Which Came First, The Fedora or The Trilby?

Which Came First, The Fedora or The Trilby?

Which came first, the fedora or the trilby? By all accounts, the fedora was first. The word

fedora comes from the title of Victorien Sardou’s 1882 play called ‘Fédora’, which was written for famed French stage actress Sarah Bernhardt. In 1889, the play was performed in the United States with Bernhardt portraying the heroine Princess Fédora Romanoff. During the play, the influential entertainer wore a centre creased, soft brimmed hat and voila! A hat star was born.

In a similar fashion, the trilby hat also boasts literary and theatrical origins. Trilby hats got their name from the stage adaptation of George du Maurier’s 1894 highly popular novel ‘Trilby’ about bohemian Paris. During the London production of the play, the lead actress wore a short-brimmed hat with a sharp rear brim. It wasn’t long after this sartorial statement hit the stage that the ‘trilby hat’ became an increasingly common style in Britain.

The Fedora Hat

While the countless material and style variations add to the ongoing confusion when it comes to the trilby vs fedora debate, the latter are marked by a few key features: a pliable mid-sized brim; an indented crown, typically with a centre crease that is pinched on both sides; and wool-felt material.

Material The first traditional fedoras were really about the fabric, which was either a fur-felt or wool-felt. However, today’s fedoras are made from any number of materials including cotton, straw, tweed, hemp, leather, and wool-synthetic blends.

Crown Shape Fedoras no longer strictly follow the centre-crease crown style of yesteryear — there are tear-drop crowns, diamond crowns, and telescope crowns, just to name a few. Plus, the pinches can be positioned in a variety of ways to suit anyone’s style.

Brim Size Size matters when it comes to brims, and it’s the primary distinction between fedoras and trilbies. Most fedora purists will agree that the hat brim should be 2 inches or slightly bigger with the option to rock the brim snapped up or snapped down in the front, back, or all around. Wide-brim fedoras (3 inches or wider) are especially popular with women and come in a variety of styles, including floppy and raw-edge finishes.

Famous Fedoras There are many stars of cinema, music, and beyond who have immortalized the fedora, but perhaps none more than Frank Sinatra. (It’s no wonder fedoras are still sometimes referred to as the ‘Frank Sinatra hat’). Ol’ Blue Eyes epitomized the dashing style and swagger of the mid-century music scene, while Humphrey Bogart immortalized the fedora look in the 1942 Hollywood classic ‘Casablanca’. Years later, the fedora would resurface as a style front-runner thanks to Harrison Ford in Indiana

Jones, where he imbued the hat with a more adventurous twist. Fedoras reached their pinnacle of popularity in the 1960s, but they have made a major comeback in recent years, both as a nod to retro fashion as well as a way to express personal style and achieve a put-together look.

The Trilby Hat

There’s no denying that the structure of the fedora and trilby are similar in crown shape, but the similarities stop there. The trilby has a much narrower brim, earning it the moniker ‘stingy brim’ hat, which means it measures an inch-and-a-half or less. In this regard, the trilby is actually more like a pork pie hat than a fedora.

Material Unlike the fedora, fabric isn’t a defining characteristic of the trilby. Cotton, straw, wool, and leather are just some of the materials used to make this hat.

Crown Shape At first glance, it’s easy to understand why a trilby might be mistaken for a fedora. Both have crowns with a centre indentation and pinches at either side. But trilby crowns are typically pointier than fedora crowns.

Brim Size The short brim size of the trilby is its most defining feature. This stingy brim hat is indeed among the stingiest with virtually no protection for the eyes or face.

Famous Trilbies The 1980 comedy blockbuster “The Blues Brothers” also kept trilby’s on the map. Sure, it looked a bit silly to have such a small-brimmed men’s hat on a bulging John Belushi, but it also reminded audiences of a time when men’s style was more formal and they finished their look with a top hat, Panama hat, or some other stylish topper. In more recent years, Justin Timberlake has brought the trilby back, as have Madonna and Victoria Beckham.

Do It Your Way Now that you have a better grasp of the ongoing fedora vs trilby debate, it’s time for you to make up your own mind. If there’s one rule to remember, it’s this: A hat’s brim should be in proportion to your shoulders.

Most people are best suited for a mid-sized brim of 2 1/2 inches or bigger, I have plenty of wider brim hats for men and women. Whether your personal taste leans toward a Fedora or a Trilby. Visit my website Kerrydelphine.com

All my hats are made and modelled by myself, (as you can see, I had some fun playing around with different poses.) I have chosen 100% wool felts for winter and spring and straws for the summer. They are perfect for strolling around the town, taking the dog for a walk, or just relaxing in the sun. So come and visit my website and find your perfect Fedora or Trilby.

By Kerry Delphine a Milliner based in the Vienne