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About Trilby & Pork Pie Fedoras
Trilby and pork pie hats are short-brimmed fedora styles characterized by compact proportions and distinctive crown shapes. Both styles feature brims under 2.5 inches (often called "stingy brims"), making them less formal alternatives to wide-brim fedoras while maintaining structured, tailored silhouettes.
What Makes a Trilby Hat
Trilby hats feature a tapered crown with a front pinch and a short brim that angles down in front and up in back. The brim typically measures 1.5 to 2 inches. Named after an 1894 stage play, trilbies became popular in 1920s Britain as a casual alternative to formal fedoras, worn at racetracks and in the countryside.
What Makes a Pork Pie Hat
Pork pie hats are defined by a flat crown with a circular indentation (called a telescope crown) and a narrow brim that turns up all the way around. The brim measures less than 2.5 inches. The flat crown resembles a British pork pie pastry, giving the hat its name. Popularized by Buster Keaton in the 1920s and jazz musicians like Lester Young in the 1940s, pork pies have a lower crown than trilbies or standard fedoras, making them ideal for taller individuals who don't want to add visual height.
Who These Hats Are For
These compact fedora styles suit musicians, creative professionals, and anyone seeking a vintage-inspired accessory with less formality than wide-brim fedoras. The lower crown height works particularly well for taller individuals or those with long or oval face shapes. Both styles pair well with casual outfits—denim, leather jackets, and layered looks—while maintaining enough structure for smart-casual occasions.
Conner's Trilby & Pork Pie Collection
Conner Hats crafts trilby and pork pie styles from sustainable materials including organic raffia straw, cruelty-free wool, and toyo (paper straw). Straw versions ($74-$85) offer breathability for warm weather, while wool styles ($92-$95) provide water resistance and year-round wearability. Each hat is handmade with attention to fit and durability, backed by Conner's lifetime warranty against defects in materials and workmanship.
Frequently Asked Questions
The main difference is the crown shape. Trilby hats have a tapered crown with a front pinch, similar to a standard fedora but more compact. Pork pie hats have a flat crown with a circular indentation (telescope crown) and no pinch. Both feature short brims under 2.5 inches, but trilby brims typically angle down in front and up in back, while pork pie brims turn up all the way around. Trilbies are considered slightly more formal than pork pies.
They're subcategories of fedoras. Standard fedoras have brims 2.5 inches or wider, while trilby and pork pie hats have "stingy brims" under 2.5 inches. All three share similar construction—felt or straw material, structured crowns, and grosgrain ribbon bands—but trilbies and pork pies offer a more compact, casual silhouette than wide-brim fedoras.
Trilby and pork pie hats work best for long, short, or oval face shapes. The narrow brim can feel too small on round or square faces—as a rule, the hat brim should be wider than your jawline. If you have a round or square face, consider a standard fedora with a wider brim (2.5+ inches) for better proportion.
Yes. Straw versions like Conner's toyo and raffia styles are specifically designed for warm weather. Straw provides natural breathability and ventilation, making these hats comfortable in temperatures above 70°F. Look for natural straw materials (raffia, toyo, paper straw) rather than felt or wool for summer wear.
These hats should fit snug around your head—almost uncomfortably tight at first. The hat will loosen slightly with wear as it conforms to your head shape from body heat. Measure your head circumference just above your eyebrows and ears, then match to the size chart: Small (21.5-22 inches), Medium (22-22.75 inches), Large (22.75-23.5 inches), X-Large (23.5-24.25 inches). Many Conner styles include adjustable drawstrings or elastic bands for fine-tuning.
Yes. Conner uses cruelty-free wool (no mulesing), organic raffia (renewable palm fiber), and toyo straw (made from recycled paper). The brand sources from suppliers who pay fair wages and practice ethical treatment of employees. Each hat is handmade in small-batch production to reduce waste. Conner operates from a solar-powered warehouse in Florida and has been committed to sustainable materials since founder Will Conner established the brand in 2014.
All Conner hats are warranted to the original owner against defects in materials and workmanship for the lifetime of the hat. If your hat fails due to a manufacturing defect or faulty materials, Conner will replace it. Normal wear and tear, improper care, or accidental damage are not covered.