By VICKY CHALK
THIS AND THAT
A “goobalini” is a stocking cap that sits above the ears and is sometimes topped with a pom-pom. The term is thought to have originated in Nutley and may have evolved from the Italian word cupola, which means a small dome that sits on top of a building.
Do you wear a “goobalini” on your head in the winter?
You must be from Nutley.
It’s unclear how our town was assigned the credit for a knit cap commonly worn by fishermen, members of the military, and plain folks like us, but that’s what you learn if you Google the word. Here’s what you get: ”The term ‘goobalini’ is a regional Italian-American slang term for a small, tight knit cap or stocking cap that sits above the ears and is sometimes topped with a pom-pom. The term is thought to have originated in Nutley, New Jersey, and may have evolved from the Italian word cupola, which means a small dome that sits on top of a building.”
I disagree with the pom-pom theory, and I’m not alone, but how funny that Nutley should be named in the definition.
Residents of Belleville, Bloomfield, and Newark will argue that they definitely wore a goobalini, goopolini, cupalone, goobp, goopaline, or even a watch cap – spelling and pronunciations vary. After throwing out this topic on Facebook for comments, I heard from people from all over. Remembering a former Lincoln School principal, a retired teacher said, “I never heard the term until I came from PA to teach in Nutley. Ralph D’Andrea educated me on Italian words.”
Someone who grew up in Pennsylvania and Bergen County said she never heard of them, even in very-Italian Lodi. They were common in Essex County, as a Fairfield resident wore one, and now his kids do.
One former Nutleyite who lives in Virginia says she still uses the term and people look at her like she is crazy. Someone else tried to buy one in Maine, and they had no idea what she was talking about.
Another claimed, “If I say that word here in Kentucky, they look at me funny!“
They can be found around the country, but under different names. One friend recalled that, “In Alabama, they call this kind of hat a toboggan! I can only guess it came from the idea that it’s what you would wear when going sledding. Growing up in a non-Italian Long Island family, we called it a watch cap, which is what I believe it’s called in the military.”
That theory was backed up: “In the Navy they’re watch caps. A friend’s son got me one from Annapolis when he was a midshipman there.” Another person agreed because he got one in 1969 at a Great Lakes boot camp. Someone who hunts also chimed in, “I wear one all the time with no pom-pom during the hunting season. I think it’s from Italy, mostly worn by fishermen. It keeps the body heat in.”
As for the pom-pom debate, that feature got a hearty thumbs down. With remarks like, “Pom-pom? No self-respecting Italian would wear one.” Or, “I wore one all the time growing up. No pom-pom. You would either get beat up or the pop-pom ripped off if you wore one.”
Someone else noted, “They were used in Newark and Nutley. My husband wears his on bad hair days in the winter. I thought the ones with pom-poms were called ski caps. He was given a really nice Broncos sideline cap with a big pom-pom on top. He refuses to wear it. He calls it ‘too girly.’”
There were some true Nutley recollections in that regard, “I remember kids yanking ‘goobs’ off your head while ice skating at the Mudhole.” Also, “Yeah, just say no to the pom-poms.” And my favorite: “Wearing one with a pom-pom was an invitation to get it yanked off your head, filled with snow, and put back on.”
I loved some of the random reactions: “Goopaleen! (Phonetically) At’s Itayin!” Or, “That word was as common as pasta fazool in my house during the winter.” One friend had a warm memory from his childhood: “I loved when my Irish-American mother would say ‘Does everyone have their goobalini and gloves?’ I taught a guy at work from Italy about goobalinies. We had non-pompom ones for the boys and pompom ones for the girls. We used the term interchangeably.”
Another common memory was what the cap did to the wearer’s hair. A woman recalled the reaction from a tough NHS Attendance Administrator: “I got in trouble with Miss Vail for wearing one to school once (bad hair day!)” One guy from my class, who was always perfectly coiffed, said, “I wore one, except when I didn’t want to get my 60’s style hair messed up.” Another recalled, “I loved the warmth and comfort these hats provided but the resulting ‘hat head’ look was awful!”
To show you how we can all learn from each other, a Jewish friend entered the conversation with: “Not Italian, but loving and learning from this thread!” Winter is nigh. I feel as if we all need to run out and get head protection, whatever it is called.
Vicky Chalk is a lifelong Nutley resident who still lives in the home she grew up in. She is a retired teacher and author.
Nutley’s favorite hat; the goobalini added by Editor on
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