The Smithsonian claims that Lincoln used to wear a tall hat to store important documents in it during his travels. The explanation is pretty simple: Lincoln preferred to travel on foot, to ride a horse, or to go in a carriage. Obviously, none of these methods of traveling could protect papers against the weather, but the bands and lining of Lincoln’s tall hat did. Another interesting fact: Lincoln did not wear a tall hat. What he wore was a stovepipe hat, which is significantly larger and taller than the regular tall hat. He also usually asked his hat maker to add a black band to his tall hats as a sign of mourning his son William.