Top Hats -
a Picture of Elegance

Often referred to as toppers, top hats are a formal type of headwear for men. Originating in the early 19th century, it has continued to be part of proper morning and evening dress for men when the occasion calls for a high level of elegance in dress. Here is some background on the history, including contemporary uses of the topper.

These hats are designed with a tall body, featuring a flat crown on one end and a wide brim that is either flat or slightly curved. Traditionally, they are made from felted fur or silk, because this material is extremely sturdy and it will hold up through hard wear. It also has the added bonus of being water repellent.

Silk versions of these hats tend to be glossy because of the silk fibers, which can give them an added flair. At one point, most gentlemen owned hats of this style for special occasions.

The stovepipe hat, popularized in the middle 19th century, was a favorite of American president Abraham Lincoln. Characterized by a body that was sometimes twice the height of other top hats, the stovepipe became a popular option for daily business wear, as well as part of formal dress.

The design of a stovepipe hat makes it look like a length of piping. The body of the hat runs straight up and down, rather than flaring slightly like the traditional style, and the crown is utterly flat. The brim is wide, and it may be flat as well or slightly flexible. Often, a stovepipe hat is also ornamented with a band of grosgrain or silk ribbon, and the traditional color for a stovepipe hat is black.

However, the trend of the stovepipe style died out by the end of the century. In fact, the top hat lost its appeal as a daily fashion accessory for men by the dawn of the 20th century, replaced by other forms of headwear, such as fedoras and bowler hats.

Early on, these hats were constructed with black felt. The felt was particularly workable with the collapsible ones that were developed in the 1820s, since the felt would not show wrinkles even if the hat had been stored in a collapsed condition for an extended period of time.

While the topper continued to be a symbol of proper formal dress, the use of these hats tended to be relegated to events such as formal weddings, and high society events of the social season such as balls and debuts.

These days, women have included the topper in their list of hat styles, they are worn in miniature versions as well as traditional styles. The Bridal industry often show this style of hat in their related magazines for both males and females.

The movie industry often included these hats as part of essential dress when the motion picture was set in high society. During the 1960s, rock and roll musicians and other counter-cultural icons often adopted the topper as part of an eclectic mode of dress.

Today, the top hat continues to be firmly established as formalwear, showing up on limited occasions that are considered to be extremely formal and important.

While the era of this style of hat as a common accessory in any man’s wardrobe is long past, the tradition will no doubt continue to live on as a sign of elegance and taste.

Here in Australia, the Melbourne Cup, the horse race which stops the nation, held on the first Tuesday of November each year, is such an event where men's fashion displays this sign of elegance and taste. Not only at the Flemington Race Course, where the Race meeting is held, but all over the country, people attend Luncheons and race meetings, where they dress in the same manner as they would if they were attending the event in Melbourne.

Top Hats are often used in magic tricks, and the most common variety of the topper used in magic is the stovepipe hat, since it is easy to manufacture.

Traditionally, these hats must be carefully made, usually by a skilled hatter, and the ability to make such hats is decreasing along with the demand for them.

Stovepipe hats have also been worn by prominent entertainers, ranging from Fred Astaire to Giuseppe Verdi, and many rockers have donned the top hat as an ironic statement in performances.

It can be challenging to find a stovepipe hat. If you live in an urban area, you may be able to find a hat supply which carries them, or could at least size you for a hat.

If such a resource is not available, a number of hat retailers sell their products online. Make sure that you understand the terms of a store's return policy, however, as an ill fitting stovepipe hat can be a disastrous purchase.

Some of these firms also offer novelty hats inspired by the stovepipe hat, such as floppy hats in patriotic colors for parades and lampooning purposes. Most top hats and stovepipe hats today are seen as parts of costumes, rather than as true formal wear.

Top Hats