), matching rear seams. Stitch. Fold the raw edge of the lining under and pin so the lining covers the seam. Slipstitch the lining to the brim. Turn the brim up.

If desired, tails may be added to these hats. The tails were usually red silk or satin, frequently embroidered or brocade, and could be self-lined or lined with a plain-woven silk. To make tails, cut two strips of fabric 2 to 3.5 inches wide and approximately 26.5 inches long, and 2 identical strips of lining. Trim one end of each strip to a v-shaped point. With right sides together, stitch one lining section to each tail section, leaving the tops open. Turn and press. Fold the raw edges of the tops in and slipstitch closed. Laying the tails one on top of the other, stitch them to the back of the brim at the base of the rear seam, with right sides facing out.

Trimming: Some of the more common kinds of trim used on these hats are beads, stone, or knot buttons (a small Turk's head knot made of silk cord) placed at the point of the crown, scarlet silk tassels or fringes also placed at the point, quilted ornamental seams on the crown, and embroidery on the crown, brim facing, or tails. An appliqued "cloud collar" design may be placed over the crown also. Chinese motifs, particularly Shou or Fu designs, bats, butterflies, and dragons, are also appropriate. Chin bands of silk ribbon may be sewn inside the hats.