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The fedora is a soft felt hat that is creased lengthwise down the crown and pinched in the front on both sides. Similar hats with a C-crown (with an indentation for the head in the top of the crown) are occasionally called fedoras. more...
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The fedora is supposed to have been invented in the mid-1910s, but the term fedora was in use as early as 1891.
Beginning in the 19th century, the fedora came into use as an upper-class clothing accessory. Hats that resemble the soft felt version are often called fedoras even if they are made of straw or twill. The fedora is usually worn by men, but ladies' versions can also be found. On some fedoras, small feathers are inserted in the hatband; these fedoras are called trilby hats.
Background
The word fedora comes from the title of an 1882 play by Victorien Sardou. Princess FĂ©dora, the heroine of the play, wore a hat similar to a fedora.
In the early part of the twentieth century, the fedora was popular in cities for its stylishness, ability to protect the wearer's head from the wind and weather, and the fact that it could be rolled up when not in use. The hat is sometimes associated with Prohibition-era gangsters and the detectives who sought to bring them to justice.
The popularity of the fedora has resulted in a large variety of styles being available. Fedoras can be found in nearly any color imaginable, but black, grey, and tan/brown are the most popular.
In the U.S., fedoras were considered an essential part of the suit and of business and formal attire. Most men did not go outside without wearing one.
In Hollywood movies of the 1940s, characters often wore a fedora, particularly when playing private detectives, gangsters, or other "tough guy" roles. A trench coat was frequently part of the costume, a notable example being Humphrey Bogart's character in Casablanca or The Maltese Falcon. The fedora is closely associated with film noir characters.
Like the bowler hat, the fedora fell out of usage and popularity during the late 1950s-early 1960s; the hat began to lose favor even earlier on the West Coast, which is known for its more casual clothing. The early 1950s switch from large lapels and ties to thin ones, resulted in shorter-brimmed hats, and this likely played a role in the fedora eventually being deemed a non-essential item. Also playing a part was the shrinking automobiles of the mid-50s, which often made it difficult to wear a hat while driving. Fedoras have staged something of a comeback as of the 2000s. Since the early part of the 20th century, many Haredi Jews have worn black fedoras and continue to this day.
The demise of hat use by American men was quite abrupt. One hypothesis explaining the sudden shift places the date for the change as 20 January 1961 when John F. Kennedy chose not to wear a hat to his inauguration. The speculation is that men decided if the President didn't have to wear a hat, then they didn't have to put up with the bother of doing so either. By reason of this myth, it is thought to be easy to date a picture that shows groups of American men as before or after 1961 by the proportion of hats worn. There is ample photographic and journalistic evidence of President Kennedy indeed wearing a top-hat to his inauguration ceremony, only removing it when he gave his speech.
Read more at Wikipedia.org
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