Top hat
This example shows the enduring style of the man's silk top hat for formal occasions into the 20th century. Here, the brim has evolved from a looser roll seen in the 19th century into a tight roll at the sides, faced with grosgrain ribbon. In the 1930s and early 1940s, the "topper" was still considered a necessary element of men's formal evening wear worn with a white tie, white vest and tail coat as other parts of the ensemble.
Artwork Details
- Title: Top hat
- Designer: Dobbs (American, New York)
- Date: ca. 1940
- Culture: American
- Medium: silk, fur, wool
- Credit Line: Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Evelyn Metzger, 1992
- Object Number: 2009.300.2235
- Curatorial Department: The Costume Institute
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