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MEN'S HAT STYLE GLOSSARY

FEDORA HAT, TRILBY HAT

Fedora is one of the most well-known hat styles. A fedora hat has small soft brim, generally 1.5" - 2.25" wide (stingy brim, wide brim fedora). The brim can be curled up all around, or just in the back with the front turned down. Fedora hat has a pinched crown with a dented, C-crown or diamond crown top. Most often accented with a simple ribbon band with a small side bow, a pin or feather.

A trilby is a narrow, stringy brim fedora hat. Originally designed for a women's role, Princess Fedora Romazov, played by Sarah Bernhardt in the French play Fédora in 1882. Though, her hat was a soft wool felt hat, it did not resemble what we know today as a fedora. It seems that a savvy New York hatter, Knox began to advertise his wool felt hat style made for men as a hat designed for American men to be worn for any and all occasions, and called it a fedora, referencing the theatrical sensation and the lavish, elegant French fashion. 

BERET

A beret is a soft round flat brimless cap made of wool felt. Berets are simply accented with a stalk (the little thing on top, aka stem). The band around the head is usually narrow felt, but can be wider or made of leather. Berets are often personalizied by badges, pins. Berets are worn with a slant to the side (traditionally to the right) or to the back. 

Who and what do you think of when you say "BERR-ay"? Green Berets, Military uniform, the French, the Dutch, Rastafarians, Beret Girl, Olivia Flaversham, Rembrandt, Che Guavara, Hemingway? Berets have been around for centuries, worn by clergy, military, Marxiest, activist, artist, freethinking revolutionaries.

Make a statement, wear it with a T-shirt or a black tie

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BEANIE, SKULLY, TOQUE, KNIT CAP

Men's beanies are tight fitting knitted caps made of wool or synthetic material. Cuffed beanies have a folded band, the double layer of fabric provides extra warmth for the ears. Radar beanies have a bill/visor.

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BUCKET HAT

Bucket hats are simple little hats with a flat crown top, slightly tapered sidewall, and narrow, soft, stitched brim. Brim is between 1.5"-2.5" wide and downward sloping. Summer bucket hats are made of cotton, twill. For ventilation there are a couple of eyelets sewn or riveted. Bucket hats are made of a variety of solid color fabrics, prints, or camouflage. Bucket hats seldom have chin straps, or adjustable sizing.

Bucket hats for cold weather are made of wool felt, canvas, weathered cotton with fleece, or sherpa lining.

Bucket hats are also a favored hat style for rain hats.

BOONIE HAT, BOONEY HAT

Boonie hats have been popular since the Vietnam war. Boonies are similar to bucket hats only with a wider brim. Crown top is flat, mostly round but can be elongated. The crown can be vented with eyelets or mesh, often only a section of the sidewall is made of mesh. Most boonie hats have chin straps. Boonie hats have stiffer brims than bucket hats. Generally, brims are made of double ayers with stiffener to hold flat. Boonie hats are made of cotton, nylon, performance fabrics, or recycled materials, such as recycled plastic bottles. Synthetic boonie hats are lighter weight, quick dry, shrink and fade resistant. The brim is often dimensional, the front and back are wider than the sides, providing better sun protection for face and neck. Boonies usually have adjustable sizing with toggle. Some boonies have pockets, neck flaps, looped band, side snaps and floatable brims. Boonie hats are packable, and great companion for any outdoor activities.

ASCOT CAP

The ascot cap is a round, structured cap. The round shape is created by the small bill incorporated into the crown. Ascots for cold weather are made of wool felt, leather or suede. For summer wear, straw and polyknit ascots are available.

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FLAT CAP, IVY CAP, DRIVING CAP

Flat cap is an oval shape cap with a flat top and tapered side. Though, there were slight design differences once, today the terms flat cap, driving cap, ivy cap is interchangable. Ivy caps are worn all year round, thus, made of a variety of materials, wool felt, leather, cotton. The bill is incorporated into the crown, either sewn in or with a snap. Winter flat caps are lined, some designed with ear cover that folds into the crown.

DUCKBILL CAP

Duckbill caps are a combination of an ascot and a flat cap. Rounded crown made of sections of materials, usually six panels. The bill is sewn into the cap with cushioning that created the dome look. Duckbill caps are worn all year round. They are made of wool felt, cotton, knit, leather, suede and synthetic fabrics. Winter duckbill cap have warm flannel or fleece lining. 

NEWSBOY CAP, APPLE CAP, GATSBY CAP, CABBIE, EIGHT PANEL CAP

So many names almost the same style. Newsboy caps are made of eight wedge panels. The top of the cap is wider than the band that fits around the hat, so a slouchy, oversized look is created. There is a signature button accent on the center of the top. The bill is a little larger and sticks out from under the crown. Newsboy caps can be solid color, or a combination of colors and type of fabrics. This style is also worn year round, and are made of large variety of materials.

More names: Newsie hat, baker boy, page boy, paper boy, Big Apple hat

CADET CAPS

Cadet cap , also referred to as patrol cap, military cap or field cap, have a flat crown with straight crown walls. Brim is relatively short, slightly curved. Cadet caps are made of a variety of materials, such as cotton, denim, tarp, suede and leather.

BASEBALL CAPS

Casual cap usually made of six panels with a button top and a firm bill. Bills can be pre-curved, or flat. Trucker caps have mesh back. Baseball cap are fitted or adjustable with hook and loop, slider or snap closures.

COWBOY HAT, WESTERN HAT

Cowboy hats, western hats have tall crowns. Brim is generally turned or curled on the sides and turned down on front and back. Cowboy hats are made with a large variety of crown shapes referred to creases, such as Cattleman crease, Biggs crease, Teardrop crease, Gus crease, Montana crease, Carlsbad crease and mush more. Stetson's original Boss of the Planes hat had a tall round crown and flat brim. Western hats are available in a variety of material for hot summer and cold winter days. Cowboy hats are often structured, stiff construction. Cowboy hats provide great protection from the element, sunshine or rain.

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SAFARI HAT

Stylish hats with tapering pinched crown. Crow top has a center dent or teardrop shape. Brim is downward sloping and firm with varying width, 2-5 inch. Great hat style for sun protection. Made from a large variety of materials, cotton, canvas, straw, felt, leather. Summer safari hats, called breezers, have mesh crown-walls to provide cooling ventilation. Straw, felt and leather safari hats may have eyelets on the sides. Men's rain hats are often this style. Wide brim safari hats make perfect sun blocking gardening hats.

The original safari hat were the dome crown pith helmets. Pith helmets are stiff made of the pith of Sola trees.

OUTBACK HAT, AKUBRA, AUSSIE HAT, AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK HAT

Similarly to the American cowboy hats, the Australian outback hats were made for protection from sun, wind and rain. Though, its history is similar to cowboy hats, the style is more similar to the safari hats. Outback hats have wide brims with a front to back curve. The crown has a straight sidewall and flat crown top. Outback hats are also made for summer and winter wear. Cotton, canvas, polyester mesh, synthetic fabrics, high quality leather, and suede are used. Outback hats often have chin straps.

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GAMBLER HAT

Once upon a time the gambler hat style was a cowboy's Sunday's best felt dress hat. The gambler hat has an oval crown top, almost straight sidewall and wide brim with just the very edge sharply turned up. Gambler hats are especially popular for summer wear made of straw. The crown top is sunken, and sometimes a center line is formed. The brim could just have a gentle up turn on the side. One of the best selling men's hat style for golf.

GAUCHO HAT, BOLERO HAT

Gaucho hat are worn by South American cowboys. Gaucho hats have straight sidewall with sunken or telescope crown. Bolero hats have flat crown top. Both styles have straight, flat and firm brims. Brims a wide, 3-4 inch to provide good protection outdoor. Classic gaucho and bolero hats are accented with a narrow band of ribbon, or chin strap.

BOATER HAT, SKIMMER HAT, BASHER

Boater hats have a square look with flat crown top, straight short crown walls and flat small brim. Very popular formal hat style at the turn of the last century. It is embellished with a red and blue striped band, or a solid color grosgrain band. Classic boater hats are made of laichow, corn straw, for its beautiful natural color.

BOWLER HAT, DERBY HAT

This classic hat style is named after the original hat makers, Thomas and William Bowler. The bowler hat is a round crown felt hat with all around curled up short brim. Grosgrain ribbon with narrow side bow accent the derby hats, sometimes a small feather above the bow. Though originally, it was a stiff hat like a top hat, now there are more soft wool felt bowlers. Oddly, this British hat design was adapted and favored in the Americas by upper- and working-class men, cowboys and outlaws. The tall bowler hat style is still traditionally worn by indigenous women in Bolivia, Peru and Chile.

HOMBURG HAT, GODFATHER HAT

This beautiful hat style was popular in Europe in the late 1800s. In the US only The Godfather movie, and real hat enthusiasts recognize this hat style. Homburg hats are structured, stiff like a top hat. The crown is tall with a center dent. The brim is curled and ribbon bound similarly to a top hat. An classic grosgrain ribbon band with side bow, possibly a feather accent is all this hat needs to show elegance, confidence and power.

PORKPIE HAT

This classic hat style kept its name, but its characteristic style has changed over time. Originally a woman's hat style with very short curled brim, and a low, flat crown with a crease along the edge. Then the crown became even shallower, and the porkpies of the 1920's had a flat brim. Now it was a hat style for worn by men. The next variation was the telescope crown, where the whole crown top was set-in lower than the edge, that popped up while worn. The crown height and brim width increased, and even the only constant simple ribbon band with a side bow changed, and colorful feather accents were added. The straight or slightly tapered crown sidewall and the flat crown top remained constant until now. Porkpie hats are in fashion again, and you can find all its variations made of wool felt or straw.

TOP HAT

A couple of centuries ago, every men had a top hat. Nowadays top hats are reserved for special occasions. Tall cylindrical hat with flat crown top and curled ribbon bound brim with just a simple and elegant ribbon band with side bow. Classic top hats are made of wool felt or fur felt. Steampunk and VooDoo toppers are made of leather with unique and wild embellishments.

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LIFEGUARD HAT

Lifeguard hats were the ultimate sun protection hats. Lifeguard hat has high double hump crown, similar to a cattleman's cowboy hat. Extra-wide downward brim provides excellent sun protection. Lifeguard hats are made of natural lightweight straws, like rush straw, palm straw or raffia. Loosely woven straws provide good ventilation. Underbrims are covered with print fabric to block sunshine coming through the loose weaves. Lifeguard hats come with chin cords.

TRAIL HAT, FLAP CAP

A relatively new style of hat created to accommodate the needs of hikers, runners and all outdoors men. These hats are made of lightweight performance fabrics that provide excellent sun protection, dry fast, mold resistant, and moisture wicking. These properties provide cooling comfort all day. Many of these hats and cap have neck flaps, neck shields for additional sun protection. Mesh or perforated crowns provide ventilation. Additional features are chin straps, insect repellent treatment, removable neck flaps.

TRAPPER HAT, TROOPER HAT, AVIATOR HAT, PILOT HAT, BOMBER HAT, USHANKA

These round, fitting hat with earflaps have been around for centuries because they are the warmest most protective hats against frigid weather. Trapper hats have long fold down ear flaps and extended neck cover. The first ushanka hats were made of leather and lined with fur. Today, felt, knit, synthetic materials are also used with faux fur lining. Although, there are slight differences between these styles, the one common feature is the earflap. The earflaps can be fastened under the chin ("down flap"), above the crown ("up flap"), or behind the crown ("ski flap"). 

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SUN VISORS

Men's sun visors have a wide band with a medium size bill with 2-3 inch peak. Sun visors provide minimal sun protection, as they only shade the upper portion of the face, but they reduce glare. Men's sun visors are adjustable with hook and loop, Velcro® or strap with buckle closure.

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