When I say Fedora, you instantly picture a classic scene: It's dark, most likely raining, a siren wails in the distance and a soft plume of smoke rises from a cigarette as a man steps out of the shadows, wearing a trenchcoat and a slick, stylish fedora on his head with the brim pulled down low over his eyes. He says "Here's looking at you, kid." (clutch heart, faint.)
The Fedora almost has it's own identity - one it has maintained through various incarnations of pop culture trends but always staying true to it's basic message: Class. Contrary to popular belief, the Fedora was a popular women's style before it became the classic film noir calling card for men's fashion. The hat that we now call the Fedora existed before we called it the Fedora - most likely known as the Homburg, but the name Fedora stuck because of the popularity of one woman. In 1882 the tragic, dramatic stage and later silent screen actress Sarah Bernhardt starred as the heroine in a French play called Fedora, by Victorien Sardou, in which she played Princess Fedora. Bernhardt, a.k.a The Divine Sarah, was considered the most important actress of her time so even 100 years before Madonna, throngs of women were dressing like their idols. Women had been wearing widebrimmed, elaborate hats at the end of the 1800s and with the introduction of open-air cars and public transit - often quite crowded - you can imagine the potential problems. Also, men of society never stepped out without a hat so the practicality of the short brimmed, flexible fabric Fedora worked for everyone. The theme of the play Fedora was Nihilism and carnality (Madonna again anyone?) and she took her roles seriously. It was during this time that she acquired her famous coffin, in which she often slept in lieu of a bed, claiming it helped her understand her many tragic roles. In a performance of Fedora in Seattle in 1923, she arrived in true diva (pre-Madonna) fashion, entourage and all, in a special 12-car train comprising three Pullman cars, two private cars, a day coach, five baggage cars, and the engine. One of the Pullman cars was Mme. Bernhardt’s personal car, a traveling home “fitted up in the most elaborate style” as “a palace on wheels.”
Sarah Bernhardt, emoting the Drama
Today the Fedora has become a stylish accessory for men and women. The official definition of a Fedora is any hat creased down the center, pinched on both sides of the front and worn with the brim bent down low over the eyes. A similar style is the Panama hat - usually made of a lighter fabric or woven straw, with a fabric sash. Panama was the first stop for these hats first made in Ecuador and the term Panama Hats stuck as a result of President Theodore Roosevelt wearing the hat on a visit to the construction of the Panama Canal. The first Fedoras were made of a heavier felt leaving the Panama hat to become associated with the tropics, and any seaside locales due to it's lighter fabric. Both styles were and still are popular due to the ability to protect the wearer's head from the wind and weather, and the fact that they are great for traveling. Most versions of both styles can be rolled up for storage and easily pop back into shape. How many trends can you say that about?
