Pope Benedict XVI's Top 18 Style Moments

Feb. 28, 2013

PHOTO: Pope Benedict XVI wears a Mexican sombrero hat in Leon, Mexico

Osservatore Romano/AP Photo

He might be the leader of the Catholic world and the top dog of one of the longest-running insitutions in human history. But that doesn't mean he can't take a few fashion risks.

Some of his clothing choices are steeped in tradition, passed down from pope to pope throughout the centuries. But sometimes the pope just wants to wear a baseball cap on his day off. Take a look at our list of Pope Benedict XVI's top style moments.

PHOTO: Pope Benedict XVI wearing a Sombrero in Bicentennial Park near Silao, Mexico.

AP/Osservatore Romano

Pope In a Sombrero

When in Mexico, do as the Mexicans do.

PHOTO: Pope Benedict XVI wearing brilliant red shoes arrives to attend a Inter-religious Gathering at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center on April 17, 2008 in Washington, DC.

Getty/Tim Sloan

Red Slippers

Move over, Dorothy. Pope Benedict XVI revived this old red shoes tradition. We sat down with Antonio Arellano, the Peruvian immigrant who makes them, earlier this week.

PHOTO: Pope Benedict XVI walks in the gardens of his summer residence on July 26, 2010 in Castel Gandolfo, near Rome, Italy.

Getty/L'Osservatore Romano

Pope In a Baseball Hat

The Vatican has casual Fridays too?

AP/Pier Paolo Cito

Pope in "Saturno" Hat

This hat is named after the ringed planet. And it's red. He wears it to protect his face from the sun in Saint Peter's square at the Vatican.

PHOTO: India's Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal receives his hat as Pope Benedict XVI (L) appoints him as a cardinal during a ceremony on November 24, 2012 at St Peter's basilica at the Vatican.

Getty/Vincenzo Pinto

The Pope Also Bestows His Sense of Style Onto Others

"Here, try this hat."

India's Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal receives his hat as Pope Benedict XVI appoints him as a cardinal during a 2012 ceremony at St Peter's basilica at the Vatican.

PHOTO: Pope Benedict XVI leaves Nicosia's Latin Church of the Holy Cross in the divided capital of Cyprus after celebrating mass on June 5, 2010

Getty/MENAHEM KAHANA

Classic Pope

There's the pope hat we know and love. This picture was taken when he was leaving mass in Cyprus in 2010.

PHOTO: Pope Benedict XVI wears a sombrero in Leon, Mexico on March 25, 2012.

Getty/Osservatore Romano

Yet Another Sombrero

Who can stop at just one? When visiting Mexico in 2012, the pope tried on a few of these wide-brimmed hats.

PHOTO: Pope Benedict XVI receives a hat as a gift from Italian Bersaglieri soldiers in Aula Paolo VI at the Vatican during his weekly general audience on September 15, 2010

Getty/Andreas Solaro

Pope in a Feathered Cap

It's the can-can in a hat! Actually, this hat was a gift from Italian Bersaglieri soldiers in 2010.

PHOTO:Pope Benedict XVI wears a cap offered by Germany's Paul Biedermann, gold medallist in the men's 200m freestyle.

Getty/Tiziana Fabi

Sporty Pope

If he were a Spice Girl, we know which one he'd be.

In this 2009 picture, Pope Benedict XVI is wearing cap offered to him by Germany's Paul Biedermann, a gold medallist in the men's 200m freestyle.

PHOTO: Nigeria's John Onaiyekan receives his biretta hat as Pope Benedict XVI (L) appoints him as a cardinal during a ceremony on November 24, 2012 at St Peter's basilica at the Vatican.

Getty/Vincenzo Pinto

Cardinal Hats

When Benedict XVI was just Cardinal Ratzinger he wore these jaunty red hats, which vaguely resemble Chinese takeout containers. Now, he just gives them out to Cardinals in appointing ceremonies like this one.

PHOTO: Pope Benedict XVI arrives in St. Peter's Square for his weekly audience on December 28, 2005 in Vatican City. The Pontif dressed for the second time in the red hat used by Pope John XXIII forty years ago.

Getty/Franco Origlia

Santa Claus Pope

The pope wore this snazzy red and white combo on December 28 of 2005. The Pontif dressed for the second time in the red hat used by Pope John XXIII forty years prior.

PHOTO: Pope Benedict XVI receives a hat of the spanish Guardia civil during his weekly audience in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican, 25 Octobre 2006

Getty/Arturo Mari

Pope in Spanish hat

¡Olé! Pope Benedict XVI received this hat of the Spanish 'Guardia Civil' during his weekly audience in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican, 25 Octobre 2006.

PHOTO: Pope Benedict XVI wears an Italian alpine troops hat, during his open-air weekly general audience in St. Peter's square, at the Vatican, 07 June 2006

Getty/Osservatore Romano Arturo Mari

Mountaineering Pope

In this picture the pope is wearing an Italian alpine troops hat, given to him as a gift during his open-air weekly general audience in St. Peter's square, at the Vatican, 07 June 2006.

PHOTO: Pope Benedict XVI puts on his white cap during the mass for the liturgy of ashes at St. Sabina basilica in Rome, 01 March 2006

Getty/Danilo Schavella

Pretty in Purple Pope

Purple really brings out his eyes. The pope wore this lovely outfit during the mass for the liturgy of ashes at St. Sabina basilica in Rome, 01 March 2006,

PHOTO: The hands of Pope Benedict XVI are seen after he arrived on September 22, 2011 at the Tegel airport in Berlin, where he starts his first state visit to his native Germany.

Getty/Odd Andersen

Papal Bling

2 Chainz doesn't have didly squat on the pope's jewels. Kiss the ring.

PHOTO: Pope Benedict XVI arranges his robe as he arrives at the Bellevue Palace on September 22, 2011 in Berlin, on the first day of his first state visit to his native Germany.

Getty/Johannes Eisele

Windy Day Pope

A windy day in Berlin inspired this look.

PHOTO: Pope Benedict XVI waves to faithful as he wears a pilgrim cape with a scallop shell and a Santiago cross embroidered on it during his visit in Santiago de Compostela, on November 6, 2010.

Getty/ Lavandeira Jr

Pilgrim Cape Pope

Pope Benedict XVI waved to the faithful as he wore a pilgrim cape with a scallop shell and a Santiago cross embroidered on it during his visit in Santiago de Compostela, on November 6, 2010.