Bowler Hat

The bowler hat was invented in England in 1850 as an occupational hat for gamekeepers and hunters but was quickly adopted by the upper class for sports. By the 1860s it had spread to the city where it was widely adopted by the middle and lower-middle classes and by members of the working class. The smaller size made it appropriate for working men. Primarily middle class businessmen wore bowlers after World War II. Although a prominent Texas rancher who also wore cowboy hats, Kenneth Keith wore a Bowler Hat for business. [Image courtesy of American Neumanitic Association]