Top hats and 3 peice buisness suits

[metropd]

When travelling to England I saw some buisness men or Aristocracy, I couldn't tell the difference wearing top hats (not the wannabee 5 1/2 inch Crown) but the real silk plush 6 1/2-7 1/2 bell crown top hats with buisness suits(not morning coats). It seemed so surreal to seal american tourists in fannypacks, hawaiin shirts, and flip flops and dapper buisnessmen in one area. I certainly liked the silk plush top hat with the three peice suit. It was a long lost elegance with out being theatrical. If done specificaly right the balance between the height of the top hat and the shortness of the jacket looks even
and is not disproportionate( but hard to do).

 

[besdor]

Top Hats

Wearing a top hat today would definately stand out . The only place I have seen them are in very formal weddings where the long tuxedos are worn . A new top hat today in silk finish is very hard to find .



Steven

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

I think they're OK... lol

I still haven't gotten up the nerve to wear them in public, though.

And I strenuously object to my Singewald or my Adam being referred to as "wannabees." Any taller and I'd keep hitting the ceiling!

 

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

casual topper

I just stumbled over this site. Interesting that they seem to suggest their top hats for casual, or at least less than black-tie, wear.

 

[clevispin]

A man walks into a talent agent's office, and says, "We're a family act, and we'd like you to represent us."
The agent says, "Sorry, I don't represent family acts. They're a little too old-fashioned."
The man says, "But, this is really special."
The agent says, "Okay, well what's the act?"
He replies, "Well, my wife and I come out on stage and she begins to sing the Star Spangled Banner while I ...

...The agent just sits in silence for a long time. Finally, he manages, "That's a hell of an act. What do you call yourselves?"
"The Aristocrats!"

m

 

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

I'm trying to figure out the connexion to this often unsavoury old routine.

Do you mean exactly that - it's an absurd misappliance of aristocratic?

 

[metropd]

Sorry if I offended you Tony, their are couple of english manner guide books from the late 20s and 30's that say a top hat should never be tapered but I guess times change. I remember also seeing something in the white tie forum along those lines on the london lounge.

 

[metropd]

Hey Tony, what about we both wear them to the queen mary event, that would be a perfect event for them to be worn. I have worn a fedora every day for 365 days a year since I was a freshman in high school and now I'm in collage, it would be a nice change to put on a topper.

 

[clevispin]

Ike,

I like the Dylan-esque (Bob) allusion, the picture of the silly models, British "aristocrats" in the 21st century etc. I suspect most of the well healed English vomit in their top hats more often than they wear them.



But the man's point - a tall beaver hat was more common and worn by more common folk across America and Europe in the mid-19th century. A silk top hat however is rather limited in its application to formal events and the like and Emily Post probably has some rules for what it might be matched with. Like spats- the real world opportunities are limited. Certainly with tails but probably nothing else.

m

 

[Veronica Parra]

...now I'm in collage ...

Are you in one of Picasso's? He did some great collages!

.

 

[metropd]

How did you know? I went from studying algebra and physical education to being a stand in for modernist and cubist art. Oh man you should see Georges Braque on fridays, he gets wasted! Oh, and Fernand L?©ger he brings THE bruskies. I was L?©ger inspiration for nude model in the studio.

 

[Veronica Parra]

lol I like your style, metrop! Great comeback!

 

[feltfan]

I just stumbled over this site. Interesting that they seem to suggest their top hats for casual, or at least less than black-tie, wear.

You *can* wear them ion a more casual setting.
You'll look like an idiot, as these photos prove, but
you can do it. He looks like a beggar from a Dickens
production, if you ask me. Or as if he's waiting for his
scene in a bad porn flick. Those are pretty crummy
looking hats, too.

News bulletin: top hats are formal wear.

 

[metropd]

You *can* wear them ion a more casual setting.
You'll look like an idiot, as these photos prove, but
you can do it. He looks like a beggar from a Dickens
production, if you ask me. Or as if he's waiting for his
scene in a bad porn flick. Those are pretty crummy
looking hats, too.

LOL

If done right it looks very good. The guy in the picture 1. has a bad hat 2. the wrong clothes. 3. looks dorky.
In England top hats are also worn with morning coats, not just white tie, or even stroller jackets. I will try to post a picture of what I'm talking about.

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

Hey Tony, what about we both wear them to the queen mary event, that would be a perfect event for them to be worn. I have worn a fedora every day for 365 days a year since I was a freshman in high school and now I'm in collage, it would be a nice change to put on a topper.

Oh, definitely. I just need to find a decent white tie and tails ensemble to go with it. I may end up settling for a dinner jacket, ("Tuxedo") perhaps a black peak-lapel double breasted with the satin facings on the lapels. That's probably a bit more practical.

 

[metropd]

Tony your the man. Wear the taller one please. My belll crown top hat is pure black beaver in a silk plush and is 7 1/4 inches tall. When I wear it public I get more compliments that I ever do when I wear my wide brimmed 30's and 40's fedoras. I have not received one wise guy remark. GOD GAVE ME A GIFT, to be able to wear great hats and look so dapper,(Excuse my modesty) oh and to prove Nietzsche wrong.

 

[TheYell]

When travelling to England I saw some buisness men or Aristocracy, I couldn't tell the difference wearing top hats (not the wannabee 5 1/2 inch Crown) but the real silk plush 6 1/2-7 1/2 bell crown top hats with buisness suits(not morning coats).

It's a badge of office similar to the colored blazers on the NYSE, it signifies the wearer acts in some capacity for the Bank of England (I forget exactly what).

 

[metropd]

I KNEW they were Bankers, I just knew it. They wore top hats black blazers and grey pinstripe pants and boy were they sharp. I'm giving up the creative arts or law enforcment to become a British Banker . I know most Brits aren't to fond of bankers, at least thats what I hear from the British people I know. fftopic: I'm Also in the academy hence the name metropd. We get to wear pershing service caps, which I always wear on patrol but Its no know Peeler. the service caps are not mandatory so I'm one of the few cadets who wear them. their are a few officers from the east coast and ex marines who wear them while on patrol.
If the top hats are from a certain order can other orders wear them too?

 

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

m and feltfan,

I concur. The bloke on the pictures (as some others on that site) looks rather silly, and I associate this kind of top hat with formal clothing, too. Personally, I've never worn a such a hat other than with a frock-coat or a morning suit. Less high top hats can be worn with a regular suit, I think, even today, though, as with bowler hats, you'd probably attract more attention than with a fedora. So I hardly ever do that.

 

[Dinerman]

The guy in the pic looks absurd- but so do all the pics from that website. I think If I had a top hat, i'd wear it with other things. I sometimes wear my derby with a tshirt...:whistling