Glacier Wear -。Authentic Russian Ushanka (ear flap hat) I was a college student in the Soviet Union in 1987. I met a group of young Russian kids on Red Square at midnight. I traded my swatch watch a pair of guess jeans and my Adidas tennis shoes for this Ushanka. It is in perfect condition. I also traded a Rolling Stone magazine for some Beluga caviar, but that is long gone. Fond memories. Leather Laces Attached to Fur Ear Flaps Ear Flaps Tie On-Top, Under Chin, or in Back with Stationary Flap on Front Quilted Lining Unisex Fur hats have been popular in cold climates for millennia, but according to correspondent Darya Pushkova, the ushanka, or “ear-flap hat,” became an icon for the Soviet Union in the twentieth century. These hats were a mandatory part of the military uniform, due to the bitter Russian cold.