Trilby

This article is about the trilby hat. For George du Maurier's novel, see Trilby (novel).

A Trilby hat (or simply Trilby) is a soft felt men's hat with a narrow brim and a deeply indented crown. Traditionally it was made from rabbit hair felt, but now it is sometimes made from other materials, such as tweed, or wool.

Trilbies are softer than Homburgs, and have a flexible brim instead of a curved one. They are similar to fedoras, 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 been associated with jazz, ska and soul musicians. It has been popular among the rude boy, mod, skinhead and 2 Tone subcultures.

British journalist William Norman Ewer had the nickname Trilby because he was known to wear the hat. The central character in Ben Croshaw's adventure game series Days (containing 5 Days a Stranger, 7 Days a Skeptic, Trilby's Notes and 6 Days a Sacrifice) is a cat burglar nicknamed Trilby, presumably named so because of the hat he wears.

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, England because he thought the hat just naturally completed the outfit.

Notable Trilby wearers

• Arthur Daley, Minder
• Tim Armstrong, musician
• The Blues Brothers, musicians
• Humphrey Bogart, actor of the Golden Hollywood era
• Al Capone, gangster
• Pete Doherty, musician
• William Norman Ewer, journalist
• Derek Grant, musician
• Dick Grote, author
• Jimi Hendrix, musician
• Daisuke Jigen, fictional gunslinger
• George Melly, jazz musician
• Brad Pickett, mixed martial artist
• Rorshach, fictional vigilante
• Paul Simonon, musician
• Matt Skiba, musician
• Scatman John, jazz Singer
• John Taylor, musician
• Charles Trenet, musician
• Tom Waits, musician
• Lennard Pearce, Only Fools and Horses
• Harry Worth, comedian
• Corey Feldman, actor (throughout 1980s)

External link

• UK fashion blog discusses Trilby hats