Flat Caps & Flat Hats

Learn About Different Styles & Types of Flat Caps

There are many different types of designer flat caps for sale, including the newsboy, ivy, driver, and cabbie caps. Each one has a soft, low crown that folds onto the short stiff brim in front. More famous flat cap styles include the Shelby cap and Ascot cap. Many have accent buttons, and some flat hats are made of six or eight panels sewn together. They are made of wool or wool blends in plaid, herringbone, tweed, or solid colors in various designs.

Ivy Caps Design- Simplicity at Its Best

Take the ivy hat, for instance—a classic among popular men’s flat caps and hats. This is simplicity at its best. Whether designed of linen, wool, cotton, or tweed, just to name a few, the completely flat top and slightly elliptical shape mark this as an ivy cap. Indeed, its simple design accounts for its popularity among celebrities and everyday men alike. It's the innate panache that keeps it trendy.

A case in point is the black ivy hat seen on Brad Pitt, an aficionado of men's flat caps, who paired his with an all-black ensemble. Reminiscent of our Midtown Wool Blend Ivy Cap, a Walrus hat devised of black wool, this three-season cap is the type that has become a wardrobe staple for trendsetting men. Worn with a sport coat or suit, it injects a bit of personal flair into a look that might otherwise appear rather staid or even somber. Conversely, the same hat imbues the casual weekend look of jeans or khakis with a subtle touch of refinement. Yes, a single black ivy cap is that versatile.

Similarly, Leonardo DiCaprio was spotted in a herringbone designer flat cap much like our Walrus Hats Main Street Tweed Ivy Cap. Creating a debonair look, the actor partnered his hat with a dark overcoat and striped wool scarf. This herringbone version of an ivy cap, or Irish cap, would offer a commensurate level of suave appeal mated with anything from the T-shirt and jeans found in every man's closet to a three-piece suit, a traditional look rapidly gathering contemporary converts.

 

Newsboy Caps- Sophisticated With a Youthful Charm

Meanwhile, men's newsboy caps, also known as baker boy caps, apple caps, eight-piece caps, pageboy hats, applejack hats, big apple caps, poor boy caps, or Gatsby caps for their association with F. Scott Fitzgerald's title character from The Great Gatsby, provide another take on the flat cap. Fuller in the crown, with a button affixed to the center, these caps offer the youthful charm of the young newspaper vendors for whom the hats are named. Ashton Kutcher, for example, rocked a newsboy cap along with a crisp white shirt, charcoal-gray cardigan, and horizontally striped tie in shades of gray and white. A deft blend of the casual with the chic, the addition of the hat, a mirror image of our Shelby wool blend 8-panel cap by Walrus Hats, brought a playful and youthful exuberance to the overall look.

Also seen sporting a newsboy cap on multiple occasions is David Beckham. A solid black design this time, the hat accompanied a black sweater with a high neck and a silver zipper. At once a relaxed yet thoroughly pulled together style, its good looks seem to contradict the ease of putting it all together. Likewise, George Clooney also stepped out in a newsboy cap, a tweed iteration in black and white. A dynamic pairing with a three-pieced suit and loosened tie, Clooney keeps it clean and cool with a classic look.

 

Golf Caps- Summer in Style

Then there are golf hats for men. Typically devised of linen or cotton to ensure coolness during the heat of the day, these hats often feature various types of plaid fabric, the time-honored pattern associated with golf and one that happens to be trending right now as well. On or off the golf course, golf hats for men are a look that resonates with many men. A prime example, Justin Timberlake's plaid golf hat, coupled with an argyle vest over a white shirt, offers a more stylish and self-assured presence than an ordinary baseball cap.

 

Driver's Caps- Pure Style, Perfect Comfort

Finally, providing an often narrower, more fitted version of men’s flat caps is a hat known by various names: cabbie hats, driving hats, scally caps, and duckbill caps. Originally a favorite among those who drove for a living, the driver's cap is a working man's hat. Its slight upturn to its brim earned it the additional appellation of duckbill cap. However, regardless of the name used, this little hat has a life of its own now, accenting suits, overcoats, and even pea coats. Epitomizing unmitigated swagger as he rocked a scally cap, Will Smith combined a hat in solid black and tweed with a suit and tie as well as a single diamond earring. That's singular style.

For the laid-back man for whom looking good is a given but spending time on it is not, the flat hat is the one every time. You’ll often find flat caps for sale going by many names, such as:

• pub hat
• touring cap
• longshoreman's cap
• cloth cap
• cally cap
• wigens cap
• derby hat
• jeff cap
• duffer cap
• bicycle cap
• Irish cap
• crook cap
• Joao's hat
• sixpence

However, regardless of the name, the timeless, classic styling and heritage remain the same.