Traditionally hats and turbans had an elaborate but cryptic associated in-group signaling vocabulary. You had to know what the different styles meant by way of status etc.
That’s devolved into today’s baseball hat slogan culture. Imagine a top hat with “Important Man” on it.
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A basic top hat cost about 2 weeks' wages (around $500-$1000 now) but an expensive one was closer to $3000. Definitely a status symbol.
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