Scatter Brained

THE BOWLER, A.K.A. THE DERBY
Popularized By:
 Charlie Chaplin (who played a dictator in 
Th
  e Great Dictator
) and Benito Mussolini (who played a dicta-
tor in World War II)
Hat Story:
 Originally designed as a kind of stylish hard hat, 
the narrow-brimmed bowler fi rst appeared in 1850 and for 
the next several decades was 
the
 hat for those who thought 
top hats too pretentious—or expensive.
Pluses:
 Much sexier than today’s hard hats (if also less hard)
Minuses:
 It didn’t work that well for Duckie in 
Pretty in Pink.

---

33
EGYPIAN DIADEM
Popularized By:
 King Tutankhamen (of Egypt) and Steve 
Martin (of 
Saturday Night Live
)
Hat Story:
 Tut’s royal crown, made of gold, glass, and semi-
precious stones, featured a vulture and a cobra (representing 
goddesses of lower and upper Egypt) to protect the leader. 
Martin’s was made of plastic.
Pluses:
 It’s good to be king!
Minuses:
 Airport metal detectors
THE TOP HAT
Popularized By:
 Abraham Lincoln (16th president of the 
United States)
Hat Story:
 A Cantonese hatter designed the fi rst silk top hat 
in China for a French dandy back in 1775—but top hats 
didn’t catch fi re until the 1820s. Honest Abe actually wore a 
variation on the top hat called the stovepipe hat, the hat be-
ing straight rather than wider at the top.
Pluses:
 Uber-retro, and black is very slimming.
Minuses:
 Kids always asking you to pull a rabbit out of it. Or 
people might mistake you for the mascot for the LeMoyne-
Owen College Magicians basketball team, which is a none-
too-subtle way to get us to . . .