Pork Pie Hats

Pork Pie Hats

Thought to have been named after the famed Melton Mowbray pork pies (a delectable pork-filled English pastry) they resemble, the modern Pork Pie Hat design features a round crown with flat top and straight sides (aka "telescope" crown), and short upturned brim.

The hat style originated in mid-19th century England as part of women's fashion. Women's Pork Pie Hats, however, were much smaller and worn toward the front of the head in order to accommodate the large updo hairstyles of the era. Their popularity soon grew and spread to menswear, albeit larger in size and decorated with a ribbon hat band tied at the back (closer in design to the modern Pork Pie). The style experienced a revival in the early 20th century when actor Buster Keaton adopted and revived the style. The rest, as they say, is fashion history.

The humble Pork Pie has experienced many revivals over the years and has many associations across popular culture including Prohibition era gangsters, Zoot suits of the 1940s, Jazz and Blues music, and the Jamaican "rude boy" subculture. The hat style has also been a regular fixture in Hollywood over the years, notably worn by actors Art Carney as Ed Norton in The Honeymooners, Gene Hackman as Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle in The French Connection, and Robert De Niro as Johnny Boy in Mean Streets. Most recently, the Pork Pie Hat was rediscovered by a whole new generation thanks to AMC's 2008 drama, Breaking Bad, wherein the protagonist, Walter White wears the style when moonlighting as his alter ego, Heisenberg.

Looking for a wool felt, straw, fur felt, or crushable Pork Pie Hat? At Village Hat Shop you will find those and more from leading hat brands including Bailey, Kangol, Bigalli, and more! Find your next Pork Pie Hat today!

Other famous Pork Pie Hat wearers: Lester Young, Frank Lloyd Wright, Robert Oppenheimer

See Also: Stingy Brim Hats, Trilby Hats, Gambler Hats, Bolero & Gaucho Hats