>From Wikipedia: The word fedora comes from the title of an 1882 play by dramatist Victorien Sardou, Fédora, written for Sarah Bernhardt.[3] The play was first performed in the United States in 1889. Bernhardt played Princess Fédora, the heroine of the play. During the play, Bernhardt, a notorious cross-dresser, wore a center-creased, soft brimmed hat.
The Oxford English Dictionary says the word is American, and gives its first use in print in the 1895 Montgomery Wards catalog. So, I think Bernhardt is a good clue to follow. Kim (textile historian) _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
