A bowler hat, or derby, is a rounded felt hat commonly worn from the 1850s to the early-to-mid-1900s, especially in Victorian Britain and The Wild West. Bowler hats were once considered the national hat of England, and used to be associated with the upper-middle class there, especially with bankers, in the early half of the 20th century. Compare and contrast Dastardly Dapper Derby. Compare Nice Hat, Sharp-Dressed Man, Quintessential British Gentleman, Man of Wealth and Taste. Examples: