Fedora hats, simply known as fedoras, are general hats that have been usually worn by men since its inception in the late 1800s.
Note: Fedoras are not to be mistaken for Trilby hats and Porkpie hats for their similar looks and often confusion throughout the older times hat fan community!
Fedoras have soft brims and intended crowns. They are derived supposedly from bowler hats and the name “Fedora” was used for this hat as early as 1891.
It turns out that the most well-known fictional character that wears a fedora hat (in brown, of course) is the legendary action star, the one and only Indiana Jones, played by Harrison Ford.
Fedoras are often made of wool, cashmere, rabbit or beaver felt. These felts can also be blended to each other with mink or chinchilla and rarely with vicuña, guanaco, cervelt, or mohair. They can also be made of straw, cotton, waxed or oiled cotton, hemp, linen or leather.
The fedora hat’s brim is usually wide, approximately 2.5 inches (6.4 cm) wide, but may be wider, can be left raw-edged (left as cut), finished with a sewn overwelt or underwelt, or bound with a trim-ribbon. Stitched edge means that there is one, two, or more rows of stitching radiating inward toward the crown. The Cavanagh edge is a welted edge with invisible stitching to hold it in place and is a very expensive treatment that can no longer be performed by modern hat factories. Fedora hats are not to be confused with small brimmed hats called trilbies.
The most common color of a fedora usually comes in black, gray (above) or brown (below) since its inception to the general public.
The word “Fedora” came from the title of an 1882 play by dramatist Victorien Sardou, “Fédora”, written for Sarah Bernhardt. The play was first performed in the United States in 1889. Bernhardt played Princess Fédora, the heroine of the play. During the play, Bernhardt wore a center-creased, soft brimmed hat which would later in our history come to be known as the fedora we know of today.
“The hat was fashionable for women and the women’s rights movement adopted it as a symbol. After Prince Edward of Britain started wearing them in 1924, it became popular among men for its stylishness and its ability to protect the wearer’s head from the wind and weather.”
“At the height of the fedora’s popularity was from mid-1920’s which is why it is often associated with Prohibition and gangsters. In 1940’s and 1950’s noir films popularized fedora hats even more and its popularity lasted until late 1950’s, when informal clothing became more widespread.”
“It returned in mid-1970’s and again in 1980’s and in 2000’s. Fedora and trilby hats were so fashionable because of their style and because of their practicality. They didn’t obscure the view while driving the car and were not as big as top hats so they could be worn in public transport. They could also be stored by folding without losing its shape.”
“The main reason for constant returning of the fedora to fashion should be looked for in media and its influence on people. In 1940’s and 1950’s, Hollywood brought back fedora by making movies in which fedora hat was a repeating icon of manliness and mystery worn by such names as Humphrey Bogart and Cary Grant on celluloid and Frank Sinatra on the stage.”
“Legendary college football coach Paul Bear Bryant wore his trademark plaid and hounds-tooth fedora while standing near sidelines of games of his teams. Fedora was a part of his image that he is wearing it on the cover of the Time magazine. One more coach that made fedora an irreplaceable part of his attire was Coach Tom Landry, head coach of Dallas Cowboys from 1960 to 1988.”
“In seventies it was Indiana Jones that who brought revival of fedora to the silver screen. Television carries as much weight of responsibility for popularity of fedora as cinema… you will recall Indiana Jones wearing them while the music fanatics of days gone by cannot forget Michael Jackson from Smooth Criminal, Billie Jean, Dangerous to You Rock My World, where he spotted this hat. Simply epic!”
“In recent years many other musicians such are Justin Timberlake and Brittany Spears were wearing fedora in their live appearances and that has kept the fedora hat in fashion. Famous writer Terry Pratchett is known, among other things, for wearing a wide brim white fedora. In the last decade we’ve seen an explosion of shows, from Mad Men to Boardwalk Empire that depict characters being fashion conscious while retaining their masculinity.”
“Not coincidentally, these shows packed with tough men in snappy suits all take place in the past, with all the distance that affords. These shows provide an outlet for men who are interested in clothes, but retain the worry that this makes them appear feminine. Clinging to yesterday’s most iconic hat is a way to assert fashion sense without worrying about public perception.”
Most fedora hats can be found in several hat shops, antique shops and thrift stores. There are also certain shopping websites for those in search of a good looking hat or for costume purposes like Freddy Krueger or Indiana Jones.
Ads for these hats can also be found if you look for adverts for them, too. Links and other photos can be found below.
https://www.etsy.com/market/fedora_hat
https://www.historicalemporium.com/search/?q=Fedora+hats
Works Cited
“The History of the Fedora.” Bernard Hats, Lynx Web Digital Solutions,
2016, bernardhats.com/all-about-hats/history-fedora/.
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