Know Your Hats...

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Quick Guide To Classic Hat Styles

When scanning the shelves filled with hats at the local shop or browsing through endless website selections, you may come across an array of unfamiliar hat types. While trying to keep up with the latest trends and styles in the hat world, you never know when an "oldie but goodie" will surface to set you apart from the rest. Below you will find some of the different kinds of hats that range from the 19th century to the hippest fashion statements of today.

Boater or Sailor: With a history starting around the mid-1800s, the boater is a stiff straw hat with a straight brim. The hat possesses a flat crown and ribbon band, which was primarily worn by children and women. The hat is also referred to as a sailor. When a brim turns up evenly about all sides, the hat is now called a Brenton Sailor.

Bowler or Derby: During the 1850s, the bowler showcased a hat made from hard felt. The aim of this particular model was to initially protect the head during sessions of horseback riding. The hat was produced with a low crown (shaped like a melon) and rounded brim that turned up at the sides. Women and children embraced the shape of this hat, which is also known as a derby.

Cloche: Originating from the 1920s, this soft style of hat is often made from a hood of chiffon or felt handkerchief. Possessing a flapper-like, boyish style, the hat covered the head to the neck in back, and also reached the eyebrows in the front. Today, this type of hat is custom-made to showcase buckets, feathers, cut-outs, bows, and appliqué.

Cowboy Hat: This wide hat with a rolled brim enjoyed a peak in popularity during the 1980s and continues to find a place with cattle herders and lovers of country and western music. This type of hat is also called a Stetson where women may spice up their appearance with ribbons, rhinestones, and flashy color schemes.

Fedora: This kind of men's hat is made from soft felt with a brim and possesses a crease that cuts lengthwise into the crown. Over time, women have embraced this style of hat to include flowers, peacock feathers, and colorful ribbons throughout the 2000s.

Panama: There are many different kinds of straw hats to consider, but the Panama is a hand woven selection made from the leaves of a plant native to Central and South America.

Pillbox: During the 1960s, Jackie Kennedy popularized the style of hat, which stood on the head like a small cap with a flat crown and straight sides.

Sun Hat: When it comes to working in the garden in style or lounging on a beach, this type of hat is often fashioned from cloth or straw and features an excessively sizeable down turned brim, which is great for keeping the sun out of the face.

Top Hat: Still a popular choice for the ultra-formal wedding and even making an appearance at high school proms, the top hat was a popular style of men's hat worn throughout the 19th and early 20th century. The hat is known to possess a tall style, flat crown, and broad-brimmed features. The Kentucky Derby and other events have seen its fair share of females wearing top hats with decorative lace, tulle, ribbons, and flowers.

by By MaryAnn Farnsworth About the Author: Red Hat Society Ladies stop by to see a wide variety of Red Hat merchandise. Be sure to sign up for free coupons and sale notifications too!

[Diane White]

Thank you for this article. You are adorable Kim. I can't wait to get back to Florida in September and send you a Side-cap! Even with sunscreen, messy under my bangs no less, I better rely some hats in Venice, and here in Niantic CT...just got back from the dermatologist. I am vigilant. I miss my convertible, I am such a Florida girl.
Sincerely
Diane White
www.Side-cap.com