Cylinder hat

The top hat is a traditional European headdress that was common among men in the 19th century. Now the fashion for top hats is reviving again, albeit in a different vein: earlier it was a headdress of gentlemen, and now it is a masquerade and extravagant dress for people of both sexes.

Often the top hat is made for any event - a matinee in a kindergarten, a masquerade evening, a New Year's corporate party, an original outfit.

Initially, the headdress was made of beaver felt, but then this material was replaced by plush and silk. For poor people, hats were made from ordinary felt.

During the manufacture of felt clothes, such a phenomenon as crazy hatters appeared. Now this name is more connected with the character from the famous work of L. Carroll "Alice in Wonderland" - a weird, eccentric tea lover.

In the modern world, the top hat has become not only a masquerade dress, but also the hallmark of all kinds of magicians and illusionists. The black hat owes its color to the English prince Albert, who did not like bright colors and a combination of different shades.

It is also worth talking about the curious varieties of top hat:

• Bolivar is a wide-brimmed top hat named after Simon Bolivar, a public figure and liberator of Latin America.
• Shapoklyak is a French version of this headdress that was very popular in Europe until the First World War.

Now the top hat is an integral part of the outfit of such a peculiar direction in art and clothing as steampunk. Steampunk - fashion combines elements of the wardrobe of the Victorian era and the so-called mechanical style.

Making such a headdress with your own hands is quite simple. To do this, you will need the following items:

• thick black cardboard;
• a small piece of black fleece;
• transparent tape;
• Super glue;
• a simple pencil or pen;
• scissors;
• a pair of paint brushes and glue;
• varnish;
• decoration of your preference (optional).

Algorithm of action:

• Cut a rectangle out of cardboard that is equal in length to the diameter of the head, and add a couple of centimeters to the folds and seams. You can choose any width. With the help of transparent tape, it is necessary to connect the edges of the rectangle and please the hollow cylindrical figure.

• On a sheet of cardboard, draw an even circle equal in diameter to the circumference of the cylinder - this will be the so-called bottom of the headdress. Then, around the first circle, you need to exactly draw the second, which is a couple of centimeters different from the first.

• Cut out the last circle drawn and make small serifs up to the level of the first circle - create the so-called fringe. Fold this fringe inside a small circle.

• Gently apply glue to the fringe and place a circle on the bottom of the cylinder. For greater efficiency, you should glue the bottom with tape.

• Then you need to think about creating the brims of the hat. To do this, draw a circle on the cardboard equal to the upper circumference of the garment. After that, you need to draw another circle around it, already larger in diameter, and cut out both circles so that you get a ring.

• It is also necessary to create a kind of fringe on the ringlet and glue it with glue and tape to the other side of the cylinder in the same way as the bottom was glued.

• On the inside of the cylinder - the one that will be in direct contact with the head - you need to glue a strip of fleece. Then varnish the hat and add jewelry (if needed).

This is just one of the options for creating a headdress with your own hands. In addition, a hat-cylinder is also made of felt, natural leather or suede according to a similar principle - all the cardboard parts are simply sewn or glued to the fabric material, and then glued to each other in the above way.

It should be noted that a felt headdress is very warm and will be able to warm your head in cold weather, and the leather version looks luxurious, but at a cost price it is quite expensive. Therefore, the choice of material for the cap should depend on the purpose of this accessory and the frequency of its use.

It is not at all necessary to create a hat of this type with your own hands - it can be easily purchased both in a specialized store and on the Internet. Such a purchase, depending on the type, color, presence or absence of jewelry, the material from which it is made, can cost from 200 to 1,500 rubles. On average, a women's black top hat costs 450 rubles. The red hat will come out more expensive - about 780 rubles.

In the modern age, top hats are used more by women than by men. And if you do not take into account costume parties, masquerades and acting props, then this headdress has long been a fashionable trend in women's fashion.

Such a bright and unusual headdress can become a very relevant and appropriate detail of the image, if it is correctly combined with clothes.

• Coat - a cashmere or textile coat of a classic cut, in combination, will create an old, vintage look of the good old England of the XIX century. It is better if the coat has a dark shade. In such an outfit, it would be appropriate to visit an exhibition, museum, cinema, theater, or go for a walk on a gloomy or rainy day.

• Wedding Look - Many brides choose to use this headpiece as part of their festive look. Such hats can be decorated with a veil, feathers, a small veil, rhinestones, flowers and other decorations, and can also be of the correct size and smaller than the size of the head to give the image additional lightness, fragility and femininity.

• A casual look with such a hat turns out to be extremely extravagant and attractive. A black or red top hat is paired with a short jacket, mini skirt and stiletto heels. This look is perfect for a restaurant visit, a trendy party or a fun birthday.

• A classic-cut trouser (or skirt) suit is an original combination, suitable for an evening party, solemn, even corporate, event. With this look, you need to keep all accessories and jewelry to a minimum.

• Hippodrome outfit is a combination of a strictly elongated jacket with tight trousers and high, knee-length boots. As such, you can visit a horse race or an equestrian-related event. Also, this look is perfect for a masquerade or costume party.

• Vintage look - like steampunk or the English era of the 19th century. You can create this look with a dark corduroy coat with large buttons and a light-colored dress or blouse with a frill collar. Formal trousers with a high waist or a black pencil skirt can be an addition to the blouse. Despite its extravagance, this outfit can be used in everyday life.

The second, more daring and striking image, consists of a short, highly fitted red jacket, a free long (but not to the floor) skirt in a dark shade or in a large cage, a white blouse with a strict collar and boots or high-heeled ankle boots or stiletto heels. This feminine and fatal look can be complemented by beautiful short black gloves.