Wearing a fedora with feather can add an element of unforgettable panache to any outfit you choose to wear. Wearing any hat will always give you a style upgrade, but anyone who wears one of these hats will always find it uplifts any other fashion choice they might make. And, adding a feather to your fedora is like putting a cherry on top of an ice cream sundae.
All About the Fedora
To help you better appreciate why you should adorn your fedora with feather, it's helpful to understand a bit of the fedora's history.
Fedora hats have been worn by people of style since the 1890s. They first became popular in England and in continental Europe. These hats got their name from a play - where the lead female actress wore a hat with a soft brim and a crease down the top center of its top. Fedoras first became popular with women - especially feminists - but soon became even more popular with men.
The Fedora Becomes a Stylish Choice
After its first burst of popularity, both men and women began wearing fedoras in increasing numbers. For women, this hat style came to symbolize the fight for women's rights. Male celebrities who wore fedoras were more likely to do so when playing the role of the "tough guy". They also came to be synonymous with gangsters like Al Capone, who often wore one of these jaunty hats.
One of the many reasons for its increase in use was the many early Hollywood stars who made wearing a fedora a part of their personal fashion statement. Stars like Sarah Bernhardt, Frank Sinatra, and Cary Grant helped to make fedoras more popular through their own use of them in movie roles. Harrison Ford's "Indiana Jones" character has helped keep this fashion choice in the public eye.
The Right Way To Wear Your Fedora
Just like styling most other hats, selecting the best way to place a fedora on your head is essential.
As for the brim of your hat, it should be flipped upward if you're planning to wear a formal outfit. For more casual outfits, the brim of your fedora can be flipped downward.
Decorating Your Fedora With Feather
All fedoras are impressive fashion accessories on their own, but throughout their history, it has become customary to add to them by placing a band of fabric or ribbon above the hat's rim.
Because of the placement of this band of fabric, placing a feather in the fedora's band evolved into a natural next step. Adding feathers will give your hat- and you- an extra measure of insouciance.
Why You Should Put a Feather In Your Hat
Although some people think putting a feather in your fedora is just one of many fashion choices, the placement of a feather in your hat does have significance in fashion history.
The popular phrase," a feather in your cap" is thought to have originated in some cultures, whose hunters placed feathers in their hats to signify how many of the tribe's enemies they had killed. In those societies, this choice of decoration came to be a badge of honor, since it was evidence of their prowess as hunters.
As time passed, the addition of feathers evolved into more of a fashion choice than a souvenir of war. As this happened, the phrase began to more commonly refer to a person's success - or to anything they could be proud of.
What Types of Feathers Are Used In Fedoras?
A feather used in a hat is often referred to as a "plume." The feathers are taken from birds with thick plumage, like ostriches, quail, and pheasants.
The traditional place to tuck the feather into your fedora is on the left side; near the back of the hat. Since a person's left side is traditionally associated with the heart, the left-sided placement of this accessory is sometimes associated with love. The feathers in a fedora were sometimes chosen by a person who loved the wearer, so it often served to symbolize their commitment.
What Color Feather Should You Choose?
Just as there are many colors of fedoras, and they can be coordinated with your outfit - or to your taste - hat designers can put feathers of many colors in these hats.
For a formal or dressy look, white or light-colored feathers can be added to your hat. For a more casual look, it's traditional to add a dark brown or black feather.
Conclusion: Add A Feather For A Fantastic Fedora
Hats are always an impressive accessory for any fashion statement. Both men and women who want to wear make an unforgettable fashion choice should choose to wear a fedora with feather in it.
