Hats have always been more than just articles of clothing: They are potent symbols that telegraph information about who the wearer is (or wants to be) — his politics, his station in life or even his relation to social conventions. Three of the most famous types of hat, the top hat, fedora and the bowler, have been inextricably linked with the worlds of fashion and social class throughout history. They are the hats that have transcended generations, and now they’re cultural signifiers of elegance, rebellion and class.
In this piece, we’ll explore the history, cultural meaning and evolution of these three legendary hats, and learn how they became powerful symbols of style, rebellion and class.
1. The Top Hat: An Emblem of Class
- History of the Top Hat
The top hat was among the most formal types of hat, and was a symbol of upper-class society in the 19th century. It originated in the late 18th century; however, its popularity peaked in the 19th century in both Europe and North America.
- Origins and Early Years:
The top hat has its roots in 18th-century England and was originally worn by wealthy gentlemen.
The standard tall silk hat of today, known as a “stovepipe hat”, was invented in 1797 by London hat-maker John Hetherington.
At the time of its introduction, the top hat was a shocking thing to wear due to its height and its rigidity (compared to soft hats of the epoch).
- Cultural Significance:
Top hats were even associated with wealth, respectability, and societal or social position by the 19th century.
It was the preserve of the British gentry and of businessmen, politicians and upper-middle-class professionals.
The top hat was often used at formal affairs, including royal events, opera performances, and balls.
- Fashion and Popular Culture:
Celebrities such as Charles Dickens and Abraham Lincoln were known for donning top hats.
The hat became such a symbol of aristocracy, in fact, that it was frequently chosen to represent authority in films and novels.
In the present-day era, the top hat has not lost it significance as a sign of elegance and class and is still worn in occasions such as weddings, horse races (such as the Royal Ascot) and exclusive parties and events.
- Symbol of Elegance
Traditional Associations: The top hat, being slim and tall, is often associated with elegance. The rich wore it a lot, like they wore anything from back then and so it was associated with class and affluence. The top hat communicates formality, elegance and a high social status.
Weddings and Royalty: In recent times, the top hat is often donned by grooms at weddings, and remains part of traditional British formal wear.
Iconic Style: The iconic look of the top hat is made famous from decades ago, through movies such as The Great Gatsby and Marry Poppins where wearing it was charmed onto characters that are elegant, graceful and well-dressed.
- Key Features of the Top Hat
Tall, cylindrical shape
The hats are usually constructed of felt, silk, or velvet
Wear under the dress suits, morning suits, tuxedos, and tails
It is most frequently black, but can come in gray to white (white is the purest form of hematite).
2. The Fedora, as a Sign of Defiance and Autonomy
- A Brief History of the Fedora
The fedora One of the most recognizable and versatile hats in fashion history. First rocked as a ladies fashion accessory, by the dawn of the 20th century the fedora had become a symbol of masculine thrust and rebellion.
- Origins and Early Years:
The fedora originated as a woman’s fashion hat in the late 19th century and was attested in an 1887 play when the cross-dressing female character and leading lady wore a soft brimmed felt hat that was shaped quite like a fedora.
It was named after the 1882 play Fedora written by Victorien Sardou in which the protagonist, Princess Fedora Beremov, wore a soft felt hat. This hat was a similar shape to the forerunner of the American style trilby and had been fashionable since the first Queen Victoria economy.
The fedora later became associated with the “common man” as well, when lower middle class gents embraced the look of the hat due to its more relaxed tone versus the formality of the top hat that was popular among upper and some middle class men.
- Cultural Significance:
By the 1920s, the fedora was synonymous with masculinity and was popularized by Hollywood’s leading men including Humphrey Bogart and Cary Grant in films like Casablanca and The Maltese Falcon.
Culturally, it was associated with cosmopolitan sophistication and rebellion, and with both mobsters and anti-heroes in the U.S. film industry, especially during the early 1940s in films produced after the lifting of the Hays Code, when men's fashions emphasized individuality, and when prewar masculinized fashion was interpreted in postwar lifestyle changes.
The fedora came to symbolize personal style, individuality, and a bit of rebellion to the formal dress codes of earlier decades of the 20th century.
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From the 1930s to the 1960s, the fedora was a hallmark of men’s style, and nearly every stylish man owned one.
The hat was adopted by characters from crime fiction and detective stories, reinforcing the association with rebellion and freedom.
Today, the fedora is donned by a broad cross-section of society, from jazz musicians to hipsters, and serves as a statement of individuality.
- Symbol of Rebellion
Film and Gangster Culture: What largely propels the fedora as an item of rebellion is its overuse in gangster movies and noir films. Characters like Al Pacino in The Godfather and Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca helped cement the fedora’s image as an accessory of cool rebellion.
Music and the Arts: It has also been associated with musicians, especially in Jazz and Blues music genres, and iconic figures such as Frank Sinatra and Miles Davis have worn the fedora to show their nonconformity and creativity.
The Modern Rebel: The fedora remains a mark of rebellion and nonconformity even to this day. Be it on the heads of revolutionaries or just folks who want to add something old-school to their style, fedoras continue to have a reputation as symbols of cool, unobtrusive refusal to fall into line.
- Key Features of the Fedora
Pliable soft felt with a wide brim and bowed, crumpled crown
Typically has some ribbon at the base of the crown
Frequently paired with more relaxed, yet refined looks
usually on the side or at a fashionable slope
3. The Bowler Hat: British Class and Subtle Rebellion
- The Bowler Hat Comes to Be
It is a hat that screams stability and villainy, in both the same breath and different ones. It was first created in the 19th century with practicality in mind and has evolved into a reflection of British class — and, to some extent, “a little note of rebellion,” according to Mr. McCormack.
- Origins and Early Years:
The bowler hat was created in 1849 as a protective and durable hat for British gamekeepers by London hat-makers Thomas and William Bowler. It was originally developed for gamekeepers and other outdoor workers to shield their heads from low-hanging branches.
The hat was a rebel of the softer hats of the aristocracy, durably crafted and a practical option, and it still looked put together.
The bowler hat soon became popular among the middle classes in England, particularly during the 19th and early 20th centuries.
- Cultural Significance:
It was brought into use in Western Europe and American men’s wear by the 19th century, when it became a businessman’s hat in the U.K. and a style for upper-middle-class men.
The bowler went on to be a sign of quiet defiance in breaking from the lordly top hat. It was a badge of authority and respectability for the working classes and the lower-middle classes in towns like London.
The bowler hat found its way into a number of characters in popular culture, from the Loony Tunes to modern-day rock stars, where it offered a kind of cheeky rebellion.
- Fashion and Popular Culture:
In the 20th century, the bowler hat was worn by Malcolm McDowell’s anti-authoritarian character in the film A Clockwork Orange, symbolizing both a rejection of authority and a perversion of British tradition.
In the world of comedy, the bowler also achieved iconic status in the form of characters like the “Little Tramp,” portrayed by Charlie Chaplin, who was known for donning a bowler hat to comedic effect.
Even today, the bowler hat retains its British origins and is a favourite within the world of retro fashion.
- Symbol of Class
Upper-Middle-Class British Symbol: The bowler hat was adopted by the professional classes in London as a signature of their occupation. Bankers, civil servants, and business men would often be seen wearing the fedora, and as such representing their social status.
British Heritage with Attitude: It represented respectability and status but the bowler hat also harbored a streak of defiance, as it was a departure from early noble headgear.
Pop Culture Hits: The bowler hat has also become a popular item in film, literature, and pop culture as an ode to the classic style that has never fallen out of use.
- The Features of a Bowler Hat
Rounded crown and narrow brim
Made from felt or wool
Typically black, but available in brown and grays
Sometimes worn with business suits, particularly in British business settings
Conclusion
The top hat, fedora, and bowler hat are no longer useful implements, but images of distinction, defiance, and sophistication. As symbols of aristocracy and sophistication, or of rebellion and individualism, or as statements of British tradition with an irreverent edge, these hats have had a prominent role in fashion and culture.
The Top Hat: refinement, elegance, and social status.
It’s the rebellion, the personal brand, and [the fascination] with the antihero that the Fedora represents.
The Bowler Hat epitomizes British culture and style: culture because it is worn by the Vatican Swiss Guards; style because it comes in a Black, Chalk, Red, and Duck Blue.
These instantly recognizable headpieces still fascinate fashionistas, movie directors and cultural historians, and have carved out a place in history and in the contemporary world of style.