What Year Were Fedoras First Made?

A fedora is a hat that was originally worn by men but has now become popular with both sexes. It was first made in the style we know it today in the early 1910s, with the exact year impossible to pin down. Fedoras were associated with black and white movie detectives and gangsters of the 1940s and fell out of favor before making a comeback.

Identification

Fedoras were almost always made out of soft felt but can be made of many materials now, including straw and other fabrics. A fedora has a crease down the length of its crown and has a brim that goes all the around the hat. Sometimes the brim can be turned down on the front portion of a fedora. They can also have a hat band that encircles the entire crown.

History

The famous French actress Sarah Bernhardt starred in a play in 1882 wearing a hat that closely resembled a fedora. Hats such as those had no special name but when Bernhardt wore it the hat began to be closely associated with the name of her character in the production. The character's name was Princes Fedora, and the hat has been called that ever since.

Effects

The fedora was modified into its present form in the 1910s and it quickly became a favorite among men. They could wear it in their automobiles because of its compact style. Few men failed to wear a hat during this time period and the fedora was the hat of choice. It became even more in demand when it started to show up in the movies in the 1930s and 1940s, with notable actors like Humphrey Bogart and Jimmy Stewart sporting them in their films.

Time Frame

The fedora began to lose its appeal as the 1960s dawned. Cars became more compact and it became a chore to be able to wear a fedora while driving. As hats became more of an optional accessory the fedora was all but forgotten. The only people who wore one did so as a throwback tribute to the old movies.

Considerations

Ironically it was another movie that began the comeback of the fedora. "Raiders of the Lost Ark" starring Harrison Ford as globetrotting archeologist Indiana Jones did more for the fedora than anyone could have ever imagined. Jones always had his fedora on the movie franchise, which consisted of four films over a period of almost three decades, gave the fedora exposure to a whole new generation. Fedoras started to be worn again, with girls taking a liking to them as well.