Top hat

Dobbs

ca. 1940 · silk, fur, wool · Costume Institute

This example shows the enduring style of the man's silk top hat for formal occasions into the 20th century. Here, the brim has evolved from a looser roll seen in the 19th century into a tight roll at the sides, faced with grosgrain ribbon. In the 1930s and early 1940s, the "topper" was still considered a necessary element of men's formal evening wear worn with a white tie, white vest and tail coat as other parts of the ensemble.

Artist

Dobbs

Date

ca. 1940

Medium

silk, fur, wool

Culture

American

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Evelyn Metzger, 1992