Jess, our beloved founder and thrift shop badass, is always on the hunt for a good hat! Being a hat woman herself, she searches for the best styles. I mean have you seen our cap collection? Suffice to say, a hat can really go a long way and turn a simple outfit into a commanding and bold statement. Even the laziest fashionista recognizes the power of headwear. While the styles and brands dedicated to headwear are endless, there are a few crucial cap styles everyone needs to know. We are taking a moment to appreciate the baseball cap. If you're looking to elevate your head wear game, you might want to stay tuned for some nuggets of wisdom.
BASEBALL CAPS
Your journey finding the best cap may be a tiresome one, luckily we’ve narrowed down some options to help you along the way. We know that finding the right cap isn’t easy and who knew there was such a variety. So, first off, if you didn’t already know, headwear is an umbrella term not synonymous with cap. The term cap first caught wind in the 1860s when baseball teams incorporated them into their uniform. Their fitted dome shape attached to a curved bill was designed to keep the sun out of the players' eyes. Since the cap's mainstream incorporation in the 1980s (many attribute Tom Sellick’s fondness for the cap as the catalyst for the nation's interest) it now comes in a variety of fabrics and styles to cater to your head. But the original still remains popular.
If you’ve seen a cap with the logo New Era, you're 95% looking at a fitted baseball cap. An embroidered patch on the cap is a signature sign of the cap’s humble baseball beginnings. The OG cap was made from cotton and retained a domed shape due to a cardboard or plastic insert. Most often, little air sockets were included for ventilation. On a new cap, the bill of the hat, also known as the peak, is already curved. Today, the bill is customizable depending on what you are looking for. This type of cap should have a snug fit and sit just above the ears, with some headroom where the bill rests on the forehead. If you can’t swivel your cap around your head, it's a little too tight.
SNAPBACKS
Snapbacks are very trendy these days and are suitable for many shapes and sizes of heads. Unlike the fitted cap, snapbacks have a piece of plastic in the back that allows for more size ranges. They offer flexibility for days when your hair is on the flat side or your bushel of curls want to cascade down. They still generally have the domed stiff shape but there are a few made with softer materials. Snapbacks are a versatile hat that are perfect for casual wear or on the go.
TRUCKER HATS
Trucker Hats are another version of the snapback, but include a mesh back-half that's flexible. The Trucker hat is made with a more stretch fit material and the front is built higher than a standard baseball cap. Trucker hats are usually a one-size-fits-all situation and gained popularity in the 1980s as well. It's a bit extra, but this style of cap has a time and a place.
DAD HATS
Dad Hats are widely popular accessories, especially in Korea. They are usually in the “adjustable” type of cap meaning they have a piece of fabric that tightens to the shape of your head. Unlike the original baseball cap, the shape is less sturdy and more free flow. You can fold it and place it in your pocket for easy access later.
Leave us a comment with your go to hat!