Top hat (headgear)
From Freepedia
- For the movie starring Fred Astaire see Top Hat
A top-hat or top hat is a kind of tall, flat-crowned, broad-brimmed hat worn by men throughout the 1800s and early 1900s. The first top hat was made by John Hetherington in 1797, however, the hats only became popular in the 1820's. Top hats were very common as they were worn by men for business, social events, and pleasure.
They were made from stiffened felt made from beaver fur and later, due to the influence of Prince Albert, from silk. A popular version, particularly in the United States in the 19th century, was the stovepipe hat, which was popularized by Abraham Lincoln during his presidency. Unlike many top-hats, this version was straight, like piping, and was not wider at the top and bottom. Often they were taller than the typical top-hat.
Later on, top-hats were sometimes given an internal hinged frame, making them collapsible. Such hats are often called "opera hats" or "Gibus(ses)", though the term can be synonymous with any top-hat, or any tall formal men's hat.
Top-hats are sometimes associated with stage magic.
