- What is felt?
- The bowler hat - a stiff round felt hat
- The felt hat is nowadays a fashion accessory for both men and women
Help the development of the site, sharing the article with friends!
The hat or cap is an important fashion accessory that has practical, aesthetic and social significance. Headwear is quite diverse and plays an important role in fashion history, which unfortunately we cannot trace in this article. In today's post, however, we would like to tell you a little more about the felt hat and the bowler hat in particular.
The felt hat - a must in a woman's wardrobe
What is felt?
First we will answer the question what felt actually is.
Felt is a fabric with a long history. It is a versatile material. For industrial use, felt is made in factories, but in the past it was processed by hand. Felt can be made from just wool (sheep, camel, and goat hair) or fibers from the fur of other animals like beavers and rabbits.
When these fibers are moistened, compressed, and further processed by rolling, beating, or rubbing, they move and become entangled with one another. And so they form the so-called felt fabric.
The origin of felt is unknown but is believed to date back to prehistoric times in Central Asia. Felt was probably discovered by using wool to soften sleeping areas.
The reason why wool often shrinks when washed is that the fibers become matted
Advantages of felt
Warmth
One of felt's most notable qualities is its warmth. Because the fibers are meshed during the felting process and not woven together, there are no small gaps between the fibers that are common in weaving. Clothing made of dense felt is weatherproof, even in wind and cold. Felt is a great insulator and clothing tends to retain body heat.
Resilience
Felt clothing can last a long time with proper garment care and pest control. The felt is wrinkle-resistant, so clothes can look fresh even after frequent wear. Felt is more abrasion resistant than other wool fabrics, such as tweeds and
Felt is a good insulator. It is windproof and rainproof
Felt can be cut and will not fray. The dense felt is remarkably strong and cannot be pierced by arrows. This property was valued by many warriors in the past, which is why felt was used for light shields and armor back then. Thin felt can tear when stretched, but dense felt can be stretched and formed into various shapes such as hats, boots, and bags.
The bowler hat - a stiff round felt hat
The bowler hat is simply called melon in German and is a rounded felt hat. The bowler hat was first made in 1849 for Edward Coke, a British soldier and politician. He commissioned the new hat model from milliners Lock & Co. of St James's as a type of hard hat. The hat is close fitting and has a low crown to allow it to protect game wardens' heads. Before the bowler hat was designed, rangers wore top hats that were too tall, which was impractical and dangerous.
In the Victorian era, the bowler hat was the hat of the working class. Only later did it become popular with the middle and upper classes in Britain, particularly civil servants, clerks and bankers. Officers of the Royal Guard still wear them as part of their uniform. In the United States, the bowler hat was the most popular hat in the West, more popular than the cowboy hat or sombrero. Bowler hat was highly valued because it is close-fitting and stays firmly on the head even in strong winds.
The felt hat is nowadays a fashion accessory for both men and women
The felt hat is now a timeless fashion accessory for both men and fashion-conscious women. In this sense, the bowler hat still represents sophisticated British style. After decades of being a men's favorite, the bowler hat has been rediscovered for women. It gives the fashion-conscious ladies a simple fashion accessory that is versatile and goes with almost every outfit. Here are some reasons why a felt hat is a must have in your wardrobe.
- A bowler hat will give your outfit that certain something
A black t-shirt and a casual sweater are simple, everyday clothes that don't necessarily stand out, but are practical and comfortable. You can complement and spice up your simple outfit with a chic felt hat.
The melon is one great addition to your everyday wear
- A bowler hat can also be combined with elegant dresses
If you feel like dressing up and putting on an elegant dress, but you don't want to be overdressed, you can also grab a bowler hat. It can be combined not only with casual but also with chic outfits.
- The bowler hat is a classic
The bowler hat is definitely worth investing in, if not for its versatility but for the fact that it never goes out of style. Bridgette Bardot wore the bowler hat in the 1950s and this hat is still worn today by well-known celebrities such as Meagan Good, Mischa Barton, Rihanna and Beyonce.
If you would like to wear a felt hat, you will definitely find it at HUT.de! We hope you enjoy shopping online! Don't waste any more time and enjoy the beautiful autumn season!
