Sometimes called stove pipes or chimney pots, top hats were de rigueur men's wear. Beaver fur was strong, desirable, and expensive as a hat material until the decline of the beaver population in the early nineteenth century. Hats also were made of felt or silk. Top hats came in a variety of heights as well.
In the early twentieth century, shorter hats like bowlers or fedoras became popular. The lower height allowed men to fit more easily into automobiles.
