At the turn of the century, hats were quite the fashion statement.

Al Capone, with fedora

Men often wore fedoras, which could be year-round attire. These hats, which came into fashion in the late 19th century and never went back out of style, have been a favorite of gangsters, Orthodox Jews, and Prince Edward.  In later years, women wore fedoras too – quite possibly this trend began with Ingrid Bergman’s glamorous appearance in Casablanca.

Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart

In 1900, it was not unusual to see top hats, particularly amidst the more well-to-do. These days, top hats are mostly associated with Abraham Lincoln and Uncle Sam, but they were frequently worn as formal wear well into the 20th century.  Top hats were also known as stovepipe hats.

Top hat and bow tie, rescued from the Titanic wreckage
Photo from telegraph.co.uk

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