No hat in American history is more recognizable than Abraham Lincoln's top hat. At 6-foot-4, Lincoln was already the tallest president — and the tall black stovepipe perched on top made him unmistakable across a crowd or a battlefield. It became as much a part of his image as the beard and the long black coat.
So what exactly was Lincoln's hat, and how do you capture that towering, honest-Abe silhouette today? Here's the story, and the styles that get you there.
What kind of top hat did Lincoln wear?
Lincoln favored the stovepipe — the tallest member of the top-hat family, with a high, straight-sided crown and a flat top, usually in black silk or beaver felt with a simple grosgrain band. His were often taller than the average gentleman's topper, which only exaggerated his height. He was also famously practical about it: Lincoln tucked letters, notes, and documents up inside the crown, effectively using the hat as a filing cabinet. The actual silk top hat he wore to Ford's Theatre on the night of his assassination survives today in the Smithsonian.
If you want the Lincoln look, the key is height: reach for a tall stovepipe-style topper rather than a shorter dress top hat.
Get the Lincoln look: tall stovepipe toppers
These are the tallest top hats we carry — the closest thing to Lincoln's own profile.
Shop the look:
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Bailey Western Big Zwey Top Hat — a tall, straight-sided black topper with real stovepipe height. The single best match for the Lincoln silhouette. -
Bailey Frontier Collection Dillinger — a tall black felt topper with a period-correct crown, offered in a full range of fitted sizes.
The classic English topper
If you want a slightly shorter, more formal top hat — the kind you'd wear to a wedding as easily as a Lincoln costume — a traditional English-style topper is the versatile choice. It comes in black plus a run of colors for theater and costume use.
Shop the look:
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Scala Damon Premium Wool Felt English Topper — a premium wool-felt top hat with clean, traditional lines, in black and six other colors. -
Scala Topper Premium Wool Felt Top Hat — a straightforward black wool-felt topper that finishes a formal or costume look.
Why the stovepipe still turns heads
The top hat once signaled dignity and status; on Lincoln it came to signal something more like plain-spoken authority. That's why it's still the go-to for a Lincoln costume, a Civil War reenactment, a ringmaster or steampunk look, or a formal event where you want to make an entrance. A tall black topper does a lot of work with very little effort.
Find your fit
A top hat should sit level and secure, so getting the size right matters. Use our hat sizing guide to measure, then browse the full top hat collection at Fedoras.com.
Fedoras.com is not affiliated with any museum, estate, or historical institution. Style references are provided for inspiration only.
