From the Sailor Cap to the Sou’Wester, the Many Hats of Menswear Inline
Photo: Umberto Fratini / Indigital.tv1/20The Sailor Cap
Colloquially known as the “gob hat,” the traditional sailor cap has been a millinery staple since being introduced as an official topper of U.S. Navy uniforms in the 1880s. Recently the style has had something of a resurgence, appearing at Visvim’s Spring 2017 men’s show and at Prada’s Fall 2016 men’s show.
Photographed by Phil Oh2/20The Songkok
Not familiar with the songkok? Don’t worry, few are. The brimless style is something of a cross between a fez and a side cap, popular in Southeast Asia. Even as a lesser-known topper, the shape managed to make several appearances in Phil Oh’s street style shots this season.
Photo: Umberto Fratini / Indigital.tv3/20The Peaked Cap
What started out as a military hat in the 19th century was appropriated in the ’60s and ’70s as a symbol of gay fetish culture, especially when done in leather. Raf Simons reinterpreted the hat on his Spring 2017 runway, in homage to the provocative work of Robert Mapplethorpe, whose photography was featured on garments.
Photographed by Phil Oh4/20The Bucket Hat
Originally a fisherman’s hat, the bucket hat became a pop cultural standard in the ’60s, a hip-hop essential in the ’80s, and an It-girl must-have in 2015—thank you, Rihanna! Today, you can spot the casual topper in men’s street style pics.
Photo: Monica Feudi/ Indigital.tv5/20The Hiking Hat
Leave it to Ms. Prada to turn arguably the least fashionable hat cool. Usually made of nylon with mesh trim—and typically found at the likes of REI—the hat appeared on Prada’s Spring 2017 men’s runway in deep hues with contrast stitching and the brims turned up. The question remains: How long until we see these hats on the street style scene?
Photographed by Phil Oh6/20The Newsboy Cap
Much like white sneakers and scruffy beards, the newsboy cap has become a must for any male celebrity looking to cloak his hotness with strange personal style choices. Its most common wearers include Leonardo DiCaprio, Jon Hamm, and Brad Pitt—flash back into the 20th century and you’ll see it worn by the likes of Paul Newman and Robert Redford. On the runways, the hat has been taken to new proportions to highlight the wearer’s hotness. (Click on to let Moschino show you how it’s done.)
Photo: Yannis Vlamos / Indigital.tv7/20The Sou’Wester
A favorite of fishermen and Paddington Bear, the sou’wester hat is a rainwear staple that’s becoming a fashion one, thanks to Alessandro Michele at Gucci. The designer sent out red and yellow sou’wester caps in his recent menswear show, some paired with coordinating rain jackets. Place your bets now on which Gucci guy will get to wear one first: Harry Styles or Jared Leto?
Photographed by Phil Oh8/20The Sun Hat
A floppy straw hat is a womenswear staple that’s moving into the men’s fashion world. Isaac Larose, a Parisian milliner, has become recognizable by his self-made sun hat, and now other dudes seem to be joining the club.
Photo: Pablo Latorre / Indigitail.tv9/20The Oversize Newsboy Cap
Jeremy Scott’s romp though the ’70s at Moschino wouldn’t have been complete without the era’s funkiest hat: an oversize newsboy style in bold leopard print. Sure, it looks good on the aptly named Nick Truelove, but then again, anything probably would.
Photographed by Phil Oh10/20The Skullcap
Too short to be a beanie and too cool to care is the skullcap. Truly only for the daring with well-groomed brows—along with off-duty Team Zissou members—the shrunken hat has come in many fabrics over the years, but the style having a resurgence outside the men’s shows is a tightly woven knit.
Photo: Marcus Tondo / Indigital.tv11/20The Cartwheel Hat
For those too bold for a typical sun hat, there’s the cartwheel hat. Defined by its low crown and stiff brim, the style appeared in raffia at Wales Bonner’s Spring 2017 show. Goes best, we’d venture, with a similarly streamlined look.
Photographed by Phil Oh12/20The Elastic Headband
Anyone watching the Copa America or Euro 2016 is, by now, well familiar with the elastic headband. Used by soccer’s hirsute hunks, the elastic band appeared on Prada’s runway in bright geometric patterns and on the streets with branded logos. Flowing locks are not necessary but surely help pull it off.
Photo: Kim Weston Arnold / Indigital.tv13/20The Military-Style Beret
This is not Picasso’s beret. Seen at Emporio Armani’s Spring 2017 show, the stiff beret is drawn from military styles with ribbon bands and more structured crowns. It’s become something of a runway mainstay that has yet to take off on the streets.
Photographed by Phil Oh14/20The Beanie
A beanie is nothing too new, but wearing one on hot summer days is surely unexpected. Several men’s street stylers have brought their knit hat game to the June shows, tucking the hat behind the ears for a more summery feel.
Photo: Kim Weston Arnold / Indigital.tv15/20The Park Ranger Hat
Take a fedora, cross it with a straw sun hat, and you have the woven park ranger toppers from Etro’s men’s show. With a shorter brim than expected, the style is more wearable than Smokey the Bear’s go-to but still requires a certain level of sartorial commitment.
Photographed by Phil Oh16/20The Fitted Hat
Sports fans will be well acquainted with the fitted hat, which has transitioned from a stadium to a style essential. Streetwear and experimental brands like KTZ have been producing fitted hats for years, with the market for the style continuing to grow.
Photo: Marcus Tondo / Indigital.tv17/20The Visor
KTZ’s all-black visors take the tennis essential and turn it on its head. When worn with an all-leather, bondage-inspired outfit as on the runway, it’s certainly subversive. Keep your eyes on the street style scene to see how real-world guys are interpreting the topper.
Photographed by Phil Oh18/20The Motorcycle Helmet
A motorcycle or scooter is the preferred mode of transport between the shows in Milan and Paris, and some gents are opting to leave their helmets on while making their way into shows. When it looks this good, it’s a trend we can endorse.
Photo: Kim Weston Arnold / Indigital.tv19/20The Crown
For Spring, J.W.Anderson continued its collaboration with artist Richard X Zawitz on a series of crowns made from his signature Tangle toys. Ideal for Little Princes who’ve fallen to Earth.
Photographed by Phil Oh20/20The Straw Fedora
Should you find yourself forced into fedora-dom, opt for a straw style like a panama hat. When paired with tropical prints, it can’t be beat.
