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[Hayroon]

So I'm making a steampunk costume based on a character I created, who in turn is based on a randomised Little Big Planet Costume, which has a brown fedora. Should I keep the fedora, or would it be more realistic for me to have a bowlers' cap, since he's a time traveller from the 1880's or 1890's haven't decided the exact year yet.

[Mehdia]

I think a bowler or a top hat would be more appropriate for steampunk. Though you may want to look up the exact era the fedora was introduced. It might be closer in time than you think. Though, if your character is a time traveler, who's to say he didn't pick up a fedora at a different point on his journey through time?

[skythefairae]

Yeah, I would definitely pick a bowler hat or a top hat over a fedora in terms of steampunk. When I think of fedoras, I would never really connect them with that kind of style.

[Mehdia]

Just looked it up. The fedora was introduced in the late 1880s via a play of the same name. It first showed in America in 1889, but the style was named for Princess Fedora, who wore a hat similar to what became the famous style. Thus it made the fedora a style worn by women until the early 20th century. It then transitioned into male fashion and become extremely popular during Prohibition and the Depression. It became an item made even more famous by male screen actors of the 1940s.

I hope that tidbit of research helped.

[ghosgreen]

As much as I love the fedora hat and it's great style I think it may work against you a little. When I think of fedoras I think of the 1920's through 1940's. But I think you should give it a try anyways and see how it works out. Honestly I'm a little tired of seeing top hats and bowlers (again I have nothing against them. Just picked up my own top hat this week). So with that said yeah explore and see how it comes out. My very first steampunk outfit I used a fedora and it was well received for the most part.

[Hayroon]

Yeah, I'm gonna go with a bowler hat, since it actually goes better with my character, who has a cartoony handle bar mustache and gets in frequent bare-knuckle boxing matches.