Toilet paper roll hats: why are they so popular?

Dear users, dear authors,
why are toilet paper roll hats so popular? It would be nice if you could explain that to me.

Yeah, I’m curious about that too, because I don’t quite get it either :-)

Best regards, Inge

What are toilet roll hats? I’ve never seen them before.
 
Best regards, Petra

Here’s an example:
https://www.crazypatterns.net/de/search?keyword=klorollenhut

I looked it up online and now I know what it is, sorry. But I don’t like them and they won’t be going in my car either. I think they’re outdated.
 
Best, Petra

So, were they more common back in the day?

Yeah, I remember my uncle had one of those on the dashboard in his car. But that hat wasn’t as nice as the ones they make now. Still, I wouldn’t want one anymore. It’s just a matter of taste.

Best regards, Petra

My mom once explained it to me like this: Most people are out and about in the car on weekends or on vacation with the whole family, and anyone with kids knows from experience that kids call out from the back seat at the most inopportune moments: *“Mom, I gotta go!”* Stowing a roll of toilet paper somewhere wasn’t that easy, because its shape meant it was in the way almost everywhere. So people made a virtue out of necessity, *dressed up* the roll and put it on the rear parcel shelf—and just like that, it became a decorative element. Everyone knew what was hidden under the hat, but at most it brought a smile, rather than “Look, they’ve just got the toilet paper lying there—how unappetizing.” It turned into a real craze, and everyone drove around with their dressed-up toilet paper roll; many then went the extra mile and incorporated a Barbie doll. Thankfully, that trend has had its day now, for whatever reason

Best regards, Inge

I think the whole thing has come back into fashion because of the toilet paper craze during the pandemic. After all, people had to “hide” all those hoarded toilet paper rolls somehow. :-)

Inge, you summed it up perfectly! 

Back in the GDR, people used to keep them behind the back seat. A toilet paper roll was hidden underneath.

Back in the day, it was the “Püppies”; today, there are lots of pattern books. I’ve even crocheted a lighthouse for three toilet paper rolls.
My “Elsbeth” has been sitting here for almost 45 years now. I got her from my grandma back when we moved into our first apartment. She’s named after my aunt, who used to churn out these little dolls by the dozen.
Every now and then, I dust off “Elsbeth,” wash her dress, and give the doll a thorough cleaning. Unfortunately, the little hat that came with her has been lost over the years.



It’s time for a thorough overhaul again...

Wow, what an elegant lady for such a mundane purpose! The dress reminds me of old-fashioned Italian dolls…

Akela, you nailed it with your explanation. We used to have those in our Trabi back in the day, and thanks to the kids, they were in constant use. I wouldn’t want that anymore today, but back in the GDR days, it was a cult classic.

It’s great to see you all participating so actively in this discussion.

Veronika, it wasn’t just a cult thing in the GDR— it felt like every other car in the West had one of those dressed-up toilet rolls too :-) Even my parents had one; I refused to put one of those things in the rear window of our car—

Best, Inge

How about a bobblehead dachshund next to the toilet roll cover?
Bobblehead dachshund

The auto industry is to blame for this tradition dying out—there are hardly any hat racks left! 😂😂
As a kid, I would have loved to have a toilet paper roll Barbie in a frilly dress, but my dad never wanted anything like that in the car. I did have a wobbly Dalmatian, but it was in my bedroom—it wasn’t allowed in the car either.
Did you all have pillows on the back seat with embroidered license plates, too? That was really trendy back in the day.
When I got my first car, only two of us could ride in it because the back seat was full of stuffed animals.

I just think it’s a fun idea, whether as a gift or as decoration for the toilet or bathroom. Having a spare roll there can’t hurt either. But putting one in the car wouldn’t be an option for me.
It’s also a fun idea for a caravan or motorhome, and that’s what gave me the flash of inspiration to design a pattern for it.