Have you started shopping for hats but are overwhelmed by the dizzying assortment of hat types? Then this article is for you. Because hats are eternally stylish and always popular, they come in many types of styles imaginable.
Men and women of all ages (and kids!) love hats because they’re versatile, functional, and stylish. They’re also suitable for any season. Rain, snow, sleet, or sun, a hat can keep you protected from the elements and look great doing it. Here are X different types of hats that are in demand today.
1. Baseball Caps
The baseball cap was named for America’s most loved sport of baseball. Originally designed with a long stiff curved brim and a close-fitting round cap made of cloth material, the iconic baseball cap has come a long way. Baseball caps were, and still are, an essential part of every organized baseball team’s uniform.
Even though they were first designed for athletes, today baseball caps are worn by just about everyone. Men, women, and kids of all ages love baseball caps and they can’t get enough of them. Style-savvy celebs are routinely spotted rocking baseball hats as are politicians, weekend warriors, and soccer moms.
2. Beanies
A beanie is a knit cap that’s worn high on the back of the head, down over the ears, and with the brim turned up. Or, when it’s cold outside, beanies are worn with the brims all the way down to protect the ears from the cold.
Beanies gained popularity in the US long ago when outdoor workers wore these knit caps to keep their heads warm during the winter. Over time, beanies have evolved into one of the most popular types of hats for men, women, and kids.
Beanies are head-hugging, brimless caps made from triangular panels of material that are joined at the crown and sewn together around the sides. A beanie is also called a skullcap or skully. Why? Because this type of hat hugs your skull, so to speak.
Beanies come in every color under the sun. They can be adorned with patches to advertise brands, show the wearer’s love of something, or with just about any design or text. Today, hipsters and fashion-forward thinkers wear beanies year-round. They’re cool, hip, and hats that everyone can wear.
3. Trucker Hats
While a trucker hat may look like a baseball cap at first glance, it is a hat type all its own. A trucker hat is taller than a baseball cap. And instead of being made of cotton-like most baseball caps are, trucker hats are made of mesh. These hats also differ from baseball caps in that they have a foam front section that stands up tall and straight. This is why trucker hats are longer than baseball caps.
Trucker hats were originally worn by long-distance truckers, starting in the 1970s. While many truckers still wear them, trucker hats have become wildly popular among skaters, rockers, hipsters, and A-lists of both sexes.
Actor Ashton Kutcher helped make trucker hats popular as the star is often seen out and about sporting a trucker hat. Motorsport enthusiasts are huge fans of trucker hats as are metalheads, and hard rockers.
4. Dad Caps
Professional sports-style baseball caps were the headgear of choice seen on the streets until dad caps came along in the late 1900s. Now, dad caps are worn by dads everywhere and by everyone else who likes to keep in style.
So what’s a dad cap? It’s a baseball hat for dads. What we’re trying to say is there’s a fine line between a dad cap and a regular baseball cap. The typical dad cap is a 5-panel hat with a loose-fitting. What differentiates the dad cap from the baseball cap is the 5-panel construction. Plus, the closure is different. A dad cap has a metal closure and a baseball hat uses velcro or snaps.
Dad caps come in a multitude of colors and designs. They’re popular among kids, women, and men. Dads certainly aren’t the only ones wearing dad caps anymore, in spite of the name.
5. Fedora Hats
Long considered cool, classic, and timeless, fedora hats are very popular in today’s fashion world. This type of hat originated in 1891 after the stage play Fedora. The cross-dressing star of the play wore a wide-brimmed hat with a center crease. Alas, the fedora hat was born!
Fedora hats have wide brims to keep the sun out of the eyes. They also have shallow crowns and are made from durable, long-lasting materials like 100% cotton or high quality felt.
The proper way to wear a fedora hat is to slightly tip the hat forward. This helps with sun protection, plus it looks slick and awesome. Fedora hats are mostly worn by men, although they’ve been seen on many women’s heads. They’re hip, cool, great for summer wear and a hat style that will remain in fashion for many years or decades to come.
6. Snapback Hats
A snapback hat is a baseball-style, 6-panel hat with a wide flat brim. This type of hat snaps in the back, hence, the name. It is worn close to the head and fitted with an adjustable snap on the backside.
A snapback is a one-size-fits-all hat. Snapbacks are enjoying a surge in popularity. Kids, tween, teenagers, and adults of both sexes love snapback hats. And of course, these hats come in a plethora of colors and color combos.
As far as shape goes, a snapback has an almost 90-degree angle between the cap and the brim. This makes the front panel of a snapback very easy to see. Unlike a dad cap with a round, preshaped brim, the snapback’s brim is flat. The big front panel on the snapback is hard. This creates the perfect place to adhere to embroidery patches or iron on patches.
There you have it: Six different types of hats! These are all popular hat types people of all ages love wearing. At Delusion MFG, our passion is hats! We’ve got a broad assortment of all the most popular hat types including dad caps, beanies, 5-panel hats, 6-panel hats, and lots more. Visit us today to pick your new favorite hat!
