How to Collect Top Hats
Familiarize yourself with good places to shop for hats. For new hats, check out stores that sell men's formal wear, while novelty and costume hats are available from costume and magic stores. Specialty hat stores will sell a wider variety of top hats in one place, including more formal hats made from higher quality materials, and if you are seeking antique top hats, check out vintage clothing sellers.
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Instructions
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Learn some of the history of top hats. Top hats started to become popular in Europe and the United States in the late 18th century and peaked during the 19th, so a historical collection may include hats ranging from this entire period and into modern day.
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Get hats made of different materials. Top hats have historically been made from a variety of materials, including felted rabbit or beaver fur and silk, so you may want to try to include such a variety of materials in your collection.
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Look for hats in different colors and styles. The most iconic color of a top hat is black, but formal top hats also commonly come in shades of gray or brown and are made in a variety of different sheens and textures. Styles also vary with different heights, different brim sizes, different angles in the "pipe" area, and different architecture, such as the classic collapsible opera hat.
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Add some novelty top hats to your collection, if you like. Comical and specialty hats have been inspired by the top hat design and include classics like the Mad Hatter hat, over-sized green St. Patrick's Day hats, Uncle Sam hats, and a magician's top hat (sometimes made with hidden compartments). If you like, pay homage to some of these classic, fun designs by including a few in your collection.
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Store your hats properly. Keep them in a proper brimmed hat box or on hat stands when not in use. If you're keeping them in an attic or any other area that might harbor moths, store them with cedar chips or other moth repellent products.
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