Hats and History

Abraham Lincoln's Top Hat (Mid-19th Century)

In the words of R. Turner Wilcox, author of the hat book classic THE MODE IN HATS AND HEADDRESS, "There is no doubt that hair arrangement and head ornament in fulfilling the desire for personal adornment antedates the wearing of clothing. No part of costume is so universally important as the headdress, which is worn even when body garments are disposed with, as the appearance of the aborigines abundantly proves. Coiffure and headatire in both sexes have from prehistoric times served to establish the individual's rank or position in society, to impress the lowly and to challenge the enemy."

"Mode, like history, repeats itself in a never-ending cycle. As the wheel of fashion turns, we have simplicity, ornamantation, over-elaboration, the fantastic and then around again to simplicity. The recurrence, however, of each distinct style is influenced and colored by a new period and enviornment and this fact contributes not only to its freshness and novelty but often to its charm."