A shako is a tall, cylindrical military cap, usually with a visor, and sometimes tapered at the top. It is usually adorned with some kind of ornamental plate or badge on the front, metallic or otherwise, and often has a feather, plume, or pompom attached at the top.

Why did soldiers wear Shakos?

From 1800 on, the shako became a common military headdress, worn by the majority of regiments in the armies of Europe and the Americas. ... The shako provided little protection from enemy action as the most it could offer was in giving partial shielding of the skull from enemy cavalry sabres.

Where did Shakos come from?

The shako is a military cap that was used by most armies in Europe and America during the 19th century. It has its origins in a Evolution of the headdress of the Hungarian hussars, the csákó, in the late 18th Century.