Dear Mark,Mark Seitelman wrote: What would be the appropriate headgear other than top hat or bowler? I would think that the homburg is better than a fedora or trilby.
You are certainly correct in thinking that a homburg would be most the appropriate form of headwear with this coat. The formality in headwear flows (in descending order) from Top hats to Homburgs to Bowlers to Snap Brims / Trilbys to Tyrolean types. Plus there are many a few styles in-between these. Now there are a few things to consider in this…
Apologies to other form members for digression to follow.
It is not necessarily the coat that dictates the headgear in an outfit….more than often it is what’s underneath. For example, in the two pictures I posted the first one is on a formal day occasion and the second one is considerably less formal. Yet both have the same coat…however, what’s underneath the coat is different, hence dictating the use of a Top hat is the first instance and bowler in the second one (when worn with Lounge Suits).
This is where it gets tricky. What if you wear a more casual coat with a formal garb (black-tie or day semi-formal) OR a more formal coat with casual / relaxed suiting? Prime example being…black-tie events on resorts / cruises where a polo coat or covert coat is permissible mainly because of the surroundings (specific circumstances) where the formal event is taking place. Here in this instance, the best type of headgear would be a panama or a light colored (& weight) felt hat rather than the customary homburg. Actually, some may argue that under these circumstances it would be in-appropriate to wear a homburg and ONLY a panama / straw hat would fit the bill.
In this above mentioned instance the coat is more causal than the rest of the attire (black-tie) and under ordinary circumstances a trilby or snap-brim fedora would be correct type of headgear with such a coat. Yet, when used with black-tie…the headgear needs to be changed accordingly.
So I would venture and say that indeed a trilby (a race course hat actually) would be out of place with this coat (if worn with city suiting). Color and fabric will also heavily dictate the appropriateness of such a hat. Usually Trilby’s are in brown or some derivative of brownish/green colors thereby somewhat odd with a deep blue-velvet collared Db coat. Homburgs are actually quite formal hats and are used only (or mostly) with suits cut along very formal lines.
But, you know what Mark at the end of the day…with these strict (old-fashioned) rules, a brown suede shoe would be Never acceptable for proper town-wear….which we all love so dearly. Even though all of my evidence suggests that tribly should not be worn with this (in such & such way)…deep down inside…something says….Why Not?
Maybe we need to ask other esteemed members…I would also like to know Manton’s thoughts on this topic. Hopefully he can read this soon and would be kind enough to offer his advice.
Dear Manton…your sartorial opinion is needed!
Sincerely
e-tutee