| Top Hat (headgear) |
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For the movie starring Fred Astaire see Top Hat A top-hat or '''top hat''' (sometimes also known by the nickname "topper") is a kind of tall, flat-crowned, broad-brimmed Hat worn by men throughout the 1800s and early 1900s but which are now usually only worn with Morning Dress or Evening Dress . The first top hat was made by John Hetherington in 1797, however, the hats only became popular in the 1820s. Top hats were very common as they were worn by men for business, social events, and pleasure. wearing his trademark top hat]] 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. In the latter half of the 19th Century , the top hat gradually fell out of fashion, with the middle classes adopting Bowler Hat s and soft felt hats such as Fedora s, which were more convenient for city life, as well as being suitable for Mass Production . In comparison, a top hat needed to be Handmade by a skilled Hatter . The top hat became associated with the Upper Classes , becoming a target for satirists and social critics. By the end of the First World War , it had become a rarity in everyday life. It persisted in certain areas, such as Politics and Diplomacy , for several more years. Top-hats are sometimes associated with Stage Magic . President John F. Kennedy was the only President Of The United States to wear a ''stovepipe hat'' to a presidential inauguration. The last president to wear a top hat to an inauguration was Richard Nixon . Gerald Ford was not inaugurated at the Capitol and Jimmy Carter abolished the use of morning dress for inaugurations. It was reinstated, minus a top hat, by Ronald Reagan but not worn by any later presidents to date. Nowadays they are still the required headgear for White Tie , as well as events calling for morning dress. NOTABLE WEARERS
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