The Trilby Hat

Frank Sinatra

A trilby hat (or simply trilby) is a type of hat. Although also used as a synonym for a short-brimmed fedora in the United Kingdom, the trilby is distinguished by a very narrow brim that is sharply turned up in the back and a short crown, which is pinched in the front and indented into a teardrop shape in the center. The hat's name derives from the stage adaptation of George du Maurier's 1894 novel Trilby; a hat of this style was worn in the first London production of the play, and promptly came to be called "a Trilby hat".

Traditionally it was made from rabbit hair felt, but is now sometimes made from other materials, including tweed, straw and wool. The hat reached its zenith of popularity in the 1960s, when it supplanted the wider brimmed fedora; the steadily lowering roofs of previously taller American automobiles made it impractical to wear a hat with a larger brim and tall crown while driving. It faded from popularity in the 1970s when any type of men's headwear became obsolete, and men's fashion instead began focusing on highly maintained hairstyles.

Read more »

Fedora and Trilby Hats – What’s the Difference?

A debate is beginning to develop over what constitutes a fedora. The two have almost become homogeneous due to the changes they have gone through since they were regarded as de rigueur for any self-respecting gentleman. In fact you would be more than forgiven should you not be able to pick out the aesthetic differences between the two.

So next time that impeccably dressed man at the bus stop asks you the differences between a fedora and trilby, simply quote the following. A fedora is conventionally defined by its wider brim, band and bow. Trilbies in contrast possess a narrower brim and ribbon. The confusion between the two has really developed as more American designed trilbies have a wide ribbon similar to that of the classic fedora.
The wide ribbons are not the only feature that has muddled many a man; brim size and crown heights have also become part of the grey area. This trilby-fedora hybrid has laid waste to the pronounced wide brim fedora of yesteryear. Luckily in this case half measures very much do avail with the modern fedora suiting 21st century sartorial dress to a tee – combining very well with the clean cut and slim line approach that so often epitomises the term well dressed.

Read more »