Top Hats

While it may be one of the most popular hat styles, the exact origins of the top hat are slightly disputed. Some believe that it evolved from the flat-topped Puritan (or Capotian) Hat however others believe that it has it's own separate origins. There is a wide variety of the different types of top hats, ranging in shape, construction, and material. The Stovepipe Hat was a tall-crown top hat from the 19th century made popular by U.S. President Abraham Lincoln. Another popular style of top hat was the Satin-Collapsible Top Hat. This style was made from a black satin fabric over a structure inside which allowed the hat to collapse completely flat. These hats were worn for formal events, often with a full tuxedo and became popular accessories for opera-goes. They were originally made to be a solid structure however as people went to the opera with them they found a need for more portable ones. The collapsible hat was created so that it could fold flat and slip under the wearer's seat at the opera. Another popular style of top hat is a beaver fur top hat. These hats were constructed from a stiff base of Buckram and then covered with the soft beaver fur for a beautiful finished look. Today top hats are made from a wide variety of materials including wool felt and fur felt. The top hats are luxurious and stylish and have been worn on a number of famous people, both real and fictional, for the past centuries. Some notable wearers include Fred Astaire, Uncle Sam, magicians, Marlene Dietrich, the Monopoly guy, Slash, Willy Wonka, and hundreds of other notable people.