History of the Trilby Hat

Trilby hats are often confused with fedora hats. A trilby is a kind of hat that you can easily distinguish because of its noticeably short brim angled down at the front and slightly facing up at the back.

Trilby hats first became famous during a stage adaptation of George du Maurier’s 1894 novel Trilby, and it soon became popular using the book’s name. The hat is traditionally made with rabbit fur. However, modern trilbies are now manufactured from tweed, wool, or straw. 

To learn more about how the Trilby hat became popular, let us look at a more in-depth history of this hat. 

The Trilby Hat in the Past

The Trilby hat emerged during the end of the 19th century when it was first used in the stage adaptation of the novel Trilby. Later on, the hat became extremely famous and reached the peak of its popularity in the 1960s. This is because low clearance automobiles allowed men to wear short-crown hats while they are driving instead of long-crown hats like fedoras. 

Starting from that point, the Trilby hat gained a huge demand since it was first seen in the stage play. During the 21st century, it is still a staple and more known to be used by famous musicians. 

Iconic Places to Buy A Trilby Hat From

Of course, this blog won’t be completed without letting you know about the iconic stores that sold Trilby hats in the past. These iconic stores played a massive role in popularizing this hat style. 

Bates Hats

This store was founded way back in 1989 in London, England, by Edward Bates. He also has a partner. Bates Hats became a well-known hat maker in the industry, and they are one of the manufacturers of high-quality trilby hats. 

Borsalino

Borsalino was created in 1857 by Giuseppe Borsalino. It is located in Alessandria, Italy, and they have been building a famous hat empire ever since. They are known to be one of the revolutionizers of the hat industry, not just in Italy but also all over the world. Borsalino is one of the makers of the finest Trilby hats. 

Christys’ London

This hat shop was made in 1773. It is still standing as of now and became one of the essential pillars of the hat industry. They also make the best trilbies all over the world! 

Laird Hatters

Laird Hatters is a ready-made hat maker that was founded in 2009. They are located in London. Although they are still young and technically a pretty new brand, they have already made a statement in their different designs, especially with trilby hats. 

Lock and Co Hatters

This hat shop was established in 1676 in London. They are considered to be one of the oldest hat makers in the whole world. The founding family is currently managing this company, and you can still see traces of their practices in their newest designs. They are famous for their trilby hats and also for their iconic Coke hat! 

Knowing the history of the trilby hat is essential, especially if you love the style. You can wear your trilby hat with more pride next time, knowing the rich history of where it came from.