They’re not just for cartoon bandits — the balaclava is popular to wear in cold climates and for certain sports. This close-fitting hat covers the whole head, neck, and parts of the face, usually leaving only the eyes and sometimes the mouth bare. The winter-weather accessory came about because British troops suffered in the cold during the Crimean War, and kind folks back home heard about their plight and started knitting. The special hat made to be worn under a helmet came to be called a balaclava, after the city of Balaklava in the Crimea.