Dress Culture: Men'S Top Hat

Top hat of the 19th century

Legend of a century

In Top Hat, a film of the same name in 1935, the image and elegant dance steps of Fred Astaire, the hero in the film, who wears a hat, have influenced the shooting of musical films for generations, and the design of integrating hats into various movie posters is even more impressive.

The full name of high hat should be high top silk formal hat The cylindrical shape is wrapped with silk material. At the end of the 18th century, a man named Hetherington wore it through the streets of London, and everyone was attracted by it. The Times commented: "It has changed the face of men's clothing. Sooner or later, everyone will accept this accessory on the head." It has been popular for a century because it is well versed in the eternal formula of men's clothing design, which is both decorative and functional. The entire hat crown is about 14 to 19 cm. It can be imagined that once you wear it, there will be a powerful aura, At the same time, the depth of its hat body can avoid the embarrassing scene of not being blown away by the wind when riding a horse. It was deeply loved by the princes and nobles in the Victorian period, representing the upper class society.

 

Homburg felt hat in 1930s

Fashionable piece from Black Forest

On many occasions, you can see the smart image of Anthony Eden wearing a felt hat, even this Hat With the nickname "Anthony Eden hat", but unlike most hats from Britain, Honburg comes from the tradition of Germany Clothes & Accessories Its mark is that the brim part is all up, and there is a groove on the top of the hat to make the overall contour more smooth. This piece with a bit of exotic color became popular because of the release of the Godfather series directed by old Coppola, in which the felt hat image worn by Marlon Brando became the finishing touch of the gangster image.

 

Straw Hat in 1940s Flat brimmed straw hat

When Italy meets Hollywood

This straw hat is from Italy on the Apennine Peninsula. In the early years, immigrants brought it to the United States. Looking at the old photos, you can see that most middle class people in that period wore this hat. The straw hat with a strong sense of vacation is not only suitable for picnics, but also can be seen on many formal occasions.

To really promote the trend of wearing straw hats, we must owe it to Gene Kelly who directed and acted Sing in the Rain. He is a talented actor, director, screenwriter, singer and dancer. The hat has become a part of his body. The image of the straw hat man in films such as Inherit the Wind has become popular. It is not only the hat of civilians, but also the favorite accessory of government officials such as the FBI. Its popularity is unmatched by other hats, so it has become "Hat of the People".

 

Bowler Hat felt hat {page_break} in 1950s

It's entertainment, but also the reality of modern times

I still remember that in Milan Kundera's novel Unbearable Lightness in Life, the felt hat is a crucial image, which is used to describe a woman's fear and struggle.

In real life, Thomas and William Bowler, who designed this hat, was initially influenced by Lock&Co. The company appointed Gao hat to solve the problem that Gao hat is often knocked down when riding a horse. It is different from the upper class represented by Top hat. Compared with the shorter Bowler, it is a down-to-earth product of the working class. When it comes to this hat, the first thing that comes to mind is the people's artist Charlie Chaplin. In the silent film era of the film industry, the clown with a round felt hat and crutches was the most vivid and vivid high voice in the era to play the blame on power.

In addition to Chaplin, there is also Laurel and Hardy, a fat and thin combination in the modern era, who uses exaggerated performance forms to dissociate between traditional gentlemen and straightforward humor.

Such works continued to emerge during this period. Clockwork Orange, one of the most influential films in American film history, and the man with a round hat in the artist Rene magritte's classic paintings were all strong complaints and satires against class concepts and wealth privileges from the bottom of the society during this period. Under such a strong cultural offensive, Bowler has become a shared product for all, regardless of status and gender.

 

1960s Trilby Jazz Hat

New London Fashion Idol

Trilby was affectionately called a jazz hat because many blues jazz and Lingo singers wore it in the later period. Its brim was relatively narrow, and it became the number one item in the 1960s of "Swing London". At that time, London Mod youth wore Trilby, wore M52 retro military uniforms and rode Vespa motorcycles to enjoy the classic British style of youth, becoming a new fashion icon for generations of young people. If you say that Trilby's style is too limited, it's a big mistake. All the fashionable men in the 1960s wore jazz hats. Among them, James Bond Bond, the undisputed British fashion icon in the history of men's clothing, was the representative of the former actor Sean

Connery's dark brown jazz hat in the 007 series of movie "Russia from Love" charmed all living beings. When he arrived at Thunderball, he changed into a gray jazz hat, and his changeable image became an idol for men to follow.

 

Fedora fedora fedora in the 1980s

Self packaging of the tough guy on screen

From the appearance, Fedora seems to be no different from Humberg and Trilby mentioned above, but the mystery lies in the brim. Fedora and Humberg's brim are different from the brim rising. Its brim turns down, which is similar to Trilby, but longer than the brim. Indiana Jones, the tough guy on the screen, is a fan of Fedora. Because of the popularity of the "Raiders of the Lost Ark" series in the 1980s, a Fedora whirlwind was set off. The casual brim of the hat is more heroic. And the brim design is more suitable for daily life. The late Michael Jackson, the king of pop in the 1980s, made Fedora a favorite product.

 

The president is crazy

Several past presidents of the United States are crazy collectors of classic representatives. Maybe because of the needs of the occasion, they have strange feelings for hats over time. For example, Harry S. Truman's wardrobe has a number of wide brimmed hats, most of which are Humburg and Fedora. You can see how much he likes this hat from the old photos of various official activities. Franklin D. Roosevelt's image is shaped by a fedora hat. He loves classic models like Fedora and Trilby. John F. Kennedy is different. Not only Mrs. Kennedy is a fashion icon, but Kennedy himself is also a fashion icon in the history of men's clothing. The traditional and elegant Top Hat is his favorite.

 

Diversity hat

Even though history has given a classical definition to hat, hat has become a street fashion culture in a flash. Of course, it is inevitable that hat has jumped out of the original framework and become more diversified. The Hollywood actor Johnny Depp of the Mesozoic era wears a hat every time he goes out on the street. He has become an uncle and is still stylish, relying on sunglasses and hats. His clothing style is indispensable in the street shooting culture. On the one hand, the mature charm is that the evolution of modern men's clothing lies in the imagination of unconstrained fashion designer John Galliano is a hat maniac in every sense. Every concave shape can change the hat according to different themes. Every time a fashion show ends, he is always the biggest highlight of the audience. If you want to say he is a senior fashion designer, you should say he is a born showman.