Top Hat with Business Attire?

[Abraham]

Would it ever be proper in this day and age to wear a black felt top hat with a conservative suit, overcoat and muffler in a formal, business setting? If the top hat is a bit too much, how about a bowler? I'm thinking of a crisp winter day in Manhattan or London. Thanks!

 

[newturnofphrase]

Top hat, no. For a formal event it might be acceptable. A bowler hat could be worn on the way to and from work, but hats generally aren't acceptable attire when you're actually in the office.

 

[Shangas]

Unless you're wearing the hat to a White Tie business dinner or something...no.

I'd stick with a homburg, bowler or a fedora.

 

[Otateral]

I'm not sure tophats are much acceptable in any situation, and will always draw attention. I say wear it when you don't mind the extra attention, but only if you personally like the hat and are comfortable saying "to hell with what you think." I wouldn't do it in serious or formal situations.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

I would agree that unless it's white-tie or some such, the top hat doesn't go along, but that's speaking from the rule book. Today isn't the age of such protocol, so you can do what makes you happy, unless it makes the boss unhappy

Personally, I think a fedora to and from work says 'I'm on my way to/from the office' like nothing else.

 

[Shangas]

In the old days, the top hat was worn with White Tie formalwear. If you were just going to and from the office, as Thomas says, then all you need is a fedora, or a homburg, or a bowler or something.

Putting a top hat might be acceptable if you're doing late-Victorian garb, with a frock-coat, cravat, wing-collar and kid-leather gloves, but otherwise...I'm not sure. Of course, this is just my opinion, you can do whatever you like.

But as others have said - wearing one will get you noticed, and will have comments fired at you. If you're willing to put up with that, then wear it. If not, then don't. It's just that some may consider it as you putting on airs and graces...

 

[Abraham]

Thanks for all the replies. From a historical viewpoint were top hats ever part of everyday business ware? What sort of hate would JP Morgan have worn to the office in NYC in 1900? A bowler? Thanks again.

I just found this picture of JP and his son Jack from 1913. Are those Chesterfield coats they are wearing? Jack is one of the few people I have ever seen that truly looks good in a bowler. I wonder if they are going to the office or to a social event?

 

[Shangas]

It depends on the TYPE of top hat.

The black silk/felt ones are strictly formalwear. But in Mid-Victorian times (ca. 1830s-1860s), the top hat was made in a whole variety of colours. Black, brown, grey, blue, red... And those were for everyday wear.

The type of top hat that most people think of today, the kind which rabbits hide inside, I think, would look out of place with a modern business-suit.

If you were dressing in say, a black three-piece vintage/vintage-style suit, then it might work, but I'm not sure.

 

[Chasseur]

It depends on how far you want to go back. In the 18th Century men wore tri-corns to work, but that does not mean much today.

Top hats were worn with business attire in the 19th and early 20th Century when business men wore frock coats, morning coats etc. to work. In the 1870s-80s or so as the sack or louge suit became more common there was a period where some men did wear top hats with them and strollers/black lounge not only with tail coats. There are several photos and paintings from this time that have been posted before on this forum, here's one:

However, from personal experience wearing a top hat today will get you a great deal of attention, and some of it will not be positive... So its your call.

 

[newturnofphrase]

There are also political considerations, especially if you work in business downtown in a major American city. Not only might people on the street think you are using it as a class symbol to indicate your own wealth and status in a demeaning way, but on the flip side, colleagues (once they've stopped laughing) might assume you're siding with the occupy movement, which has adopted the top hat as an ironic costume piece in some cases for their anti-capitalist soap-box speeches. The preceding is not to side with either interpretation, only to point out that this particular hat has very specific political connotations today.

 

[Shangas]

The top-hat was always seen as a capitalist symbol. So yeah, you might wanna be careful on that score as well. Although I admit that personally it never occurred to me.

Perhaps you should try a coachman's hat instead? They look like this:

Of a similar style, but flatter, with a wider brim. Worn by carriage-drivers (hence the name) to keep their heads warm on long journeys, without having the surface-area of a top-hat, which would cause it to blow off in the wind.

There's another variation of the coachman's hat, with a slightly higher crown:

I'm no expert on these, but the distinguishing features appear to be the upturned sides of the brim, along with brim-width. Most coachman's hats that I've seen in movies and photos on the internet were mostly of the low-crown variety (the first one).

 

[Abraham]

The "coachman's" hat looks a lot like a woman's dressage hat.

 

[Shangas]

It was a men's hat, but like most hats, they were worn by women too (top-hats as well).

 

[Edward]

Also known over here as a "John Bull".

Top hats at one time were standard... It does, however, seem to me that they were typically mostly worn with longer jackets - frock coats, morning coats, tails... Personally, I think they look ill-balanced with a shorter jacket, but that's to personal taste.

For contemporary business wear, a top hat would be very out of place. Over here at least even the bowler has become so far costume-wear, it might even be pushing it.

 

[St. Valentine]

IMHO the practical days of the top hat are gone. There are only a few special occasions where you won´t look totally out of place or as if you are attending a costume ball. I suppose on the continent it is quite fine to the Vienna Opera Ball and that´s all can come up with. In England it´s Ascot of course (where a top hat is a must in certain areas) or maybe on weddings. I am not sure about the USA but I believe they are worn on weddings as well. Same goes for bowlers. You may wear them in the London city if you´re working there otherwise they are only riders attire these days...

Frank

 

[mayserwegener]

The Bowler (Derby, Melone, ect.) has made a small revival as a fashion statement (for men and women). I would be surprised if they have any place in the current London business scene (maybe for special events or club attire). I wear mine out occasionally and have never encountered any negative attention.

 

[dhermann1]

The painting on the previous page (is it a Manet???) shows the topper worn with a stroller. I think that would be the least anachronistic way you could legitimately sport a top hat in this day and age. I think you could still see a topper and stroller on Wall Street or in the City of London as late as the 20s, but even then it would have been pretty out of date.

 

[newturnofphrase]

It's not a Manet, but it is Manet.

 

[Rathdown]

I rather think that wearing a top hat with modern day business attire is on a par with wearing swim fins with a ball gown. One can certainly do it, but simply because it can be done doesn't mean it should be done.

 

[Edward]

IMHO the practical days of the top hat are gone. There are only a few special occasions where you won´t look totally out of place or as if you are attending a costume ball. I suppose on the continent it is quite fine to the Vienna Opera Ball and that´s all can come up with. In England it´s Ascot of course (where a top hat is a must in certain areas) or maybe on weddings. I am not sure about the USA but I believe they are worn on weddings as well. Same goes for bowlers. You may wear them in the London city if you´re working there otherwise they are only riders attire these days...

Frank

Increasingly rare at weddings these days - a lot of men refuse to wear a hat at all to begin with, while many others object to paying an extra ten pounds for the hire charge as they will be indoors most of the day and thus not wearing them.

The Bowler (Derby, Melone, ect.) has made a small revival as a fashion statement (for men and women). I would be surprised if they have any place in the current London business scene (maybe for special events or club attire).

It's a rarity to see a hat of any description worn by City boys these days (maybe a wool beanie in the depths of Winter), let alone a bowler.