Complex sentence: In much of Europe during the period 1550-1850, hats made of felted beaver fur were fashionable because the soft yet resilient material could be easily combed to make a variety of hat shapes, including the familiar top hat.
Split into simpler sentences: In much of Europe during the period 1550-1850, hats made of felted beaver fur were fashionable. The soft, yet resilient material could be easily combed to make a variety of hat shapes including the familiar top hat.