Stovepipe Hat

Abraham Lincoln’s favourite hat

A Stovepipe Hat is a form of top hat. Stovepipe Hats are much taller than top hats and have a flat brim and broad crown which used to be an integral part of formal dress. Abraham Lincoln often wore a Stovepipe Hat for portraits.

The defining design feature of a Stovepipe Hat is its resemblance to a length of stove piping. The body of the hat runs straight up and down with no flaring like a traditional top hat and the crown is utterly flat. The brim is wide, and it may be flat as well or slightly flexible.

Often a Stovepipe Hat is also decorated with a band of silk or grosgrain ribbon.

Famous Stovepipe Hat wearers

• Abraham Lincoln