A guide to wearing dad hats this summer
A guide to wearing dad hats this summer
And a primer on other types of head-ware.
Summer is near.
That time of the year where I and my homies can throw on lids and look like this…
Sorta.
I just love the versatility of hats. They come in all colors, fabrics, and styles. You can wear ‘em with a suit, jeans and a t-shirt, turtle neck and slacks, linen shirt and board shorts.
Here are some musings I’ve got on hats and the different ways to think about wearing them.
The almighty dad cap
First up, the dad cap is timeless. You gotta respect the range for how people pair it with other styles. Dress it up or down, doesn’t matter. No one will judge you.
Unless you’re a dad and your daughter’s boyfriend comes to dinner wearing a hat that says “daddy” on it (see top right).
Then I understand.
Otherwise, the dad cap knows no bounds. It supersedes all shapes and sizes. Here’s some inspo…
Here are some dad caps I personally dig…
47 Brand ($25) - (it’s a Yankees hat—yes I know you don’t like them, so find your own team to rep on their site… there’s plenty to work with!)
Duckhead ($28) - a brand favorite for me growing up. I used to collect their polos at vintage shops like candy growing up.
Art Department ($ TBD) - what’s Art Department, you ask? I can’t tell you. It’s just a secret club that you want to be part of. Click the link and DM the account on Instagram if you wanna grab one. It’s the only way you can buy it. Tell him I sent you.
Bass Pro Shop ($6) - Ok, technically it’s a trucker hat, but whatever. Rock this one around any liberal city and you’ll look like a cowboy lost in space.
And here’s what they look like…
The Goodwill hat
Everyone’s got a Goodwill hat. You know, the one from middle school, or baseball practice, or the pizza shop you worked at, or the one you snagged at… Goodwill?
The Goodwill hat is a great conversation starter, no matter where you go. Someone will always want to know about your hat.
Here’s how other folks have managed to rock Goodwill cap over the years.
These hats make everything more fun. Why buy a hat everyone can get when you can just rep the one-off?
I’ve found that Etsy, Grailed, and Depop have some insanely cool options to choose from, especially if you don’t have a local vintage store to grab one at!
The Safari Hat
This is one that’s grown on me over the last year, and I’m about to buy one for my hiking on the west coast this summer.
Stylistically, the safari hat fits into the larger narrative of Gorpcore (HikeBeast, tech-wear). I wrote about this genre of style a while back if you want to learn more.
But yeah, you could easily wear this with a pair of Birkenstocks and a Patagonia fleece on a coffee date. I can’t guarantee you won’t get dumped, but that’s not my problem!
Take Ezra Koenig (the Vampire Weekend dude). He knows how to make it work.
The North Face ($35) is a staple if you want one. Here’s where you can grab that one.
A few others:
The Bucket Hat
What once was a staple for fishermen has become a longtime centerpiece of streetwear and other subcultures. Run-D.M.C. were always known for rocking Kangol, and Snoop was a major bucket stan as well.
One quick word: don’t be like Tiger. Don’t wear a fedora. Just don’t do it.
Consult me first, please.
Similar to the Goodwill cap, though, you can search Grailed and Depop for great one-offs. That said, classic brands known for their bucket hats are:
Stüssy ($50) - If you can find any in stock, good on you! They’re wiped out of inventory all the time.
Ralph Lauren ($50) - (the cotton chino one is evergreen!)
And other brands I dig:
Malbon ($48) - (a golf brand that blends golf apparel with streetwear), annnd…
Aimé Leon Dore ($60) - (scroll down till you find the bucket hats section).
The OG Baseball Cap
Or, the Ebbet’s cap, named after the famous Ebbet’s Field, home of the original Brooklyn Dodgers.
I’ve loved this brand for years. Ebbet’s makes all their hats in the United States and sources only the best fabrics for production. They started by replicating the OG baseball caps from MLB teams, and have since expanded to making caps for different leagues, sports, and cities (a lot of people order caps to rep their local city).
I’m not even gonna share a specific option, because there are so many.
Just click this link and get lost. These are great for wearing any season, not just summer. Here’s a sample:
All in all, hats are a sign of individuality. You can take my recommendations for new hats to buy, but what I find more fun is when you buy something you want because it matches your style. Listen to your heart.
Buy what feels right.