🧢 How a hat implanted itself in the world's history

AND: Topman & Kanye

Mar 12, 2021

Hats. I love ‘em.

They're the best accessory. You don’t have to do anything to your hair. You can just plop one on and can head (pun intended) anywhere. And still, look great. They add pizzaz to your outfits. They can take a good fit to great. IT JUST WORKS.

Ever heard of the tricorne hat? It’s one of the most important hat accessories throughout history. It’s ingrained in American culture. But not just that. Many European cultures have a history of wearing tricorne hats.

So where did it come from? Scroll down to find out more.

contents:

brand of the week
what’s in my closet
the history of the tricorne hat
what’s on the radio
what’s on the coffee table
aesthetically pleasing
upcoming product drops

This installment of Soirée is free for everyone. I send this email every Friday. If you were forwarded this email and would like to receive it every morning you can join the hundreds of other fashion enthusiasts by hitting the button below.

brand of the week: Heron Preston

Heron Preston Johnson is an American artist, creative director, content creator, designer, and DJ. He’s had a very accomplished career, working alongside Virgil Abloh of Off-White. Starting as a media director at Nike, he pioneered himself into working on projects like Kanye’s album, Life of Pablo. He also collaborated with NASA for their 60th anniversary. Not only that, he’s worked with Beyonce, Drake, and Justin Timberlake designing their tour lines.

what’s in my closet: Topman boxy pocket sweater

soiree what's in my closet topman sweater

Bringing you the latest in men’s fashion, Topman dresses you for every occasion in your social calendar with its range of clothing, shoes, and accessories.

the history of the tricorne hat

soiree history of the tricorne hat — @NationalMuseumofAmericanHistory

Before wigs were popularized for men in the late 17th century, low-crowned, large-brimmed feather hats were the shit. But then wigs started to get HUGE (oh, he’s got a bigggg wig). And they needed to fit hats on those bad boys. So they started to fold up the brims. And that’s how the tricorne hat was born!

It was initially used by Spanish soldiers in Flanders. It was preferred for standing at arms because muskets could be held on shoulders without hitting the hat brim.

Then, when war broke out in 1667 between France and Spain over the Spanish Netherlands, France copped their swag. It was brought back, where the royal court of King Louis XIV made it fashionable throughout Europe. To be the most stylish, men cocked or tipped their tricornes to one side or another.

And it remained one of the most fashionable accessories through the 18th century. In the US only the first 5 presidents, from George Washington to James Monroe, wore the tricorne hat. James Monroe earned the nickname “The Last Cocked Hat,” being the last to wear the accessory.

the legacy

In the US, the tricorne is often associated with the American Revolution, especially the Minutemen (militia members of the American colonies). But it’s also heavily ingrained in our sports culture. Think of the New England Patriots, the MLS Revolution, the US men’s national soccer team, and several universities.

The oldest law enforcement agency in Spain, Guardia Civil, uses the tricorne hat as their traditional headdress. In France, synagogue officiants wear the tricorne on formal occasions. In the French Navy and Air Force, they’re still worn by women as a piece of uniform. The federal parliament in Canada even wears it ceremonially. And in 1981, John Boyd made a famous pink tricorne hat for Diana, Princess of Wales. It became known as “Lady Di” and spread worldwide.

Oh yeah, and good ole Jack Sparrow. Can’t forget about him.

what’s on the radio

LoFi Hip Hop Radio. Beats to relax, work, study, sleep, chill, and meditate to.

Listen now!

what’s on the coffee table: Prestel Virgil Abloh Figures of Speech

The museum catalog is another opportunity to "question everything." This monograph, produced in close collaboration with the artist himself, explores his creative output in a three-books-in-one format. The catalog section offers an overview of Abloh's interdisciplinary practice by Michael Darling and features essays and interviews with key voices in art, fashion, design, and architecture, including Taiye Selasi, Lou Stoppard, Michael Rock, Samir Bantal, Rem Koolhaas, and Anja Aronowsky Cronberg. In the archives section, more than 1,800 never-before-seen images pulled from the artist's personal files reveal the remarkable breadth of his influences and collaborations. And the index cross-references the catalog plates--Abloh's works--with his projects and process, using a vocabulary of themes developed by Abloh. It comes in a cloth slipcase with "Personal Copy" silkscreened on the book fore-edge, a measuring tape ribbon marker, and a Flexi disc printed with a Juergen Teller photo that includes a recording of Virgil Abloh discussing his inspirations. This book is designed with Swiss binding. When opened the front cover lays completely flat and is not attached to the front pages of the book. The binding also intentionally exposes the spine of the bound book and the raw boards used for the case.