Ascot Top Hats Ltd - Silk Top Hats for Royal Ascot, a top hat or bowler for any formal occasion

History
***********************News Release 16th June 2009*******************
The First Silk Top Hat Created 1793 by George Dunnage
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Silk hats first originated in Florence c. 1760 and are first documented in England in the early 1790'ies being made of a silk shag. The "top" hat evolved from the tall hat and the sytle was worn for many centuries beforehand. In the late 15th century El Escorial, Monasterio de San Lorenzo, shows in the bottom corner of the painting a man in what appears to be a top hat. After crowns worn by royalty, the top hat is possibly the most well known and illustrious piece of headwear of all time. The silk top hat as we know it today, with a hard (gossamer) shell with a covering of fine silk plush nap with a flat top became de rigueur from the middle of the 19th Century.

Top hats can be made from many materials, the fist ones were typically made from felt, either a wool, beaver or other fur felt. Though top hats have also been made of straw, leather and even wood. 1824 World of fashion mentions "Grey beaver hats, silk beaver or straw are worn in the morning". Incidentally the straw boater is just a low-crown, flat brim version of the old straw top hat!

What colour top hat

Top hats have not always been black. Top hats styles and colours went in and out with fashion through out the years. It was not uncommon to have hats made of white, grey, or dark shades of brown, tan, green and even maroon.

It was traditional within the mid 20th century that a grey top hat was only worn once a year with grey morning dress for Royal Ascot week. Now other colours are common place.

Due to WWII the supply of hatters plush from France and Europe was diminished, so the Associated British Hat Manufacturers with the help of the press and other celebrities, influenced the dress code of the time making grey toppers acceptable to wear at Royal garden parties and weddings as well as the traditional Royal Ascot week.

Opera hat

With the popular increase in top hat crown size, cloakrooms became overcrowded with large top hats. As with the previous era, when folding opera hats were popular (though bicorn shaped hats) a new invention of an elastic collapsible top hat appeared in 1812.

There were many forms of elastic hat including the circumfolding dress hat which folded sideways across the crown. The ultimate design was invented by the Frenchman, Antoine Gibus and was made with over a metal frame with springs that allowed the crown of the hat to fold down into the brim. He patented his final design in 1837 for the Gibus opera hat. The original design used napped silk plush, but because of cracking he changed to dull grosgrain silk.

Unlike silk plush top hats, opera hats are still being commercially manufactured to this day. If you have need of a new silk opera hat, or a satin opera hat please give us a call so we can discuss your requirements.

How to open your opera hat properly

Hold the closed hat in your right hand by the front of the brim.
Flick it open firmly by hitting the back of the brim against the palm of your left hand.
A lovely thwack! sound should be heard. Note: It is considered uncouth to punch out the crown, and may cause the hat to not open properly.

How to close your opera hat properly

Hold the open hat on both sides by the brim.
Rest the top of the crown on your chest.
Apply an inward pressure to close it evenly.

Top hats in the Commons!

Amongst some of the older traditions and customs of the House of Commons, one of the most unique was to do with hats. Up until 1998, top hats were kept in the Chamber if case Members of the House of Commons sought to raise a point of order during a division. The Member was required to wear a hat to signal that they were not engaging in the debate. So collapsible top hats were considered the best option, and were kept for this very duty.

Hat etiquette

Below are some etiquette points for doffing, or tipping one's Hat. Also detailed is information of when and where hats are permitted to be worn.

A gentleman will remove his hat for the national anthem, the passing of the flag and funeral processions unless they are in the military or clergy and on duty. Ladies likewise should remove any non-formal hat.
A gentleman will remove his hat in the presence of a lady out of courtesy and respect.
A gentleman should remove his hat when entering a normal building or reaching their destinations.
A gentleman will remove (unless they are in the military or clergy and on duty) his hat when entering a church, where as a lady may keep her hat on, provided it is a formal one.
A gentleman when paying calls, should take off his coat as entering the hall, but keep his hat in his hands until reaching the drawing room. He should await being offered to put it down by the host/hostess. The reason being that, the visitor is privileged to pay their respects, and should the time not be acceptable, then he should be ready to leave immediately. Hence the phrase: Having one's hat to hand.
A gentleman in the 19th centaury would always doff his hat to another gentleman of higher social status, or older age. This practice declined at the beginning of the 20th century, and by the end of WWII was very rare. Doffing if now the preserve for either meeting a personal acquaintance, of when members of the Royal family pass by.
A gentleman passing a lady of his acquaintance, should to doff or tip his hat to her in passing. If she stops to speak with him, he should remove his hat whilst standing together, but replace his hat when he (or they both) walk on.
A hat should be held in such a way that shows only the outside and not the lining.

The Mad Hatter

To soften fur felts, hat makers used a heated solution of Mercury nitrate which would be brushed on the pelt. The process was known as 'carroting', as once treated the fur turned an orange 'carrot' colour. In the USofA near Danbury, Connecticut, one of the centres of the hat fur trade, the condition became known as 'the Danbury Shakes' though the use of mercury nitrate in hat making was not banned in most States until December 1, 1941 by the United States public health service.

Mercury nitrate, whilst inorganic, was highly toxic. Due to the working conditions and lack of good ventilation, the hatters were being poisoned by the fumes from the mercury nitrate, which was able to travel to the brain, causing symptoms of drooling, trembling, memory loss and psychotic behaviour. So began the phrase Mad Hatter and Mad as a Hatter.

It can be backdated long before the popular Mad Hatter character in Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland published in 1865. The phrase was known to be in use in 1837, nearly 30 years earlier.

Famous top hats in history


John Bull, wearing a Yeoman Farmer. John Bull was created by Dr. John Arbuthnot in 1712. He used to wear a tricorne before the more memorable top hat	French magician, Louis Comte first pulled a rabbit out of a top hat in 1814	Mad Hatter, as illustrated by Sir John Tenniel in 1865	Uncle Sam, wearing a Wellington. Uncle Sam can be traced back to the war of 1812