| Not so long ago they were an essential part of any | | | | Some hats of course remained more popular than |
| man's wardrobe, and many guys wouldn't be caught | | | | others, both in previous times and today. These hats |
| outside without one. Then the venerable man's hat | | | | include: |
| faded away as times changed and a new generation | | | | - The Fedora: Made or warm felt with a wide brim and |
| of Americans went without. Now, some style experts | | | | a deep indentation in the crown, or top part of the hat. |
| are predicting a comeback. Only time will tell, but one | | | | Made most recognizable to modern audiences by |
| thing's for sure: a hat not only protects your head, it | | | | Humphrey Bogart and Indiana Jones. |
| affords a perfect "crowning" touch to your wardrobe. | | | | - The Trilby: similar to the fedora, but with a narrower |
| The early history of hats | | | | brim and more compact shape. Think Sean Connery |
| The art of millinery, or designing and crafting of men's | | | | or Rex Harrison; it's a very British, very scholarly |
| hats, dates back almost five hundred years to Italy, | | | | looking chapeau (that's how you say "hat" in French.) |
| when milliners were responsible for providing a new | | | | - The Derby: Also known as a bowler, the derby has a |
| middle class with hats, gloves, and other small, | | | | hard felt crown and rounded brim. Alex de Large in A |
| "haberdashery" items made or created in Milan. In the | | | | Clockwork Orange kept the derby hat famous, if for |
| 1770s, about the same time America was signing its | | | | sinister reasons. Los Angeles' famous Brown Derby |
| Declaration of Independence, European milliners began | | | | restaurant, built to resemble a giant derby hat, is now a |
| designing their own styles of hats in France and | | | | state landmark in California. |
| England. | | | | - The Panama: made from straw so it's light and |
| By the 19th Century, hats were custom made for the | | | | breezy for tropical climates, the straw hat is seen in |
| individual, and the material and craftsmanship of a | | | | photographs of Old Florida and the Caribbean. It's also |
| man's hat denoted his wealth and status. With the | | | | frequently seen worn by salsa, swing, and samba |
| coming of mass production techniques in the second | | | | musicians. |
| half of the period, thousands of hats were produced in | | | | - Boater: another straw hat, with a hard shape and silk |
| factories, making them available to the working | | | | band around the crown. Commonly worn by |
| classes. | | | | barbershop quartets. |
| Hats in the 20th Century: decline & fade | | | | - The Top Hat: a large vertical crown and narrow brim. |
| Hats remained popular until after World War II, but | | | | Abraham Lincoln's hat. |
| began a decline in popularity with the changing styles | | | | The comeback |
| of the 1950s, which emphasized clean lines and | | | | Like the old school fighter who's never completely |
| simplicity in fashion. | | | | down for the count, hats refuse to make a complete |
| One popular belief surrounding the end of man's hats in | | | | fade from popular style. Some retail chains continue to |
| America surrounds President John F. Kennedy. | | | | stock at least a nominal selection of fedoras, panama |
| According to legend, Kennedy disliked wearing hats | | | | hats and trilby hats. |
| and was seldom if ever seen wearing one in public. In | | | | Most larger cities also have at least one shop devoted |
| the mania surrounding his very popular presidency, | | | | exclusively to hats, and some men's clothing boutiques |
| during which men and women especially copied the | | | | also stock them. And of course, dozens of Internet |
| President and first lady Jacqueline Kennedy's styles, | | | | retailers stock a complete selection of hats, organized |
| hats dropped off in popularity and never recovered. | | | | for modern audiences and described according to |
| The most popular forms of men's hats | | | | contemporary reference points. |