Bowler Hats

The bowler hat, also known as a Bolo hat, or Derby hat (USA),is a hard felt hat with a rounded crown, originally created by the London hat-makers Thomas and William Bowler during 1849.It has traditionally been worn with semi-formal and informal attire. The bowler, a protective and durable hat style, was popular with the British, Irish, and American working classes during the second half of the 19th century, and later with the middle and upper classes in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the east coast United States.

Extended reading：

What is the Difference Between the Bowler Hat and Derby hat? It’s a good question with a simple answer: absolutely nothing, besides the name. Bowlers and derbies are actually the same hat, the only difference is “Bowler Hat” is the British name and “Derby Hat” is the American name.You need to understand that a Google search for “Derby hat” in the United States might result in “tea party hats”, a royal fancy hats.
So, if you are trying to decide which to wear, a bowler hat vs. a derby hat, there’s really nothing to decide on other than what name you choose to use.

Why different names for the same hat? It’s really just how things worked out as the hats became popular in both countries. People called them Bowlers in the UK, and Derby hats here in the US due to how they originated and were used.

Bowler Hats Vs. Derby Hats: History and Significance

The bowler hat was first introduced in the 1850s by a London hat company owned by the Bowler brothers. It was commissioned, according to some research, for gamekeepers riding on horseback. The taller top hats were frequently knocked off by low-hanging branches, therefore a lower-sitting hat was necessary.

Bowler hat vs. Derby hat and parts of the hat.

What’s the difference between the bowler vs. the derby hat? Both are the same, it’s just the name that is different.

You can probably guess why these hats are interchangeably referred to as the Bowler or Derby hat now. The first name comes from the hat company that first launched the design. The second comes from its use. These hats were worn by derby riders because they were less likely to be knocked off and just worked better when riding on horseback.

Notable wearers：

John Hartford American folk, country, and bluegrass composer and musician wore a bowler hat.

Notable comic book characters who wear bowler hats include Timothy “Dum Dum” Dugan (Marvel Comics), Thomson and Thompson and Professor Calculus from The Adventures of Tintin series, and the Riddler (DC Comics).

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