Homburg hat

A homburg is a semi-formal hat of fur felt, characterized by a single dent running down the centre of the crown (called a "gutter crown"), a wide silk grosgrain hatband ribbon, a flat brim shaped in a "pencil curl", and a ribbon-bound trim about the edge of the brim. It is traditionally offered in black or grey.

The name comes from Bad Homburg in Hesse, in the German Empire, from where it originated as hunting headgear. It was popularised in the late 19th century by the Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VII, as a less formal alternative to the prevalent top hat along with the bowler hat and the boater hat. The original homburg conceived in the 19th century was of slightly more generous proportions than seen in 21st-century versions.^[1] Although the homburg is traditionally associated with semi-formal wear, it has been extensively applied also to informal attire.^[2]

As with other hats, it largely fell out of everyday use of Western dress codes for men in the 1960s.

Use

The homburg was popularised in the 1890s by the future Edward VII after he visited Bad Homburg in Hesse, Germany, and brought back a hat of this style.^[3] He was flattered when his hat style was mimicked, and at times he insisted on being copied.^[4]

Anthony Eden made the black homburg so fashionable in the 1930s that it became known as "the Anthony Eden hat" on Savile Row in London.^[5] At his 1953 inauguration, Dwight D. Eisenhower broke with tradition by wearing a black homburg instead of a top hat. He also wore a homburg at his second inauguration,^[6] a hat that took three months to craft and was dubbed the "international homburg" by hatters, since workers from ten countries participated in its making.^[7]

Like other formal Western male headgear, the homburg ceased to be as common in the 21st century as it once was. Al Pacino gained some renewed fame for the homburg by wearing a grey one in the film The Godfather, for which reason the hat is sometimes called a "Godfather".^[8] Some Orthodox Jewish rabbis wear black homburgs to the rekel, though this practice is also in decline. The homburg was always considered to be more traditional and distinguished than the fedora.

It was sometimes jocularly referred to as a "hamburger", notably by actor Edward Brophy in the 1958 film The Last Hurrah.

In Italy it is known as a Lobbia, from Cristiano Lobbia [it] who famously was wearing one when he was assaulted.

See also

• Anthony Eden hat
• Boss of the Plains
• Bowler hat
• Campaign hat
• Cap
• Fedora
• List of headgear
• Shovel hat
• Stetson
• Tyrolean hat

References

External links

Western
culture

Formal	Cartwheel Cloche Cocktail Doll Draped turban Eugénie Fascinator Half Halo Juliet Mushroom Lampshade Picture Peach Pillbox Tam Top Opera
Semi-formal	Homburg Anthony Eden Boater Bowler Buntal
Informal	Cabbage-tree Chupalla Fedora Trilby Flat Coppola Newsboy Panama Pork pie Smoking Wideawake
Uniforms	Aviator Bearskin Bell-boy hat Bicorne Black Boonie Budenovka Busby Campaign Cap comforter Cappello Alpino Casquette d'Afrique Caubeen Cavalry Stetson Czapka Doctoral Feather bonnet Forage Karvalakki Fur wedge Hardee Jeep Kepi Mazepynka Nurse's Maintenance/Chapeau Military beret/Uniform beret Black Blue Green Maroon Red Tan Patrol Peaked Mariner's Sailor Printer's Rogatywka Shako Side Titovka Triglavka Ski Slouch Sou'wester Student Faluche Square academic Tricorne Utility cover
Religious	Christian Western Biretta Canterbury Camauro Capirote Cappello romano Capuchon Christening cap Galero Head covering for Christian women Easter bonnet Mantilla Wimple Mitre Papal tiara Pilgrim's Salvation Army bonnet Shovel Zucchetto Eastern Klobuk Epanokalimavkion Kalimavkion Koukoulion Skufia Jewish Jewish Kashket Kippah Kolpik Spodik Shtreimel
Casual	Animal Ascot Barretina Beanie Beret Bobble Breton Bucket Chilote Cowboy Boss of the Plains Fruit Knit Monmouth Party Shower Tin foil Umbrella Whoopee Sports Cricket Baggy green Balaclava Facekini Baseball Trucker Bicycle clip Casquette Deerstalker Horse racing Mounteere Rally Sports visor Green eyeshade Stormy Kromer Swimming Water polo
Historical	Attifet Apex Beaver Bergère Boudoir Boyar Bycocket Capotain Cavalier Coal scuttle bonnet Coif Dolly Varden Dunce Fontange French hood Phrygian Hennin Kausia Kokoshnik Miner's Mob Modius Pamela Petasos Pileus Poke bonnet Pudding Toque Witch Gediminas' Cap

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