Toque (tuque / touque)
It’s cold in Canada. A toque (alternatively tuque or touque) is what Canadians call a winter hat. You may know this garment as a wool cap, stocking cap, or beanie. The defining detail was a long tassel or pom-pom, but that is no longer required. Now, a toque can refer to any winter hat.
The word toque comes to English through Canadian-French although similar words can be found in Breton, Spanish and Italian. How it came to Canadian-French is not well understood. Some sources say it came through Spanish, some say it came through Breton, and others say it came through French but it not known how it got into French.
The toque is probably the most famous piece of Canadian clothing but there are others. Some of the more famous include:
Canadian Tuxedo – wearing all denim (blue jeans, blue denim jacket or shirt). Bing Crosby was refused entry into a hotel because he was wearing denim pants and a denim shirt. Canadians adopted the fashion as their own.
Parka – A long, hip-length winter coat usually lined with fur. It is a traditional coat of the Inuit, a northern Native people. It was originally made from caribou or seal and used to protect their infants from the cold weather.
Bunny hug – In Saskatchewan, people call a hoodie, “a bunny hug”. I have to admit I love this. The origin is debated. It may have come from the fact that hoodies were made using rabbit pelts and fur. In the 16th century the muffs (front pockets) were often lined with rabbit fur. Another possible origin is a dance from the early 1900s.
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Reference:
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/tuque
https://www.crfashionbook.com/fashion/a27240012/national-denim-day-canadian-tuxedo-history/
https://therake.com/stories/style-101-parka/
https://www.canadianicons.ca/pages/parka-history
https://nationalpost.com/entertainment/why-saskatchewan-calls-a-hooded-sweatshirt-a-bunny-hug
