A few decades before the 20th century a man developed an oval shaped hard material hat for riding. The edges were curled all around and finished with matching pertersham ribbon. It was designed to protect a man’s head while riding through bushes and ducking under branches. It remained a popular hat with men even without horses. Although materials softened a bit from the 1900’s hard hats the Bowler, also know as a Derby, was the most common men’s hat of the early 1920s. It was an appropriate alternative to the formal silk top hat. Black was the most popular choice although stylish men also had brown, tan or grey bowlers to match their suits. Towards the end of the 1920s when men’s and women’s fashion became bolder with color bowler hats appeared in blues, greens, and other more festive choices.