The Hats that Made Britain

Download or read book The Hats that Made Britain written by David Long and published by The History Press. This book was released on 2020-09-18 with total page 261 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Many of the world's most famous hats have their origins in Britain; in the Middle Ages there were civil and religious laws requiring hats to be worn and in Victorian Britain a person would no more leave home without a hat than a pair of trousers. It is no surprise that London's oldest surviving shop, Lock and Co., is a hatter. From practical everyday caps and bonnets to military headwear, top hats, and even the coronation crown, hats of all sorts have passed through its doors and continue to do so after more than 300 years. In this fascinating new book David Long reveals how much of Britain's social history can be understood through its headwear, and in exploring the ways in which a hat speaks volumes about its wearer's rank and status he tells the stories of the people beneath some of the most famous hats of history.