For much of the past century, hats have fallen out of style in menswear: long gone are the days where men wore a hat with every outfit, taking it off when they entered a building as a matter of course. Now, they’ve become something more niche in fashion.
More recently, a lot of men have shied away from hats; the idea of the less than flattering fedora with a t-shirt look from about a decade ago have turned a lot of us off from headwear. But, I don’t think it has to be this way. Here, I want to make the case for the return of the hat.
There are two good reasons to consider wearing a hat. The first is that they’re practical. A lot of us have spent the better part of the last year indoors, and even under normal circumstances, we spend a lot of time inside. When we do go outside, then, we’re at risk for a nasty sunburn. Popping on a hat can reduce the odds of that happening on your nose, face, ears, and the back of your neck. It’ll keep you cooler and reduce your chance of skin issues later on. That’s a major win.
Second, hats can complement a look. Moving past the misfortunes of our fedora-wearing years, if you wear the right hat in the right context, you can look that much sharper. Since men’s style does not change much or often, elevating a good look to a great one comes down to the details, and a hat can be just such a detail. I’ll recommend three hats that are great.
Of course, the classic baseball cap. It’s long been a staple of dads mowing lawns or watching sports games, and for good reason. These can be comfortable options to keep the sun out of your face and make a statement about a team or city you love. They’re also big parts of streetwear and generally urban aesthetics, so this one is especially flexible.
A beanie or watch cap is another excellent option. A good online surplus store will usually have these, in wool, in several colors for not much money. That will get you hats that can go with most cool-weather outfits. Here, you should go for natural materials: a wool watch cap will both keep you warm and breathe. These will keep you warm in the winter and sharpen up casual winter outfits.
Finally, a wide-brimmed fedora is one of the best hats of the summer. With a little more refined silhouette than the short-brimmed versions, the wider brimmed fedoras evoke a July night sipping a mojito, which is exactly the kind of vibe we’re going for this summer. It’s also reasonably versatile. While we might not wear it with a t-shirt (but it can be done if you coordinate the outfit well!), about anything else goes. Long or short-sleeved collared shirts, with either shorts or pants, can look great. If you have a summer, outdoor wedding, a nice straw fedora can keep the sun out of your eyes so you won’t be squinting in all of the pictures.
With any of these three, you will have an excellent accessory. With all three of these versatile hats, you’ll be well on your way to improving your wardrobe.
More recently, a lot of men have shied away from hats; the idea of the less than flattering fedora with a t-shirt look from about a decade ago have turned a lot of us off from headwear. But, I don’t think it has to be this way. Here, I want to make the case for the return of the hat.
There are two good reasons to consider wearing a hat. The first is that they’re practical. A lot of us have spent the better part of the last year indoors, and even under normal circumstances, we spend a lot of time inside. When we do go outside, then, we’re at risk for a nasty sunburn. Popping on a hat can reduce the odds of that happening on your nose, face, ears, and the back of your neck. It’ll keep you cooler and reduce your chance of skin issues later on. That’s a major win.
Second, hats can complement a look. Moving past the misfortunes of our fedora-wearing years, if you wear the right hat in the right context, you can look that much sharper. Since men’s style does not change much or often, elevating a good look to a great one comes down to the details, and a hat can be just such a detail. I’ll recommend three hats that are great.
Of course, the classic baseball cap. It’s long been a staple of dads mowing lawns or watching sports games, and for good reason. These can be comfortable options to keep the sun out of your face and make a statement about a team or city you love. They’re also big parts of streetwear and generally urban aesthetics, so this one is especially flexible.
A beanie or watch cap is another excellent option. A good online surplus store will usually have these, in wool, in several colors for not much money. That will get you hats that can go with most cool-weather outfits. Here, you should go for natural materials: a wool watch cap will both keep you warm and breathe. These will keep you warm in the winter and sharpen up casual winter outfits.
Finally, a wide-brimmed fedora is one of the best hats of the summer. With a little more refined silhouette than the short-brimmed versions, the wider brimmed fedoras evoke a July night sipping a mojito, which is exactly the kind of vibe we’re going for this summer. It’s also reasonably versatile. While we might not wear it with a t-shirt (but it can be done if you coordinate the outfit well!), about anything else goes. Long or short-sleeved collared shirts, with either shorts or pants, can look great. If you have a summer, outdoor wedding, a nice straw fedora can keep the sun out of your eyes so you won’t be squinting in all of the pictures.
With any of these three, you will have an excellent accessory. With all three of these versatile hats, you’ll be well on your way to improving your wardrobe.