Frank Sinatra wore one. As did Indiana Jones. They wore them everyday. The Fedora was a staple of any self-respecting man's wardrobe back then and for very good reason, they just look good! Put aside the baggy jeans, or at least pull them up. Cast off the combat boots, leave them on the battlefield. Flip one of these classy lids on top of the noggin and change your life for the better!

HISTORY

     In 1888, Victorien Sardou's play 'Fedora' first premiered in the United States. The main character wore a very nice yet unusual hat. The name stuck to it and by 1907 men across the country wouldn't leave the house without one. By dressing tall, men walked tall. With a suit and well matched fedora, they felt more successful, looked like a somebody, they exuded that image with every step and it was made so. Not only were they worn for the look, the fedora had a few practical uses as well. The hat kept men's hair free and clean of the industrial dust that was prevalent in most major cities then. Lower profile automobiles of the era didn't leave much headroom for a top hat. With the fedora, gone was the frustration of picking one's hat out of a puddle when it was knocked off climbing into the car. Sadly, by the 1950's, the popularity of the fedora had declined. Only the older or more traditional men still donned them. They were all but gone by the mid 60's, but they had had an amazing run.

MAKING A COMEBACK

     Fashion trends work on a revolutionary cycle with only slight modifications to the original intent. This is proven with the return of the Farrah Fawcett hair style, Mark Wahlberg's intentionally ripped jeans, and the long flower child skirts. The sagging pants, complete with exposed underwear, will forever remain a mystery to fashion historians. The fedora is working its way back into America's heart. They are adorning more and more shelf space at leading and even discount retail stores. Internet sites featuring all the different types of these classy hats have multiplied exponentially and most have enjoyed an increase in sales of them. Fedoras are on their way back to the top. Literally! It could be that America has grown tired of going out into to public dressed like slobs. Or we just love to relate to our favorite characters, and carry always that feeling of blinking into the sunshine after a great movie

CELEBRITIES IN HATS

     No mention of a fedora would be complete without saying his name. Indiana Jones! Though he named himself after the family dog, he managed to bring a bit of elegance back into the world of archeology. Oddly enough, it never fell off of his head. Even after repeated beatings given by large Nazis. Bruce Willis wore one very well in the cult classic, Hudson Hawk. He and Danny Aiello brought that lighter feeling back into modern times with some well placed songs, and a cool hat. Songs that were sung by other proponents of the fedora, Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack! Frank, Dean and Sammy, all with different styles of hat, brought out their own personalities with well chosen and fit fedoras. Johnny Depp has worn one for awhile, now he joins the ranks of great movie men with great hats in Public Enemy. Elliot Ness, Rick Blaine, Marlon Brando. All of our greatest heroes wore them. Why shouldn't we all be heroes?

WHY TO WEAR 'EM

     For some, they are part of an almost everyday wardrobe item. Fedoras can show an appreciation of true style that just cannot be seen in tattered jeans and a concert T-shirt. They put some class and a little silliness into everyday life. These hats harken to a simpler time and have an interesting power hidden beneath the brim to relieve the worries of even the most troubling days. Invited to a wedding this weekend? Find a haberdasher, top that tux with a true American style and start sweeping those brides maids right out of their big, blue eyes. Entertaining the same trends over and again causes them to lose any flair they may have had. Fedoras have been packed away for quite a time. It's time they get the fresh air they deserve. Grab your hat before hitting the town, but it has to be done right!

HOW TO WEAR 'EM

     With so many types of fedoras, it is hard to find just the right one. A haberdasher is a professional in men's accessories. Johnny Depp should have consulted one, the wide brim and sloppy pinch does not fit his long, slender face. Any men's suit shop should have a haberdasher on staff or at least know a good one to refer. They will try out several, be patient, they are good at what they do. Like sunglasses, a well selected fedora should fit your face type. A stingy, or short brim, fits the more skinny faces. The wide brim is better suited for those with a more rounded face. The brim can be 'snapped' up or down in the front and in the back. Experiment to find what looks best. Once the right one is found, its time to give it a hint of your own personality.

     Originally, fedoras were sold with an open crown, meaning the tops of them were rounded with no dents. It was left to the wearer to make his own. Most fedoras now are sold with the bashes and pinches already in place. To really give the hat the style it deserves, and a true reflection of the wearer, it should be done by him. It is best to shape a fedora when its wet, not soaked, it will dry and keep the form given.

     First, a fedora is bashed. A bash is simply caving in the top of the hat. There are several styles. A front to rear trough is an easy one. Just karate chop the top straight down the center. Gently! A C-crown is accomplished by folding the crown down in a circle making a bowl. Then, press it on the head until the center of the bowl pops back up.

     Now, pinch it. Grasp the front of the newly shaped crown with index finger in the trough or C. With the thumb on one side and the rest of the fingers on the other, slowly sqeeze together. Stop when the shape of the pinch reaches the point desired. A wide pinch or a tight one, its experiment time again.

     As with all hats, etiquette is important. Especially with a classy fedora, they demand to be properly worn and carried. In the presence of a lady, its not on the head, its in the hands. Period. Tip the fedora to people around town, an appreciative smile to the polite gesture is the reward. In public areas indoors, such as lobbies, hallways, or elevators, it can stay on. Take it off in someones residence. Don't be rude. Grandma will hear of it. For the playing of the national anthem, passing of the flag, a funeral procession, or a formal photograph, it should be held in the hand. When the fedora is held in the hand, the lining should never be faced outward. Such a gesture is considered extremely uncouth. With a hat like the fedora, being rude or uncouth defeats the entire purpose of wearing one.

LET 'EM HAVE IT

     Now that you are armed with a new hat and a new attitude of confident success, show it! If you want to express yourself in your dress, do so with style and class. Wear some of that individuality on your head. A fedora can put a swing in your step and a tune on your lips! So, get out there and get noticed! HEY! Don't forget your hat!