History & Definition of Men's Hats - The Trilby Hat

The trilby hat (or simply trilby) is traditionally a soft felt men's hat with a narrow brim and a deeply indented crown, origibally made from rabbit hair felt, it is now made by many materials.

Trilbies are softer than Homburgs, and have a flexible brim instead of a curved one. They are like Fedoras in many ways, but with a narrower brim. The hat's name derives from a play based on George du Maurier's 1894 novel Trilby. A hat of this style was worn on stage during the play's first London production. The trilby has been a symbol of chic elegance and class, and has been associated with jazz, ska and soul music.

British journalist William Norman Ewer had the nickname Trilby because he was known to wear the hat. The trilby was also often worn by Inspector Clouseau, the character portrayed by Peter Sellers in the Pink Panther film series. According to Sellers, he already owned a trenchcoat when he created the character, and he bought Clouseau's trilby from a shop in London because he thought the hat just naturally completed the outfit.

Below are an assortment of trilby hats available online.


Hessian Trilby by Paul Smith
cotton & nylon, made in Italy, available in brown
$225
paulsmith.com











Woven Straw Trilby Hat by Paul Smith
woven straw, available in sky blue, made in Italy
$100
paulsmith.com

Cassel Goorin Monk Trilby
wool blend
$56
villagehatshop.com







Cassel Goorin Lexa Fedora
cotton & linen, satin lining
$62
villagehatshop.com
(I don't care what Cassel Goorin says, this is a trilby)

Cassel Goorin Granados Fedora
cotton & linen, floral embroidery
$57
villagehatshop.com
(once again, this is more like a trilby)



Bailey Alton
reeded leather band, available in 4 colors
$120
menshats.com
(a slight deviation of a trilby)








Herringbone Gaffer by Kangol
100% wool
$55
menshats.com








Cotton Trilby by Kangol
weatherproof (2 styles)
$68
hats.com

Notable trilby wearers

• Jimmy Durante, singer and actor
• Pete Doherty, musician
• Tim Armstrong, musician
• Nick 'Peanut' Baines, musician
• The Blues Brothers, musicians
• Humphrey Bogart, actor
• James Bond, fictional character (Dr. No -- Diamonds Are Forever)
• Al Capone, gangster
• Arthur Daley, fictional character
• Carl Barat, musician
• David Cook, musician (0 Trilby)
• Adrian Edmondson, Comedian
• William Norman Ewer, journalist
• Corey Feldman, actor (throughout 1980s)
• Synyster Gates, musician
• Maurice Gibb, musician (Bee Gees)
• Derek Grant, musician
• Dick Grote, author
• George Formby, musician and comedian
• Daisuke Jigen, fictional gunslinger
• Linton Kwesi Johnson, dub poet
• George Melly, jazz musician
• Clive Owen, actor
• Lennard Pearce, actor (Only Fools and Horses)
• Brad Pickett, mixed martial artist
• Rorschach, fictional vigilante
• Scatman John, jazz singer
• The Shadow, fictional vigilante
• Paul Simonon, musician
• Matt Skiba, musician
• Becca Spence, journalist
• John Taylor, musician
• Charles Trenet, musician
• Justin Timberlake, musician
• Tom Waits, musician
• Michael A. Weber, musician
• Harry Worth, comedian
• Alex Zane, DJ and television presenter
• Freddy Krueger, Nightmare on Elm Street villain
• Kojak, fictional 1970s era NYC Police Lieutenant
• Trilby "The cat burglar", See the Chzo Mythos
• Johnny Depp, actor
• Ben Croshaw, videogame creator and critic
• Kyle Schatz, artist
• Alex 'trilby' McNeice, musician
• Ray Davis, musician, leader of the Kinks
• Inspector Gadget, main character in the 1980s TV Series.