Bowler Bonanza

[Shanghailander]

Those of you who have been following my travel thread here at the Fedora Lounge as I circumvent the globe will know that I am now in the UK, and there is a serious dearth of hats here - not even baseball caps are common!

However, today, Sunday, November 12, I attended the Remembrance Day parade in London. Thousands of Britons march, many from the military, but also civilians who were interned during the war, or were part of the many volunteer aid detachments (air raid precautions, etc) which were part of the civil defense during WW II.

Of course there were thousands of military hats in evidence - peaked caps, service caps, Australian slouches, and even Ghurkas.

But many of the middle aged and elderly veterans wore civilian dress, as well as their medals. And a large portion wore a dress hat. I spotted at least a dozen fedoras, but you should have seen the bowlers!

There must have been at least a hundred or more of them - this must be the last place in the world where you can walk down the street and see groups of men, a dozen or more, all wearing bowlers. Most of these men were in their seventies and eighties, though a few middle aged guys were wearing them as well.

Alas, I did not have my trusty camera with me to record this for the lounge!

Tomorrow, all those bowlers will go back in the closet, and the streets of London will once again be filled with hatless heads, and a few proud souls, such as myself, modeling a fedora, or as they call them here, Trilbys.

Is there a difference between a trilby and a fedora? The one fellow wearing one didn't seem to know.

 

[Harp]

Bowler

The bowler is the civil dress hat for the Coldstream Guards Regiment,
which accounts its continued wear in the UK.

 

[Topper]

Bowler and Umbrella are what is called "proper order of dress" in civies for The Guards Regiments of the Household division. Though is used extensively by other ex-military and also by non-military people.

Over the last number of years old service personnel I believe are provided with berets for the parade. Though some still prefer to wear Bowlers.

The Difference between a Trilby and a Fedora, is that the Trilby has a smaller brim.

 

[Micawber]

Bowlers are often worn by show judges and stewards at agricultural shows an dthey can also be seen at some equestrian events too The gamekeepers at Holkham Hall in Norfolk not far from me wear bowlers (or Coke's). So they are still out there but no longer essential or de rigeur wear for city gents.

 

[Micawber]

Hers's a short video showing the salute being taken at a local Remembrance Day parade yesterday.

<embed width="430" height="355" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" src="http://s113.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid113.photobucket.com/albums/n231/CARH9802/Parade.flv"></embed>

 

[DOUGLAS]

That is very nice Micawber!! Thanks for showing that.

 

[Rick Blaine]

Thank you

...Micawber, so much for posting that!

Regards & best wishes-

R

 

[Micawber]

Glad you enjoyed it. Here is a little more 'bowler action' as captured by me during the summer..

<embed width="430" height="355" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" src="http://s113.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid113.photobucket.com/albums/n231/CARH9802/SPHSSP2006.flv"></embed>

 

[Shanghailander]

Well, that explains why so many were wearing bowlers. And also, despite the nice weather, why there were more than a few umbrellas. (Though the latter are always a good precaution, given the weather I have experienced here.)

Here is shot of bowlers for sale at the Portobello Road market.

I have left the UK and am now in Hong Kong, headed for Shanghai, a city which is legendary in my own family history.

 

[Topper]

A Gentleman always has an umbrella, it is considered a necessity.....

When it starts to rain..... one extends one rignt arm with umbrella still furled and pointed skyward and shouts in a loud superior voice "Cabbie!"

Pip-pip

Doug