Hats are a common and often distinctive form of apparel in the wizarding world. The most stereotypical style is the traditional pointed hat, which is a required part of the Hogwarts school uniform, specified as “one plain pointed hat (black) for day wear.” This style is frequently worn by adult wizards as well and is often seen as a key identifier of wizarding kind by Muggles. However, wizarding hats come in a wide variety of other styles that often reflect the wearer's personality, profession, or status.
While many hats are mundane articles of clothing, some possess powerful magical properties or are created for specific magical purposes.
The most significant history of any hat in the wizarding world belongs to the Sorting Hat. It was originally the personal property of Godric Gryffindor, one of the four founders of Hogwarts. To ensure that students would be sorted into their houses long after the founders were gone, Godric Gryffindor took off his hat, and all four founders enchanted it with their combined intelligence. This act gave the hat its sapience and the ability to carry out the sorting ceremony for centuries. Throughout its long history, the hat has served not only as a sorter but as a guide and a last resort. It has delivered warnings of internal division and external threats through its annual songs. Critically, it provided the Sword of Gryffindor to Harry Potter in the Chamber of Secrets and to Neville Longbottom during the Battle of Hogwarts, proving instrumental in the destruction of two of Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes.
Hats play several important roles throughout the series, from character development to major plot points.