Home Articles Famous Hat Styles and its Origins – Facts That Might Surprise You

Famous Hat Styles and its Origins – Facts That Might Surprise You

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Today, a hat is much more than a clothing piece. It gets considered a stylish accessory that defines the lifestyle, the personality of an individual, and even her social etiquette. The majority of the time, wearing a hat has been about vanity, head protection, status symbol, and style.

You can’t compare the practice of hat-wearing during the 20th century with that of hat-wearing towards the first half of the 19th century. For the latter, wearing a hat included more meaning instead of simply providing security to your head. However, there are styles for women’s western hats and men’s hats that offer both comfort and style.

Every hat has an origin that provides the hat its purpose. This article will delve deep into a few hat origins that will help you know about some of the hat styles better.

The newsboy cap

It’s a type of ivy or a flat cap. And the flat caps are flat, but the newsboy cap comes with a circular body. These caps date back to Britain, in 1571 when the parliament had ordered non-noblemen and boys above six years and more to layer their heads by wool caps on Sundays and holidays.

Anyone who failed to do so was subjected to a fine. The primary purpose of the hat was to increase the domestic wool sales in England, which used to be a major economic activity. And in the 1900s the newsboy cap became famous as an increased number of working-class Americans and Europeans started wearing this hat. It also got worn by the newspaper sellers as well. The hat is also featured in a popular British crime drama series named “Peaky Blinders.”

The Fedora

In 1882, the Fedora hat made its appearance in a play named “Fedora,” written by Victorien Sardou, a popular French dramatist. Sarah Bernhardt, a popular actress, wore a fedora in this play, and it gained popularity amongst women, mostly the people who stand for women’s rights.

Even Price Edward of Britain gradually started to wear this hat, and it became popular amongst men too. The fedora hat is chic and provides good head security as well. It was an essential part of formal wear back in the mid-20s, 40s, and 50s. You can also trace it during the 80s, which marked the rise of informal wear. Today, the Fedora gets looked upon as a classic and elegant hat.

The Beret 

Even though this hat was worn as a military hat in ancient Greece, you can trace its origin in Basques. Some expert fishermen and sailors resided along the Spanish and French sides of the famous Pyrenees Mountains. And it explains the reason for the same-looking hat appearing in Scotland.

The original beret was red or navy blue if you look at the original beret. However, today, there are several colors that you can opt-in for. Several groups have worn it in their own way throughout history, including the military team in WWI and WWII, women, sportsmen, and even entities such as Che Guevara.

The top hat

Back in 1797, Lord mayor arrested John Hetherington, an English haberdasher for disrupting the peace and creating riot owing to his headwear. It made kids shout, and women fainted by the sight of this hat.

Even though the top hat caused a disturbing stir, it also gained ample prominence during the mid-19th century, as it became popular formal wear with people in the upper class. And gradually, the hat’s real objective went out of favor with the elite class. However, today the hat is famous in pop culture and worn by people from the royal family.

The cowboy hat

Looking at the history of cowboy hats, you will find that these wide-brimmed hats were worn back in the 13th century by the Mongolian horsemen. Also, there was a man named John B. Stetson, who was the man behind the invention of the new-age American cowboy hat. The hat also got the name “Boss of the Plains” and was first made back in 1865. The cowboy hat is adjustable, lightweight, and completely waterproof and comes with a flat brim, rounded corners, and crown with a straight side.

The hat history has it that John B. Stetson’s invention of this hat commenced as a casual joke with his fellow hunters. And now that you know how the hat gained prominence, you know most of it. It can be said that John B. Stetson took inspiration from the wide-brimmed outdoor hats which the working cowboys of North Mexico usually wore. The unique cowboy hats are a must-wear head accessory for the outdoor workers, cowboys and ranchers who reside in warm areas. It’s also a stylish headpiece for people who have bold personalities.