Why would I want to spend an outrageous amount of money on YET another top hat, you ask? Well, it's not that I WANT to spend hundreds of dollars on a top hat, I would just really love to get a satin collapsible top hat. Sure the beaver fur (leave the jokes aside for a minute) is very luxurious, but what to do when you're at the ballet? Smash that hat down quick as a jiffy! In fact, I had heard from an older gentleman at a vintage fashion expo that there used to be little metal racks mounted under each seat at an opera house/playhouse for that very reason, so that a hat could be collapsed (so as not to hinder the view from the fellow patrons unfortunate enough to have a seat behind you) and slid in between the seat bottom and the metal rack for safe keeping until the performance was through. When it came time to leave, a stiff whap of the brim uopn one's hand and POP! Your satin topper is now back to full size and ready to wrap up the evening in style!