We ve all seen those classic gangster hat s in films it s usually a Homburg or a Fedora. Surprisingly they re back in fashion and very much in vogue amongst today s style conscious male. Back in 1920s America were a vital addition to the wardrobe of any criminal businessman whereas now they are very much part of the current fashion aesthetic.
Fedoras can be identified as they are a more foromal style of black hat with the trademark front to back crease, pinched front and a wide brim. In films these would usually be worn by both criminals and police along with a trenchcoat. The homburg is similar in style to the fedora in that it is made with the same material, however there are no pinches and quite often the brim was turned up all the way round the head. The famous homburg worn in The Godfather is slightly different as it has a wider brim and is more drastically turned up around the sides.
These old style homburgs and fedoras were manufactured even before their gangster heyday. The gangster fedora started to come into fashion as far back as the end of the 19th century and had a broad appeal. It was only around the time of prohibition that the hats started to become associated with gangsters. The style of fedora hats gradually changed over the years, eventually becoming a bit taller with a smaller brim around the 1950s. The choice of colours has also increased substantially in the present day.
There are so many variations in shape and style that affect the height and brim of the hat. During prohibition era America, the gangster hats tended to have wider brim as well as a shorter crown than the mafia style hats that were more prominent around World War 2. Both variations of this hat came in black, brown and flat gray however these days the selection of colours is much more wide ranging. There are even versions of the gangster hat available for women. This style has become popular thanks to the music industry popularizing smaller models for young girls.
The manner in which a fedora of homburg was worn often signified something about the wearer. Tilting the hat as appropriate could produce a rebellious, dangerous effect. Likewise they could also be handled in such a way to convey oneself with a stylish and classy manner. Today there are few rules of etiquette for wearing a hat, however back in the day it was the done thing to remove it when indoors or in the presence of a lady.
Gangster hats used to be worn so that they would complete a formal look and style. Around the 1920s Gangsters wore their top of the line homburgs and fedoras were worn with trendy suits. Al Capone in particular was well known for wearing highly expensive suits as well as silk shirts and ties. These days the fashion is for gangster hats to be won with quirkier modern suits as well as sneakers or perhaps even informal everyday outfits.
Author Resource:
Dave Matthews is writing on behalf of Room 14 (http://www.room14menswear.co.uk), an online retailer of stylish designer clothing for men.
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