THE ORIGIN OF THE TOP HAT.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XIV, Issue VI, 9 February 1895, Page 127

THE ORIGIN OF THE TOP HAT.

The evolution of costume during the Victorian era was, on the whole, in the direction of simplicity. Gentlemen’s Court dress retained the cocked hat and knee breeches of the eighteenth century, but the lace cravats, and diamond shoe buckles disappeared, and for variously coloured silk coats was substituted, about 1845, a dark brown cloth or black velvet. With regard to morning wear, the traditions of the Regency were preserved, at the beginning of the reign, in the dark blue or green frock coat, the high and voluminous neckcloth, the gorgeous waistcoat, and the Hessian boots. Another style of dress was a military coat, frogged with braid and velvet. Of an evening, coloured coats and trousers, the former with velvet collars, and the tails faced with silk, though going out of fashion, were still worn. This magnificence, was, however, a survival ; and before the ‘titties’had waned black eloth became the rule both by night and day. An essential feature of modern costume appeared about 1840, when the tall silk hat invaded England from France, and promptly replaced the beaver. This unbecoming and inconvenient head-gear, thongb its shape varied from time to time, continued to exercise a relentless despotism. In most respects the business man of 1847 looked much like his successor of forty years later, though the more elderly clung to the stock instead of the silk tie, worn first in a bow, and afterwards in a sailor's knot, and gloves were invariably black, not tan-coloured. The details of the orthodox suit underwent, of course, numerous modifications ; the coat was worn now double and now single breasted, waistcoats were cut now high and now low trousers varied from loose to tight. The unofficial dress became altered in the direction of comfort. The Prince Consort popularised the ugly but useful felt bat or'billycock ; ’ coloured cloUi suits were to be seen in country towns, even on market days, though tbe City and Bond Street knew them not, and the lound tailless coat was no longer confined to boyhood.