A sign of its time.
Recognized as a quintessential symbol of Englishness, a bowler hat evokes images of a businessman striding purposefully through the city of London, briefcase and umbrella in hand, black like the bowler hat on his head.
During its 150-year history, the bowler hat played so many different roles that it has become ingrained in people’s minds all over the world. The instantly recognizable silhouette of this distinguished hat has illustrated life-styles in nineteenth and twentieth century society, and like a comedian, it has played many roles making people laugh or cry.
Charlie Chaplin in his role as the tramp in 1915 made the bowler hat his trademark. City gentlemen degraded to tramp, or tramp turned gentleman – who knows?
The bowler hat has been described, by turns, as stylishly sportive, light-heartedly funny, regimentally sober, modern and progressive, politically conservative and comfortably reassuring. Chameleon-like, it has changed its image, adapting itself to place and time.
