Fedora (hat)

The fedora is a soft felt hat that is creased lengthwise down the crown and pinched in the front on both sides. It is said to be invented in the mid-1910s. However, the term was in use for the hat as early as 1891, and it was first resembled late in the 18th century as an upper class clothing accessory. Any hat that resembles the soft felt version is also usually called a fedora, including straw and twill ones. Similar hats with a C-crown (with an indentation for the head in the top of the crown) are occasionally called fedoras. It is usually worn by men, but ladies' versions can also be found. On some fedoras, small feathers are inserted in the band wrapped around the crown for flair.