You can distnguish the Alpini soldiers due to their hats which are called “a la calabrese” (an English businessman style hat). The hat is the shape of an iscoceles triangle on its side and is made of felt. There are slight variations in the colour of the hat (usually black or green/grey) and badges as the hat was changed over the years.
The first hats were black felt with a black leather band around the base of the hat and on the front and a metal five-pointed star with the number of the soldiers’ regiment in the centre of it. The hat also had tri-colour cockade on the left side (although partly covered by the leather band around the base) under which you would find a black crows feather for troops, eagles feather for Officers and white feathers in caps to symbolize superior Officers (from Major to Colonel).
The alpino hat was changed in 1910, although still the same shape as before and made of felt, the colour was now to be a grey/green. The hat still with the woollen “nappina” for troops and the silver plated Sabaudian Cross “nappina” for Officers, all of the hats have eagles feathers. The badge is now made of black material and is an eagle upon a horn and rifles with the regiment number on it. This replaces the metal badge used previously. Officers have a silver “V” on the left side of the hat. As of today, the hat has never been changed.
