Party hat

A party hat is any of a number of celebratory hats, most typically in the form of a

dunce cap or sanbenito^{[citation needed]} worn by misbehaving or poorly performing schoolchildren from the mid-19th century to the early 20th century, with its festive decoration and society's positive attitude toward the wearer indicating a relaxation, or even reversal, of certain social norms

.

Non-conical hats worn to signify an occasion's informal and festive status include decorated top hats, hats made from balloons, and Mickey Mouse ears. The beer hat or "beer helmet", patented by Steve Nelson in 1985, is another form of party hat in which cans of beer are attached to a rigid hat with a straw leading from the cans to the wearer.^[1]