Hats!

I do apologize ladys and gents, but work has been quite hectic lately, and I have been unable to update. I will make it my goal to update more often.

Now, fot the much awated topic of hats.

Hats have been worn throughout history in every culture and serve very different purposes. I'm goin to focus only on a few styles of hat, though many do exist, and many would be appropriate for Victorian garb.

Many people when they try for Victorian garb, they automatically go for the top hat. This is unoriginal and often comes off as pretentious (though some men can get away with it, and it is a nice accessory to own and wear for special occasions). There are, however, many more options. One of the most vesatile and easily accessible hats is a flat cap. The flat cap is similar in construction to a baseball cap, but the crown fabric reaches to the edge of the brim. It is very classy, and can be worn by men in any rank in society. It's a nice going around town being outdoors, everyday kind of hat. It is perhaps one of my favorite. They also look good on any man and come fairly cheap and are found in many places.

A similar type of hat to the flat cap is the ascot cap. I honestly have no idea where the name comes from or if it shares any sort of similarity to the cravat of the same name. It looks like the flat cap but is made either of formed felt or of woven straw. They can be used in place of a flat cap.

Another one of my favorite types of hats is the derby or bowler (they're the same thing). The Bowler family's hat shop invented this style of hat in the mid-ninteenth century; it has nothing to do with bowling or bowling balls. Now my predilection for the bowler originates from John Steed (who though is not Victorian, no one would disagree that he is a dapper gent), and I even wear it cocked to the side like he did. This is a hat you can have fun with, though it is mainly a winter hat. It is also easily considered Victorian without being a top hat. Also, you can dress it up or down. Nice nice.

Top hats are always a tricky sort. Not very many men can pull them off. Either you look pretentious or you look like you are playing dress up. There are some rules one should follow when wearing a top hat. They were mainly for the rich or for formal wear, so if you are rish or going to a formal or semi-formal occasion, wear a top hat. I generally don't like them on me because they make my big head look bigger, but trying on various top hats if you have the opportunity to do so (which isn't often in today's world) you can find on that fits you better.

The boater, a straw brimmed hat with a flat crown is nice for someone who has a fun or saucy personality. No one will take you too seriously in a boater. It's a nice leisure hat, tough it is strictly for the summer.

Another typical hat to wear is the deerstalker cap which is stereotypically worn by Sherlock Holmes (though I don't think it ever mentions one in the books). It is a nice winter cap because it has flaps that come down and cover your ears. a pith helmet is a nice Victorian hat. You may think of it as something some safari guy would wear (and you'd be correct). These two hats are nice, but not eant for everyday wear. Actually, you will probably get Sherlock Holmes and safari comments all day if you do. Don't let this discourage you from what you want to wear, but just be aware of this fact.

The homburg and porkpie hats are nice semi-formal to occasional hats that were very common in the Victorian era, though they were more commonly associated with later time periods, so d mae sure that if this is your style, Victorianize the rest of your attire so people get it.

There are a few other styles of hats that fit this time period, and feel free to ask me more questions or even do further research on your own.

Also, do not wear fedoras! They were strickly women's wear until the 1930s.

How to care for your hat

Many times your hats are not washable, and sadly many times they are not even waterproof.

So what does one do? Well, scotchguard and foot odor spray. Do have a tester spot to make sure the sprays don't damage them, but they do work well.

Also, making friends with those in your local hat shop always comes in handy. They can usually do a nice stretching (if you do get your hat wet) or recommend some good products, reshapers, whatever.

Lint rollers don't usually work on hats, but wrapping a little tape around four of your fingers does the trick to daily cleaning off lint and such.

If you have a formal attire hat, please get a hat box for it.

All in all, hats generally aren't too bad to take care of.

Hat rules

In general and felt or fur hat is fall/winter wear and a straw, linen,or cotton (or satin or silk in case of formal hat) hat is spring/summer wear. We can be a little more flexable now-a-days, but you will actually feel more comfortable in a hat ment for the appropriate season.

Hats are outdoor wear. Simple.

I really should probably say to stick with black, brown, or grey hats, but you know, just have fun. It puts the punk in the steampunk. And we do this to have fun anyway.

Resources

Kangol hats are realy good quality, and they are a nice place to get flat caps and ascots.
http://www.kangolstore.com
They're nice and will last youa long time, though you really don't need to spend so much if you don't want. There are other options for those two types of hats. Try Target, for instance for something cheap. Or do what I did and go the middle route. I chose a flat cap by Scala wich is nice and classy and durable yet priced in the middle. You do get what you pay for, so keep that in mind.

My bowler is a Bailey bowler.
http://www.baileyhats.com
I love it. I's also a mid-priced hat, but it's been pretty durable and kept its shape fairly well. It's been easy to take care of. I love my bowler.

Though I have not actually had experience buying hats from these people, the Gentleman's Emporium looks nice and caters specifically to our Victorian style needs.
http://www.gentlemensemporium.com

Well, that about covers it. Enjoy putting stuff on your head, and have fun with it. Try out new things. See what is you.

That is all,
The Notorious Dr. Dietrich