Prince William & Prince Harry wearing traditional bowler hats

A Bowler is traditionally a hard felt hat with a rounded crown and a curled brim. Created in 1849 by the London hat-makers Thomas and William Bowler. The recipient of the hat varies depending on who you talk to - some say it was for William Coke, the 1st Earl of Leicester, and others say it was made for his nephew Edward Coke. The Bowler has many names: First it was dubbed a "Coke" (pronounced "cook") or "BillyCock" after its owner. Then as a "Bowler" after its creators. In America, the hat is commonly referred to as the “Derby” after the Earl of Derby wore one on a visit to this side of the pond. In Italy the hat was known as a Bombetta, or "little bomb". In Peru it is known widely as the “Bombin”. It was popularized in modern society bu Charlie Chaplin and Laurel & Hardy. Having evolved from a working hat, the bowler came into popularity as an alternative for the elaborately tall and cumbersome top hat. While still representing respectability and properness, the bowler was a more modest hat than the top hat, and was worn by all classes of men. Prior to the invention of the fur felt western style hat, bowlers were worn by railroad workers in the American west who brought the hats with them from the East coast.