Silk Plush Top Hat Colour | Hat Making | Dress Code

Silk Plush Top Hats are normally the preferred style of top hat option for the Royal Enclosure, but Silk Plush is not always Black in colour. Commercial factory production of Hatter's Plush is thought to have stopped in the 1970ies, but there may still be old stocks or niche makers still around. 

Since their creation as "imitation beaver" in around the 1790ies, Silk Plush overtook traditional Beaver Hats as a preferred option for most. Made from a Silk Nap on a Cotton back, Black was usually the default colour.  Black was and is, usual for Toppers, and other traditional hats such as Tricorns and Bowler, but outfits were multi-coloured as was Headwear.

We have examples of silk plush hats in both Black and White, and have stock of Silk Hatter’s Plush in Black, Fly's Wing Black (a Golden Brown Hue), and Blue. Additionally we have seen examples of Plush Top Hats in both Red, Green and Grey.

Multiple colours were produced for a number of reasons, from cabaret shows, to individual fashion.

A White Silk Plush Top Hat could be worn by a Lady for a Wedding Topper, and there is also historic references of White Top Hats been worn in some carriage / coaching clubs. Historically it is hard to verify as sometimes a White coloured hat may have been referred to as a "Grey" Top Hat, similar to how Windsor Grey Horses appear White, and conversely a Grey coloured Topper may have been called White! Unfortunately we only have ancient texts not photos to confirm.

Shown in photos:

Some of our vintage rolls of Silk Hatters Plush in Fly’s Wing Black, Black, and also Blue. We also have some white/cream silk plush (not shown).

A White Silk Plush Topper (resting on the Blue roll of Plush).

The Fly's Wing Top when polished goes darker and appears Black, so can be worn in Royal Enclosure, but when unpolished it has a more Golden Brown hue. The photo below is a bit of #Hattermagic with the side crown being polished and shows the plush as it darkens.

The Grey Plush topper being worn by the Great British Actor Terry Thomas in one of his many escapades in Jules Verne's Rocket to the Moon - Jules Verne Films Limited 1967 (though as an image we cannot confirm if the plush was actually Silk or other fabric).
 

  

 

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