Abraham Lincoln wore a stovepipe top hat, which was a tall, cylindrical silk hat typically seven to eight inches high. This style of hat became his distinctive trademark and contributed to his towering presence, as Lincoln was already 6 feet 4 inches tall. His stovepipe hat was often a bit worn or battered, fitting his frontier image, and he used it practically to store important papers inside the lining. Lincoln's famous hat on the night of his assassination was a silk stovepipe top hat made by Washington hatmaker J.Y. Davis, adorned with a black mourning band in memory of his son Willie.
The stovepipe hat was traditional gentleman's headwear during the 19th century, but Lincoln's choice helped him stand out visually and become easily recognizable in public and in caricatures.
