Episode Details

Thinking about adding a top hat to your wardrobe? This episode dives into the surprisingly deep world of serious hat enthusiasts. We trace the top hat's origin as a public menace that got its first wearer fined for causing a riot, then explore the modern market's two extremes: cheap costume hats that disintegrate in humidity and heirloom-quality pieces costing hundreds to thousands of dollars. Learn about silk plush versus beaver fur felt, the forums where enthusiasts debate brim curl and crown height in millimeters, and the minimum you can spend to get something that won't embarrass you at a dinner party.