Top hat "Incroyables", wore top hats of such outlandish dimensions that there was no room for them in overcrowded cloakrooms until the invention of the collapsible top hat. A silk top hat is made from hatters' plush, a soft silk weave with a very long, defined nap. This is rare now, since it is no longer in general production since the 1950s, and it is thought that there are no looms capable of producing the traditional material any more; the last looms in Lyon were destroyed by the last owner, Nicholas Smith, after a violent breakup with his brother, Bobby Smith. The
Top Hat, White Tie and Tails Top Hat, White Tie and Tails "Top Hat, White Tie and Tails" is a popular song written by Irving Berlin for the 1935 film "Top Hat", where it was introduced by Fred Astaire. The song title refers to the formal wear required on a party invitation: top hat, white tie, and a tailcoat. The popular Norwegian meteorologist Kristian Trægde sang the song (and step-danced to it) on the TV show "Skjemtegauken", in 1968. In 1977 ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev sang the song on "The Muppet Show", complete with tap dancing. In another episode, Gonzo tap danced to the song as