Thanks to celebrities like Brad Pitt, fedoras have experienced a recent surge in popularity. Just where did they originate?
The word fedora comes from the 1882 play "Fedora" by Sarah Bernhardt. It features the character, Princess Fedora. In the play, the princess wore a soft brim hat with a center crease - similar to modern day fedoras.
Perhaps because of it's masculine feel, fedoras became popular with women's rights activities after the hat debuted in the play. In contrast, men really only began to wear them after 1924. From there, they have experienced many moments of fame.
The hats are still widely associated with Prohibition-era gangsters. This was when they reached their peak of popularity. The Indiana Jones franchise brought about a resurgence.
Celebrities like Coach Paul Bear Bryant and Michael Jackson frequently sported the jaunty cap. And today's celebs utilize the fedora because it's fashionable and also good at hiding them from paparazzi.