National styles

[Alon]

Do different characteristics of fedoras have associations with a particular nation or era? Is there anything that is distinctively French or British or American about a hat?

Although I think that is an interesting question in itself, my purpose in asking it is because I'm trying to emulate a classic 1920's British look, something akin to Hugh Laurie's Bertie Wooster. Suggestions for particular features to look for in a fedora?

 

[Alon]

Bump...

I'm actually very curious to learn if there were particular styles in the UK, France, and the USA. Does no one have any information about this?

 

[Caparzo]

French Pub for French Flechet hat

 

[Edward]

I had the impression the Brits tended to wear a slightly smaller brim than the Americans, maybe due to there being less sun about over this way? I don't know how accurate I am in thinking that though - could be just the hats I've seen.

Again, no idea how accurate this is, but it seems to me from the old photos that hombergs were more common over here into the 20s, the Fedora more from the 30s. Maybe the influence of Hollywood movies bringing in an appetite for a more American style?

 

[Havana]

It's difficult to generalize but I think some national styles do exist at least in stereotypes if not in real life anymore. Here's brief list of what comes to my mind when thinking of national styles. Some of these are certainly cliches. British - trilbys, like the ones Connery sometimes wore as James Bond. David Niven always seemed to be in one, too. Irish - caps, floppy buckets or wool patch hats, just watch a film like The Quiet Man to see all of these. Germans, Swiss, & Austrians - in the Alpine regions: short brimmed woolen fedoras, usually green with large decorative pins instead of bows, short brimmed fedoras in the cities. Italians - Borsalinos, what else? Here in America, there is a great deal of regionalism when it comes to cowboy or western hats. I think this also shows up a bit with fedoras. In the South where I live, wider brims are the norm. No one will look twice if you walk down the street with a 2 5/8" brim but try a 2" or less and people will turn and stare. It seems that brim widths in the US and Australia grow and shrink according to your urban or rural setting.

 

[Fletch]

Hmm.

I was told that having the ribbon bow in back was a French touch, tho a few American hats of the 30s-50s era have it there.

Germans used to like their dress hats unlined. Strangely, tho, they preferred fully lined suit jackets.

The British style with a smaller crown, very tapered, is called a trilby.
In everyday Britspeak, trilby and fedora are synonyms.

Christys' "Classic Trilby"

 

[Baron Kurtz]

eh? I've rarely come across a tapered 30s or 40s British hat. Lower crown, yes. Stingier brim, yes. Taper? [huh]

There are most certainly regional characteristics - on terms of what was generally preferred by the gents of a particular region. Almost all the French hats i've come across have a low crown and wide brim. Makes for a very strange thing to wear, when used to high crowns and the same width brims. Very odd, indeed.

May i recommend this book:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mens-Hats-Cappello-Uomo-Bella/dp/0811810593/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201812034&sr=1-2

Has quite an excellent section on "regional" hats made by Borsalino and others.

bk