Top hat (headgear)

:For the movie starring Fred Astaire see Top Hat

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A top-hat or top hat is a kind of tall, flat-crowned, broad-brimmed hat worn by men and was invented in the 1820s. It was a very common headwear throughout the 1800s and very early 1900s.

Related Topics:
Hat - 1820s - 1800s - 1900s

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They were made from stiffened felt made from beaver fur and later usually 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.

Related Topics:
Felt - Beaver - Silk - United States - Abraham Lincoln

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Later on, top-hats were sometimes given an internal hinged frame, making them collapsible. Such hats are often called "opera hats", though the term can be synonymous with any top-hat, or any tall formal men's hat.

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Top-hats are sometimes associated with stage magic.

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