Are you looking for an accessory that will for sure add class to your outfit? Well, I recommend a hat. Hats have been used for a long time, both for fashion and to protect one’s head. There are several different types of hats people have used over the years and if you are overwhelmed by the choices between a bonnet and a bowler or a fedora, well we are right there in the shopping aisle with you. And we come armed with knowledge.
Today we are going to talk about the Homburg Hat and the Bowler.
Homburg Hat
Bowler Hat
The Homburg Hat is a hat that became popular due to King Edward VII. We will look at its history in more detail in the next section. First, let us make sure, we are all on the same brim with what a Homburg is. It’s a hat, duh, I hear you say. Yes, but what kind? Is it the one with a pencil curl? Does it have a wide brim? Are there any indents?
Stop, stop, you say. What even is a pencil curl?
Well, that is one of the distinguishing features of the Homburg. This hat, like other hats that rose to prominence in the 19th century thanks to figures like Churchill, features a brim that curls upwards. The Homburg’s tight curl, though, juxtaposes its otherwise flat brim. That, my dear reader, is your pencil curl.
The crown of this hat is also unique as it is rounded at the edges and has a single dent running down the center.
So it’s the hat from The Godfather, you ask. Yes! Al Pacino wore it in the first movie. That’s the Homburg.
But then…what is the Bowler?
Well, it’s a hat too. And it is very similar to the Homburg. In fact, as history goes the Homburg rose to popularity because it was similar to the beloved Bowler. And worn by a royal. That would do it, right? But enough about the Homburg hat, it’s the Bowler show now.
The Bowler hat, according to the Oxford Dictionary, is a man’s hard-felt hat with a round dome-shaped crown. I hear you smile as you remember how Charlie Chaplin famously wore a Bowler. Yet, who was the first to wear these iconic hats? Let us take a walk down the lane and learn about the history of the Homburg hat and the Bowler.
Homburg Hat Vs Bowler Hat Comparison
Feature | Homburg Hat | Bowler Hat |
Shape | Center-dent crown with a stiff brim, features a tight curl at the brim | Round dome-shaped crown with a stiff, rounded brim |
Material | Typically made of wool felt or fur felt | Usually made of wool felt or fur felt |
History | Popularized by King Edward VII, associated with figures like Churchill and originally rose to prominence due to its similarity to the Bowler hat | Originated from a commission by Edward Coke to create a sturdy hat for estate patrollers |
Association | Worn by Al Pacino in "The Godfather"; associated with Winston Churchill, Al Capone | Worn famously by Charlie Chaplin; associated with gentlemen in London city |
Fabric | Satin-lined wool; options also include silk (if sustainably sourced) or hemp (most sustainable); Etsy offers Homburg hats made from hemp | Wool felt, ReHats Berlin offers Bowler hats made from post-consumer waste jeans |
Styling Tips (Feminine) | Pair with a leather jacket, loose top, and fitted bottom; accessorize with metallic, oxidized, boho jewelry; opt for plant-based leather jackets or thrifted options | Pair with a wide-shouldered coat, fur coat (if weather permits), solid-colored top, and wide-legged pants; accessorize with comfortable sneakers or gumshoes; consider ethical fur coats or thrifted options |
Styling Tips (Masculine) | Pair with a dark-colored suede long coat, turtle-neck t-shirt, slim-fit cigarette trousers, and suede boots; accessorize with a classic watch; thrift suede for sustainability | Pair with a wide-shouldered coat, simple shirt, and trousers; accessorize with formal shoes and a classic watch; thrifted options recommended for sustainability |
Sustainability | Options for sustainable materials like hemp for the Homburg hat; Bowler hats made from post-consumer waste jeans offer a vegan and eco-friendly option | Thrifting or sourcing from ethical suppliers recommended for sustainability |
History difference between Homburg hat & Bowler
When it comes to the invention of the Homburg, there are several theories. The most popular one is that of King Edward VII, who wore it when he returned from his trip to the town of Bad Homburg in Germany. After seeing the hat on a royal, and owning to its similarity to the already popular Bowler, the city’s men adopted the hat as part of their formal look. Kind Edward VII also asked the hat makers Mockel to make city-appropriate Homburgs, making this hunting hat a fashion statement in England’s cities and towns.
The Bowler too has a storied history. In America, it was the “hat that won the west” and in Bolivia, women wear the Bowler- known as the bombin. Yet, the story begins with the woes of the Earl of Leister. See, he had men patrolling his estate to ensure no one poached on his ground. Yet, these groundkeepers wore top hats, as was the norm of the time, and it was impractical. These hats would keep getting damaged.
His younger brother came up with a solution. Mr. Edward Coke, commissioned hat makers Lock and Co. who in turn turned to Willian and Thomas Bolwer. The result was a strong, low-domed hat that was tight-fitting and covered with felt. Try and damage these poachers and birds! First called the Coke, after the customer who inspected it by stomping on it multiple times because of course that’s the only way to ensure something is sturdy, eventually the hat took on the name of its designers. And then in the 20th century, it claimed up the social ladder from being a working class hat to a hat favored by the gentlemen in London city.
What is the best fabric for a Bowler hat?
Now that we know how the Homburg and Bowler came about let us look at where they are now. Today the Bowler is mass-produced and comes in three sizes, small; medium; and large. Experts recommend skipping these hats for a more personalized one. Our experts also say that the best fabric for making a Bowler is wool felt.
Yet, what if you are vegan and still want to wear a Bowler? Or perhaps you care about the environmental impact of unethically sourced wool. There are options for you.
You can go to the thrift store and grab a vintage Bowler. Or you can look for ethically sourced wool and commission a Bowler for yourself.
But Anjali, I hear some of you say, I am vegan. I would rather not use wool at all- can I not rock a bowler?
Of course not! You can always rock a Bowler and here is what I would do as someone who likes to avoid wool in clothing.
There are Bowlers made out of polyester, which I would avoid, because of microplastics and the toxins released in the making of polyester. If you are vegan, the fur felt is also not an option you are likely to go for, despite many saying it’s the best material for a Bowler. ReHats Berlin is making Bowler hats from post-consumer waste jeans, which is a vegan and eco-friendly option for us, green beans.
And what about the Homburg, Anj, you ask. Well, let us look at its fabric collection and see how we can make it green.
What is the best fabric for a Homburg hat?
Our experts say that satin-lined wool is the best fabric to make a Homburg hat. This may be so, but let’s face it, satin isn’t eco-friendly. Silk might be but it is not vegan unless you get sustainable banana silk like I do. However, even that has nuances when looking at it from a green chart so be sure to look for certification. Etsy has Homburg hats made from hemp, which is one of the most sustainable materials out there. It renourishes the soil it grows in, for one, and then reabsorbs CO2 from the air, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Thus, we say, go green with a hemp Hornburg and flaunt the period drama look.
Yet, how would you style the hat? Now when it comes to styling clothing, it’s often a personal choice but since you’re here, we will share our few cents with you.
The internet is filled with fashion experts telling you how to style hats, whether they be homburg or fedoras. But we wanted to bring you something different. So we asked people we think are fashion experts in their everyday lives on how to style these hats. My friend, Our fashion expert, who was widely acknowledged as a fashion icon in school and college also shared a few tips. She asked the wearer to style the hat depending on their face cut, the occasion, and of course, the color of the hat itself. So let’s see how she would style these beauties.
What to wear with a Homburg hat?
For the Homburg, Our fashion expert has shared a few specific style tips as well. For those of you who like to dress fem, she has this to say,
“Feeling adventurous? Pair it with a leather jacket, a loose top, and a fitted bottom. As for shoes? Flats, tan loafers, or heels…depending on the occasion!
The perfect way to tie this look together would be to include a metallic, oxidized, boho ring or two or a sleek bracelet…it’ll enhance the whole leather jacket look and make you feel like an absolute baddie!”
Yet, if we are promoting sustainable fashion, then we can’t wear a leather jacket, right? Well, we can. Thrift it. Or get a plant-based leather jacket. From apples to waste flowers, new options are emerging every day.
And if you like dressing masc, Our fashion expert suggests the following for you,
“Pair it with a dark-colored suede long coat and watch that charm unfurl! That along with a turtle-neck t-shirt inside, slim-fit cigarette trousers, and a pair of suede boots. And ta-daa, watch yourself transform into a European male lead from a period drama!”
Again, for suede thrift stores are your way to go green.
What to wear with a Bowler Hat
Now when I wear bowlers, and I wear them often, I paid them with a white shirt and denim or brown overalls with boots. I leave my hair open but if you’ve long hair, a long braid works too. Rock the cowboy look, folks. My Friend too, shares her tips for wearing a Bowler. According to her, fem! dressing folks should style a Bowler with a wide-shouldered coat since the hat itself is not very wide.
She suggests a fur coat, if the weather permits, but finding sustainable fur coats outside the thrift store can be a hassle as we all know. For the top, she recommends, we wear a plain, solid-colored top inside the coat as this whole get-up will be the right blend of flamboyance and simplicity. Some wide-legged pants and comfy sneakers or gumshoes would create the perfect fit for this look, according to Our fashion expert. She suggests wearing a lip color whose undertone matches that of the Bowler.
For those who like to dress more masc, Our fashion expert suggests, the same- a wide-shouldered coat! She recommends you pair it with a simple shirt and trousers. Don’t forget formal shoes! A classic, ‘old-money’ watch would seal this look better than one can imagine, in her opinion.
Now I can hear you asking, why should I trust two random women whose fashion sense I’ve no idea of? Well you shouldn’t. What am trying to share here is that fashion is personal and while there are rules, those are more guidelines. You should ask what makes you feel beautiful and take advice from people whose fashion sense works for you. Yet, we have to cover our bases, and here’s what experts have to say on how to style a Bowler.
According to Gentlemen’s Gazette, you should pair the bowler with a suit for more formal occasions. They recommend avoiding the ones with a feather unless you’re going for a hipster look or are a poet like myself and trying to emulate the greats. Another tip they’ve shared is to ensure you’re wearing the hat right. While it can be titled slightly to the side, the smaller now inside the sweatband is always at the back.
According to the same experts, there is no limit as to how to wear a bowler casually, expect perhaps wearing them with jumpsuits in a Clockwork Orange style.
Before we bid you adieu, we would like to say one thing. It doesn’t matter what we say, you can style these hats however it suits your personal style. Clothes are meant to make you feel beautiful which happens when you can communicate through them who you want to be. And if you’re looking to go green when shopping for clothes, developing a sense of personal style is the first step. That helps reduce the amount of clothes and accessories you buy that aren’t ever used. These hats can be sustainable if made from the right fabric which is ethically sourced. Or you can thrift them and get a hat with a story.
Interested in learning about hats? Stay tuned for our next post where we will tell you more about the collection on this side of the fashion aisle.