Trilby

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of soft hat with a narrow brim and indented crown, often made of felt or wool
2. A fashionable headwear characterized by a long, soft crown and a short brim, commonly associated with men's attire
3. A type of hat typically featuring a creased crown and a flexible brim, popular in various style settings

Etymology: The trilby is named after a young woman, but she never existed outside a novel. George du Maurier's 1894 bestseller Trilby featured Trilby O'Ferrall, an artist's model in Paris, and the 1895 stage adaptation made the story a hit on both sides of the Atlantic. The hat took its name from the production, since the stage version showed actors wearing soft felt hats with narrow brims and dented crowns. The name caught on quickly, and the hat became fashionable among men in the following years. Its style spread into everyday wear, and "trilby" came to stand for the whole category of soft felt hat, regardless of whether the wearer had ever seen the play.