Seeing as Michael Jackson wore a fedora as one of his signum attributes i just had to have something about the hat here (there was a couple of Michael Jackson documentaries on TV recently).
After all, is there any head gear more iconic for male wearers?
It looks darn good on women too, possably because it has such male insinuations.
A fedora ( /fɨˈdɔːrə/) is a felt hat most commonly worn by men. The term is usually generic, describing any men’s hat that does not already have another name; a few fedoras have names of their own, including the trilby.
The hat is typically creased lengthwise down the crown and “pinched” in the front on both sides, though the creasing does not define the hat. Fedoras can also be creased with teardrop crowns, diamond crowns, center dents, and others, and the positioning of pinches can vary. The typical crown height is 4.5 inches (11.4 centimeters).
The brim is usually approximately 2.5 inches (6.3 centimeters) wide, but may be wider, can be left “raw edged” (left as cut), finished with a sewn overwelt or underwelt, or bound with a trim-ribbon.
The term fedora was in use as early as 1891. Its popularity soared, and eventually it eclipsed the similar-lookingHomburg (which is also a type of fedora). Fedoras can be found in nearly any color, but black, grey, tan (“fawn”), and dark brown are the most popular.
Iconic
The word fedora comes from the title of an 1882 play by Victorien Sardou, Fédora, written for Sarah Bernhardt. The play was first performed in the United States in 1889. Bernhardt played Princess Fédora, the heroine of the play, and she wore a hat similar to what is now considered a fedora. The fedora had been a female fashion. When the fedora became a male fashion item in the late 19th century, it was popular for its stylishness and its ability to protect the wearer’s head from the wind and weather. Since the early part of the 20th century, many Haredi and other Orthodox Jews have made black fedoras normative to their daily wear.
The hat is sometimes associated with the era of Prohibition, Great Depression–era gangsters, and detectives. Film stars in the 1950s popularized the fedora in their movies. In past Hollywood movies, the fedora was widely worn. In the late 1950s, the hat began to lose favor in the West due to the advent of more casual clothing.
The fedora enjoyed a revival only a few years after its waning popularity, dating back to the mid-1970s. The fedora as a personal statement has made impacts on American and global culture: Indiana Jones popularized his fedora in the Indiana Jones franchise.Among historical figures: Coach Tom Landry wore a fedora while he was the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. It would later become his trademark image. A cenotaph dedicated to Landry with a depiction of his fedora was placed in the official Texas State Cemetery inAustin at the family’s request. In addition the Cowboys wore a patch on their uniforms during the 2000 season depicting Landry’s fedora. Michael Jackson frequently wore a fedora in public appearances, concerts and video clips. In the television series Fringe, the mysterious figures, the Observers, all wear fedoras. In Phineas and Ferb, the pet platypus Perry, who is a secret agent, is known for wearing a fedora.
Combining and composing
Usually when i think of a fedora i think suit or zoot suit but it is amazing with what you can actually combine it to create a very special look.
Thinking back i HAVE seen it worn with almost everything.
These sets of attributes are so known that almost anyone on earth would recognize them even without a person in them.
They are like iconic attributes, brands or logos.