Guide Note

Fedoras are soft, brimmed hats with a crease down the center. They were originally considered a high-class article of clothing in the early 20th century.

Fast Facts

1. The term Fedora originated in the 1890's
2. Referred to as a trilby in Great Britain
3. Multiple variations
4. Trademarks of Indiana Jones, The Blues Brothers and Michael Jackson

The name of the fedora comes from a play by Victorien Sardou in which the main character, Princess Fedora, wears a variation of the hat. Beginning in the early 1900s, Fedoras became popular as a stylish accessory that protected from wind and other weather. A variety of styles and colors became available, but black, grey, and brown were the most sought after.

Fedoras have been a popular accessory on many movie characters and actors. In addition to being an important piece of the movie detective and gangster alike, they were combined with the trenchcoat for most "bad guy" portrayals. Other famous characters to wear fedoras are The Blues Brothers, Freddy Krueger, and Indiana Jones. In the Indiana Jones movies, Harrison Ford's character is often protective of his trademark hat, even risking additional danger to retrieve it.