When Did The Top Hat Go Out of Style?
And why did it happen?
Top hats are instantly recognizable pieces of attire. The rigid silk hat was a popular item for nearly three hundred years and was mandatory formalwear in many societies for all social strata. These hats graced the heads of kings, tycoons, grooms, presidents, and prime ministers. Today, the only place you are likely to spot a top hat on a daily basis is on the head of the Monopoly Man. So what happened? When did top hats go out of style?
Peak popularity
Top hats reached peak popularity during the 19th century. These popular head coverings were the replacement for the tricorn hat which dominated the scene during the 17th and 18th centuries. In the late 19th century every man on the street was wearing a hat and in many places, all of those hats were top hats. Every gentleman wore a similarly styled black top hat often made out of silk.
The top hat was burned into the minds of the English speaking world by two mammoths of history: Abraham Lincoln and Winston Churchill. Both of these enigmatic leaders were seldom seen without their trusty top hat adorning their heads.
