Reviewing the Situation

This crumpled top hat makes a perfect hat for a late Victorian tramp.

or a Fagin like villain.

This well-battered grey top hat look takes time or skill to produce, or just luck but is perfect for theatre or larp.

Anyway, I now need to pick a pocket or two.

Putting on My Top Hat

This is typical average height black wool top hat is about the most common top hat you will find.

 On this hat the brim is turned up and the crown while still the top cylinder tapers out towards the top.

Top hat can be taller or lower than this, the cylindrical crown can taper in, be straight or in the case of mad hatter style top hats taper out even more, the brim can be flat or turned up, all these are variations are top hats, some have sub type names others are just a tall top hat or low height top hat.

The black felt top hat like this one has been around since about 1900 for funeral services and still in use today.

I consider a average height top hat to be between 12 and 13 cm high.

Topper

This photo of me was taken at Whitby where I spent the evening wondering about in a steampunk goth festival held there every year.

Top hats first appeared at the end of the 18th century and were very much an upper class status symbol or funeral hat worn by men, the best ones are silk rather than felt.

This hat is slightly battered ex-wedding top hat, the sort you pick up from a car boot for under five pounds.

This hat is 1/4" too big for me, but not complaining, cost next to nothing and does not fall over the ears, just uncomfortable to wear for long periods.

More about top varieties in a later posts