Hat Life Article on England's Bowler Resurgence

[Brad Bowers]

Here's a nice article on what looks to be a possible Bowler Revival overseas. A big thank you goes out to all of our pals on the other side of the pond for doing your part to bring them back (and that includes you folks on the Continent)! Let's see a resurgence of Derbies here in the States!

Brad "Doing My Part" Bowers

 

[zetwal]

Interesting! who would have guessed it?

 

[The Good]

Great to hear! Bowlers are nice hats, and I agree they should be brought back into public use, at least somewhat. I don't own one, but I wouldn't be opposed to wearing one myself if I could get the right one at the right price. Until then, for me it's fedoras and homburgs.

 

[danofarlington]

Here's a nice article on what looks to be a possible Bowler Revival overseas. A big thank you goes out to all of our pals on the other side of the pond for doing your part to bring them back (and that includes you folks on the Continent)! Let's see a resurgence of Derbies here in the States!

Brad "Doing My Part" Bowers

One of our German friends, a lawyer, can't remember his name but it starts with D, is a big bowler fan (Dreispitz?). I thought he was the only one over there in a bowler. But if it's a trend, that would be interesting. Wearing a bowler is a more daring proposition it seems to me than wearing a fedora. It's outside that zone. So, takes more guts to wear. I would like to see that social change in Europe--to me it would mean a real change in style possibilities that would reinforce the same kind of change here. That would be fun to watch.

 

[Barrelhouse]

[There] looks to be a possible Bowler Revival overseas.

Well its about time!! :eusa_clap:eusa_clap

 

[Torpedo]

I must say I have seen low-quality bowlers (wool, softy items - just a few notches over costume items) on the heads of mannequins in a couple of apparel chain stores here in Spain, sharing space with fedora examples, but none actually worn.
I have a couple of bowlers, one a black, classic, vintage, British item, and the other a brown, modern, US-made item (whose quality and shape has nothing to do with the former, but decent enough). I do have them in the rotation. I wear them with dressy combos, for me the casual ones do not work, but that's just me - I feel the same as regards to homburgs. The brown one seems to go well with a feather, too.

 

[Italian-wiseguy]

Weird as it may sound, I met two guys wearing bowlers this week (well, as you can see I myself own one, nor that I dare to wear it in public);
so, maybe there's actually a trend of sort.

When I was a kid, the only man wearing a bowler in the little town in which I was living, was (I swear) an ex-con with legendary ability with guns; I guess nobody made stupid comments about his hat...

Ciao!

 

[mayserwegener]

I decided to wear my Stetson Flexible Conforming Derby last evening. It did draw some second glances but not any comments.

 

[Nick D]

"The bowler was made famous by Charlie Chaplin and Laurel and Hardy"

Rather, we remember bowlers today because of them. I've seen a few low-end bowlers on girls at the Uni, but I haven't seen a real bowler on a gent in a while. I wear mine a few times a month.

 

[Mobile Vulgus]

Rather, we remember bowlers today because of them.

I agree. Saying that Chaplain and Hardy "made bowlers famous" when the hats were around for decades before either film star used them in films is a bit much.

 

[herringbonekid]

over here the bowler is indelibly associated with a certain type of reserved, stiff-upper-lipped, umbrella and briefcase wielding businessman who died out when the groovy 60s moved in. today in London you're more likely to see a bowler on a trendy young skinny-trousered hipster ragamuffin or dandy-eccentric than on the type of man who would have worn it in the 30s-60s. in fact does that type of man even exist anymore ?

 

[danofarlington]

over here the bowler is indelibly associated with a certain type of reserved, stiff-upper-lipped, umbrella and briefcase wielding businessman who died out when the groovy 60s moved in. today in London you're more likely to see a bowler on a trendy young skinny-trousered hipster ragamuffin or dandy-eccentric than on the type of man who would have worn it in the 30s-60s. in fact does that type of man even exist anymore ?

Ah, the ground truth intercedes. But, it is interesting to see people motivated to wear them, do what they can with them. You've got to be stylin' and be ready to be a pioneer. I would expect that bowler wearers would receive some approval and some mockery. But the better one looks in on (like in the photos above), the more approvals one will get. The hipsters have broken the ice! Now others can rush in with their bowlers. I believe that's how new styles catch on.

 

[Hal]

over here the bowler is indelibly associated with a certain type of reserved, stiff-upper-lipped, umbrella and briefcase wielding businessman who died out when the groovy 60s moved in.

While this is true, it was also the standard headgear - right across the class and sometimes even the age divide - at funerals in the former mining areas of north-east England and south Wales (possibly also west-central Scotland) until the 1980s at least.

 

[Brad Bowers]

I have yet to receive any mockery for mine, and get nothing but compliments. In fact, I get more compliments on my Derbies than any other hat I've ever worn.

Brad

 

[Edward]

I'm racking my brain to remember the last time I saw one.... I think apart from them being used as an unofficial non-uniform uniform for men serving with or former members of one of the Guards regiments (photos exist of Harry and William Wales wearing them in connection with functions relating to their military service), I've only seen them sported by various hipster (oh oh!) types, mostly in a way that hints more at Malcolm McDowell than Charlie Chaplin. the vast majority of the ones I've seen in shops have been in the various t shirt and cap emporia at the cheaper end of Oxford Street, mostly among the hip hop regalia. Cheaper, wool items of course. I can only assume, though, that they're mostly bought by tourists, as I have never seen them worn with anything like the frequency that their continuing availability in such places would suggest.

I'm really not a fan myself - just never could like them, I'll take a homberg every time - but I certainly wouldn't object to them coming back. More hats is always good. If this is to happen on any significan level, though, foreign production will be inevitable.

 

[mayserwegener]

I have yet to receive any mockery for mine, and get nothing but compliments. In fact, I get more compliments on my Derbies than any other hat I've ever worn.

Brad

I agree. I have only received positive comments and I wear mine in casual situations.

I think in the US they don't have the upper crust association they have in England although I have to believe some working class people in England wore them too.