ABSTRACT
A hat with a long and rich history, the bowler-or derby-underwent a conspicuous revival in both the United States and Great Britain in 1959. London's Daily Herald scornfully commented on the phenomenon: This tomfoolery becomes. a symbol of decadence. The cure must be short and quick. The bowler hat must be abolished. In Toledo, which claimed to have more derby wearers than any other US city, 158 citizens formed the Downtown Bowler Club. The older members indicated their liking for the hat to be based upon nostalgia, while younger ones liked the fact that they looked different. Elsewhere in the states, the derby's popularity owed much to its affinity with the Continental suit.
