ICONIC MEN'S ACCESSORIES #4: FEZ How the fez broke tradition and then became part of tradition. The fez, or the ‘tarboosh’, is a truly iconic hat design that historically has been worn throughout the Middle East, Northern Africa, the Balkans and other parts of Eastern Europe. Despite its prominent status, exactly where it came from and when it originated is unclear. However, it is quite widely presumed to have come from Greece, notably the island of Cyprus, and the traditional clothing worn duri