People like wearing pork pie hats for different reasons and purposes in contemporary society.
These hats have been there since the mid-19th century. Pork pie hats are adorable, and they have features that will make your head comfortable and look elegant no matter your haircut and style.
However, these hats do not suit all people. In this article, we have provided you with details on which type of people pork pie hats suit well, the hats’ origin and history, plus many more.
What is a Pork Pie Hat?
A pork pie hat is a men’s dress hat with a thin brim and a short, flat-topped, spherical crown with an indentation all the way around, similar to a fedora.
Additionally, these hats sometimes get curled. The majority of these hats are made of felt. However, straw variants are also available.
They come in practically every color and pattern you can think of; however, black, grey, and brown are the most popular.
Origin and History
The pork pie hat was named after the Melton Mowbray pork pie, a popular pig-filled pastry in the late 1800s.
Because of the similarities in look, the headgear was given the name of the pastry. The crown of the pork pie hat has a lip that resembles the crust of the pastry.
The pork pie hat first debuted in Britain in the mid-nineteenth century. Between 1830 and 1865, the hat was a particularly popular item in women’s fashion.
The region between the brim and the crown was generally covered with a ribbon, feathers, or a bow because of the hat’s delicate sensibilities.
Further, the pork pie hat was initially made using straw, felt, or cotton canvas covered in silk. The nineteenth century was a highly unique age in terms of fashion.
Corsets, petticoats, bustles, and top hats were commonplace in the wardrobes of upper-class women. Many men wore double-breasted jackets with tails, while women wore long skirts.
This hat was brought into the United States by Americans who saw it in English when they attended a tennis tournament.
In the modern-day, pork pie hats are available in various artistic and stylish styles.
Currently, these hats are made using multiple fabrics such as braided hemp, linen, paper braid, straw, wool felt, polyester, and many more.
Since the pork pie hat is made using various fabrics, it is an excellent gear for warm and cold seasons.
Moreover, you can wear this adorable hat with both casual and formal attire, thanks to the various fabrics used in their construction.
Who Does Pork Pie Hats Suit?
The pork pie hat was mainly worn by college students during the Great Depression in the 1930s.
However, a pork pie hat looks good in certain people than others. Therefore, this hat suits individuals with long, short, or oval-shaped faces.
Accordingly, you should avoid wearing this hat if you have a round face or a square face.
People with these faces tend to have a wider jawline which will not look great with a small brimmed hat like a pork pie hat.
Additionally, this hat does have a shorter crown than other similar hats such as trilby or fedora.
Therefore, it will suit you best if you are quite tall and not looking to add more weight.
When purchasing a pork pie hat, you should ensure that its brim is wider than your jawline for an elegant appearance.
Further, pork pie hats suit individuals with any hair and hairstyle, be it short or long.
How to Wear a Pork Pie Hat Properly?
Generally, there’re 3 ways to wear a pork pie hat. First is the inclined way.
Put your pork pie hat back on your head, and this will make your outfit look more casual and relaxed.
But be cautioned that in this wearing style, you may need some methods to keep your hat on in the wind.
If you prefer a formal look, you can tilt your hat over your forehead, and pull it down to make you look mysterious and cool.
The last wearing style is about to show your personality. You can wear your pork pie whatever you want.
Slant it as you well or pull it down to look like a boss. Just keep in mind your outfit style will influence the final wearing effect.
How to Wear a Pork Pie Hat with a Summer Outfit?
During the summer, it is always hot, and there is the sun. Therefore, you will need a hat that will offer you protection and at the same time make you appear elegant, stylish, and beautiful.
What Pork Pie Hats suit for Summer
The best pork pie hat that will suit your summer attire should be lightweight so that you will not be able to feel any weight when wearing it while walking in the sun.
The hat should also have a UPF rating of 50+ to help in preventing and absorbing the harsh UV rays that may cause skin-related infections.
Further, it may rain during the summer; therefore, the pork pie hat should be waterproof and dry up faster.
Since there is a lot of heat during the summer, you are likely to be sweating.
The best pork pie hat for summer attire should have an interior sweatband to help wick away sweat and moisture, leaving your head dry and comfortable.
Moreover, pork pie hats are made using various materials. Apart from premium quality fabrics that are durable, the materials should be breathable, comfortable, and soft fit.
For summer, the best fabrics for pork pie hats include straw, cotton, paper braid, and polyester.
How to Wear it
Due to the pork pie hat’s modern yet classic and artistic appeal, it mainly suits hipsters.
With Polo Shirts
You can wear a pork pie hat with a pair of shorts, a white vest, and a Hawaii casual shirt during the summer to enhance the leisure feeling.
With Jeans and a T-shirt
You can also don a pork pie hat with a t-shirt and a pair of jeans trousers to wear casually.
With Short Dress
If you are a lady and want to try this hat, you can don a pork pie hat with a short dress for an elegant look.
With Sleeveless Top and Shorts
Or for a more casual style, you can wear pork pie hats with a sleeveless top and shorts.
Tips
The combination of a little compact cap and relaxed apparel works.
Pair a straw pork pie with a loose-fitting Hawaiian shirt for a laid-back summer mood.
Wear the hat a little further back on your head for something more unique.
How to Wear a Pork Pie Hat in Winter?
It is always cold during the winter. Therefore, you will need a pork pie hat that will keep your head warm and comfortable.
What Pork Pie Hats Suit Winter Outfit?
The pork pie hat should have heat retention features to help in keeping your head warm and comfortable in the winter.
Additionally, it may rain anytime. Therefore, the pork pie hat should have water-repellent features.
The hat should also dry faster. Protection of your hair from wind, snow, and other harsh weather elements is essential.
Therefore, the pork pie hat should be waterproof. For winter, the best pork pie hat should be constructed with fabrics such as 100% wool.
How to Wear it
With Formal Suit
If you want to look formal while wearing casual clothes, match a pork pie hat with a blazer, ideally, navy blue, jeans, khaki pants, and a button-down shirt.
And you can wear a pocket squared suit and complete the outfit with simple flat shoes.
Man With Blazer and Scarf
If you are a man, you can don a pork pie hat with a scarf woolen blazer.
Besides, you can wear a pork pie hat with a short winter coat and pair it with jeans.
Woman with Blazer
A lady can wear a pork pie hat with a matching scarf, gloves, and blazer.
Woman with Jeans and Boots
You can don a pork pie dress with a sweater and a pair of trousers and boots.
Short Hair Woman with Jacket
For a more neutral style, a stylish short jacket is very suitable for the short hair girl with a pork pie hat.
Pork Pie Hat vs. Fedora Hat
—— What’s the difference?
Fedoras and pork pie hats are both historical hats with a brim, yet they are extremely different.
About the Shape
In short, pork pie hats are always low profile, and they are much shorter than a classic fedora.
Fedoras are known for their wide (3-4″) flat brims, teardrop crowns, pinched fronts, and felt material.
On the other hand, Pork pie hats are “stingy” hats with a narrow brim and a circular crown crease, as well as a visibly reduced crown height.
At the crown’s apex of fedora hats, they are usually 4.5″ (11.4cm) tall, while pork pie hats are stingy-brimmed with an upward-angled brim all around.
Meanwhile, pork pie hat crowns are always pinched and creased tightly all round (telescope crown).
And fedora hats are always pinched or dented at the front resulting in a front-to-back taper.
For the decorations, fedora hats are paired with a ribbon circling the brim, while pork pie hats are accompanied by a feather, ribbon, or fabric belt.
About the Wearing
Pork pie hats are far more casual than fedoras, and they appeal to a much smaller male demographic. To don a pork pie hat flawlessly and finish the look, you can;
- Pair it with a formal sweater to pay homage to its sporting history.
- Ensure that the brim of the hat is wider than your jaw.
- Wear it less during formal events and casual gatherings
- Wear the hat directly atop your head.
When it comes to fedora hats, you can don them in the following ways to appear elegant and stylish
- Please put it on with a jacket, suit vest, and tie ensemble.
- Wear it with a matching blazer or a sports coat.
- When wearing the hat, it should not be tilted back like a trilby or drooping. Just allow it to sit flat on your head.
- Wear the correct hat, depending on the season. This is because there are fedora hats mainly comfortable for winter and those that suit summer.
- You should wear fedora hats during ultra-formal occasions and events such as weddings.
Besides, fedora hats suit persons with round-shaped faces. This is because the hat features angular details and a shallow crown.
Therefore it will help in downplaying the symmetrical, smooth features of individuals with round faces.
Accordingly, pork pie hats suit individuals with long, short, or oval-shaped faces. This is because the hats do have small brims. They look stylish and elegant on individuals with narrow jawlines.
Conclusions
Prior knowledge is essential when you want to select the best pork pie hat that you can don with your outfit.
Pork pie hats are equipped with unique features that will make you look elegant, stylish, and beautiful.
Additionally, these hats are suitable for both cold and warm seasons.
