They’ve been a time-honored tradition in the world of headwear for over four hundred years. And in the four and a half centuries since the invention of the flat cap, people have come up with myriad ways to wear it. From laborers wearing it with their everyday clothes to posh golfers heading to the green to TV gangsters like Tommy Shelby from Peaky Blinders, everybody loves a flat cap.
With so many options, deciding how you want to wear your flat cap can be a challenge. That’s why we’re sharing our favorite tips and tricks for styling your flat cap.
Match the Hat To the Season
Back in the flat cap’s early days, people wore them year-round, especially on Sundays and holidays, thanks to a law passed by Queen Elizabeth I. But these days, the flat cap’s warm, wooly fabric choice has made most people consider it a cold-weather chapeau. This makes it perfect to pair with your warm outerwear.
Still, many of us enjoy wearing our caps in warm weather, especially if we decide to wear them while golfing. In that case, look for caps made of lightweight materials like linen or cotton.
Consider the Colors
Even though a hat is generally considered a statement piece, it doesn’t exist as a solo act. When you’re deciding how to style your flat cap, you have to consider what other colors are in your outfit. Here are a few principles to keep in mind.
-Neutral and earthy colored hats will give you the most outfit options.
-Brown tends to pair well with blue.
-Grey tends to pair well with other greys and black.
-Remember to keep the color of your outerwear in mind too.
-You need to take the colors of your accessories into consideration as well, such as shoes, ties, gloves, or scarves.
Also, keep in mind that your skin tone will impact how others perceive the hat’s color. There are a whole host of theories about what colors look best with what skin tones, but if you want to keep it simple, consider choosing a hat color that contrasts your skin tone.
Pro Tip
Patterns are as important to consider in your outfit as colors. Avoid choosing a cap that is too similar to the pattern of the outfit you’re wearing.
Avoid These Mistakes
Part of knowing how to wear a flat cap correctly is knowing how to avoid wearing it incorrectly. And there are a plethora of ways you shouldn’t wear a flat cap. Here are a few mistakes you’ll want to avoid:
-Wearing your flat cap backward
-Wearing the cap unpinned
-Wearing it pulled down too low on your face
-Wearing it too far back on your head
The flat cap is one piece of headwear that’s steeped in tradition. If you want to take part in that tradition, Fashionable Hats has flat caps for sale from several leading brands.