Finding the right hat for your boy can sometimes be hit-and-miss because many factors influence a successful purchase. We as parents consider “cool” rarely a shared sentiment, yet we still want the best for our boys! So, what type of hats are there for boys?
Types of hats for boys include Baseball Caps, Bucket Hats, Coonskin Caps, Bowler Hats, Beanies, Trilby Hats, Boater Hats, Homburg Hats, Ascot Hats, Mitre Hats, Fedoras, Berets, Cowboy Hats, Newsboy Caps, Sun Visor Caps, Panama Hats, and Flat Caps. Each hat is suited for a specific occasion.
Understanding each hat’s aesthetics and purpose will help you pick the most fashionable and meaningful hat alternative!
Types of Hats for Boys (Kids)
You’ll want to think carefully about your purchase before buying a hat for your toddler boy. The hat’s style is undoubtedly a contributing factor, but don’t let it become the priority. The purpose of the hat and its benefit to your child is essential. Consider the following additional aspects that impact toddler hat choices:
- Material
- Color
- Patterns
- Size
When choosing a hat for your child, think about the sort of material. Fleece, knit, wool, corduroy, and leather are all standard fabrics for toddler boy hats. Each one has a distinct appearance and level of warmth, and thus they are better suited for warm, hot, cold, or humid climate conditions.
Furthermore, it’s a good idea to choose a color that complements the child’s outerwear. If the hat is mainly for fashion, use bright colors to appeal to your child or match their bags, shoes, and other clothes.
Patterns on the caps provide another stylistic choice to consider. Boys hats commonly include popular children’s characters in addition to stripes, polka dots, and other popular designs. If your boy is not too young, you may even decide to take the opportunity to build confidence and allow them to choose between two different hats.
For a kid, a hat size can mean the difference between loving and hating a hat! The majority of toddler hats are proportioned similarly to apparel. So, it’s still a good idea to try on the hat with your youngster before purchasing it; not all hat brands have the same proportions, and kids’ heads have varying sizes.
A rain hat is fashionable but practical for protecting your son’s head from the rain and allowing him to play in puddles without getting his head wet. Similarly, bucket hats were traditionally worn by Irish farmers and fishers as rain protection because the lanolin in the unwashed (raw) wool made them naturally waterproof.
The beanie was a type of workwear used by blue-collar workers such as welders, mechanics, and other artisans who wanted to hold their hair back but didn’t want to be bothered with a brim. Since the 1920s, men in Western culture have worn berets as sporting apparel and, subsequently, fashion statements.
In 1924, Edward, Prince of Wales, and the Duke of Windsor began wearing them, and they quickly became popular among males due to their stylishness and capacity to shield the wearer’s head from the elements. The wide brim of the cowboy hat results from the hot and sunny climates and provides shade from the sun.
Baseball Caps for Boys
Click image for more info
Baseball caps are amongst the most commonly-used headwear choices in the U.S. They are great for covering the eyes from the sun and doubles as an excellent, fashionable accessory. Its practicality and appeal make it the perfect choice for a day at the beach, when the sun is particularly scorching, or if they love baseball!
A baseball cap is designed to be a soft cap with a rounded crown and a stiff bill that protrudes from the front. The front of the cap generally has a design or logo, making this headwear especially popular amongst baseball teams or other team sports, and companies also use it as a commercial marketing technique.
The rear of the cap may feature elastic, plastic velcro, a zipper, a section where a prong is adjusted to loosen or tighten the cap, or a tri-glide slide so that it can be quickly adjusted to fit various boys’ heads. The baseball cap is an integral component of the classic baseball uniform that protects the eyes from the sun.
Baseball caps used to only come in conventional hat sizes. They’ve also been offered in a one-size-fits-all version with a rear adjustable strap since the early 1970s. The snapback style, sometimes known as a baseball cap, has grown increasingly fashionable as a fashion accessory.
The “stretch-fit” hat, which employs Lycra or rubber to allow a hat to have a fitted design while being “adjustable” within sizes, results from advancements in fabrics. The front might be soft or reinforced with buckram to better display a brand.
Bucket Hats for Boys
Click image for more info
A bucket hat also goes by “fisherman’s hat,” an Irish country hat, or a session hat. It’s a broad-brimmed hat with a downward slanting brim. The hat is usually composed of high-duty cotton fabric, such as denim or canvas, or strong wool, such as tweed, with metal eyelets for ventilation put on the hat’s crown.
It initially became famous as a high fashion item in the 1960s, with later revivals on the street and runway. In today’s world, it’s known as a “session hat” and is expected at festivals.
Irish farmers and fishers traditionally wore these hats as rain protection because the lanolin in the unwashed (raw) wool made them naturally waterproof.
Coonskin Caps for Boys
Click image for more info
A hat fashioned from raccoon fur is known as a coonskin cap. The raccoon’s tail is usually connected to the back of the cap. Native Americans in Tennessee and Kentucky were the first to wear coonskin headgear. The caps were popular among the newcomers to the region, and many of them wore them.
The coonskin cap rose to prominence in the twentieth century, thanks partly to Disney’s television show “Disneyland,” in which one of the characters named “Crockett” wore one.
Crockett’s newfound fame sparked a fascination among American boys as well as a Davy Crockett mania in the United Kingdom. The cap was mainly a faux fur-lined skull cap with a raccoon tail sold to young boys.
Bowler Hat for Boys
Click image for more info
The bowler hat is another excellent classy pick for when your boy needs to attend formal events, dances, or even just a fancy restaurant!
Bowler hats are also known as billycocks, bob hats, bombins, and derbies. It’s a hat made of firm felt with a rounded top. It can be made of polyester, wool felt, or fur felt for the most comfortable fit. The crown of a bowler hat is much stiffer than that of a fedora, making it more resistant to being crushed or damaged.
It also features a “pencil roll,” a slight curvature near the end of the brim.
Beanies for Boys
Click image for more info
A beanie is adorable for colder climates because it keeps your ears warm and prevents earache from cold winds. Its generally designed as a head-hugging brimless cap fashioned from triangular panels of cloth linked at the crown by a button and seamed together around the sides.
Beanies are often composed of cotton or felt material, although leather or silk is also an option. The name “beanie” refers to a knitted cap (typically woolen) that is also known as a “stocking cap” or “toque” in various parts of the United States and Canada.
The tops of most knit hats are tapered. The stretch in the knitting hugs the head and keeps the cap in place. A pom-pom or loose tassels are occasionally added to them. Knit hats can have a folded brim or no brim at all, and they can be worn snugly on the head or loosely on top.
The ear flaps and cords for tying beneath the chin are a South American custom from the Andes Mountains.
Trilby Hats for Boys
Click image for more info
The Trilby hat is a very stylish hat that represents a retro style. Frank Sinatra often wore a trilby hat when he went on stage.
A trilby is a narrow-brimmed hat that was traditionally considered the hat of the wealthy. The fedora has a wider brim that is more level, while the trilby has a shorter brim inclined down at the front and somewhat twisted up at the back. The crown of the trilby is likewise slightly more temporary than that of a typical fedora.
It used to be constructed of rabbit hair felt, but nowadays, it’s more likely to be made of tweed, straw, heavyweight cotton, wool, or wool/nylon blends.
Boater Hats for Boys
Click image for more info
If you’re looking for another formal alternative, the boater hat is an excellent choice! A boater hat is a semi-formal summer hat for boys that became popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s. It’s usually made of stiff sennit straw, with a rigid flat crown and brim and a solid or striped grosgrain ribbon wrapped around the top.
The hat’s name stems from the old canotier straw hat worn by gondoliers in Venice. Because it has a formal appearance akin to a bowler hat, it can be worn with a blazer in its original setting, as a pleasant lounge suit, or with black tie attire.
Homburg Hats for Boys
Click image for more info
The Homburg hat is another formal option that is best suited for evening wear. A homburg is a semi-formal hat made of fur felt with a single dent in the center of the top.
In addition, it has a broad silk grosgrain hatband ribbon and a flat brim fashioned in a “pencil curl,” and a ribbon-bound trim around the brim’s border. Homburg hats are generally available in black or grey.
Although the homburg is typically associated with semi-formal apparel, it has been widely used in casual settings and may be worn with a decent shirt and a pair of slacks.
Ascot Caps for Boys
Click image for more info
The Ascot cap is a hard cap for boys similar to the flat cap but has a rounded form. Ascot caps are typically made of felt or wool in the fall and winter, but straw Ascots are also available for warmer seasons.
Because an Ascot is only one color, it usually goes with casual clothes in that hue, or those who wear it with a suit match the color to the suit’s aesthetics. Unlike the flat cap, the interior is not lined with silk, yet the closed design and felt softness give comfort and warmth. Its design may be traced back to the year 1900.
Mitre Hats for Boys
Click image for more info
Mitre hats are more religious symbols rather than your everyday hat. In particular Christian churches, pastors wear a tall hat called a mitre. Bishops, archbishops, and cardinals wear it in the Roman Catholic church (higher-order).
The front and back form a triangle. It is only worn by a bishop when clothed in his unique religious garb, but it is used on a coat of arms to indicate that the owner is a bishop.
Some clergy in the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches also wear mitres.
Fedoras for Boys
Click image for more info
If you’re looking for something for your boy that screams ‘classy fashion’ and will turn heads, the fedora is your number one choice! A fedora has a soft brim and a crown that is indented. It’s usually folded horizontally down the crown and “pinched” on both sides at the front.
Wool, cashmere, rabbit, or beaver felt can all be used to make fedoras. These felt can also be mixed to make mink or chinchilla blends, as well as vicua, guanaco, cervelt, or mohair. Straw, cotton, waxed or oiled cotton, hemp, linen, or leather can also be used.
A hat was a mainstay of men’s fashion in the early twentieth century, and it was worn in practically all public venues. On the other hand, men would remove their caps at home or when conversing with ladies as social etiquette.
Furthermore, because fashion was perceived as a “status symbol,” the ability to wear a hat was traditionally regarded as a sign of riches. Again, in the United States, Fedoras were closely connected with gangsters, coinciding with the hat’s peak popularity in the 1920s and early 1950s.
These days, boys can wear fedoras to weddings, black tie events, fancy events like the Kentucky Derby, Balls, and other dances, and there are fedora straw hats for outdoor settings.
Berets for Boys
Click image for more info
With a proper pair of trousers, shirt, and shoes, this can be part of a striking appearance. A beret is a spherical, flat-crowned cap made of woven, hand-knit wool, crocheted cotton, wool felt, or acrylic fiber.
Many military and police groups worldwide and other organizations wear them, and they may look rather lovely and sophisticated on a young man! Men in Western culture wear berets for sports purposes and even as a fashion statement.
The beret fits securely around the head and may be “styled” in a variety of ways. It is most typically pulled to one side in the Americas. Although there is no uniform rule, local tradition typically dictates how the beret is worn in Central and South America. Older gents commonly wear it squarely on the head, protruding forward.
Cowboy Hats for Boys
Click image for more info
If your looking for something that signifies adventure, the cowboy hat is the perfect match for your boy! The cowboy hat is a high-crowned, wide-brimmed hat most commonly associated with the North American cowboy. The hat has a towering crown that provides insulation and a broad brim that protects from the sun.
The sombrero of Mexico is an example of a style with a very broad brim inspired by hot and sunny regions. Cowboy hats are constructed of fur-based felt, straw, or, less frequently, leather. The crown is tall and rounded, while the brim is wide and flat.
They usually have a little ornamental hat band on the exterior of the crown and a plain sweatband on the interior to secure the fit of the head. The height and brim of hats can be creased and rolled to make them unique. Frequently, they come equipped with a handful of decorating options.
Newsboy Caps for Boys
Click image for more info
Despite its name, this hat did not come from newspaper delivery boys, but from the Scottish “tam o’ shanter”; an eight-piece type hat.
It has a similar general design to a flat hat with a stiff peak in front, but the body of the cap is rounder, composed of eight parts, broader, and paneled with a button on top, and often with a button connecting the front to the brim.
These caps were worn by dockworkers, high steel workers, shipwrights, farmers, beggars, bandits, artisans, and other tradespeople. It is widely documented in literature and films from the period and shortly after that.
Newsboy Caps are a common sight at a variety of high-street stores. Wool mix newsboy hats are a popular choice for individuals who want to wear natural materials in the winter.
Sun Hats for Boys
Click image for more info
Suppose your days are filled with sunshine or humidity because it’s summer; then this is the hat for your boy! A sun hat, also known as a floppy hat, harvest hat, or field hat, is meant to keep the sun off the face and shoulders. The straw sun hat and pressed fiber sun hat are just some of the available materials and varieties of sun hats.
They’re especially good at shielding you from harmful UV radiation. A sun hat’s brim can be modest or wide, depending on the style. The brim should be four to seven inches wide as a general rule of thumb.
Sun Visor Caps for Boys
Click image for more info
The sun visor is an excellent choice against the sun if your boy dislikes wearing hats in general. Its open top makes it a refreshingly cool and comfortable option.
A sun visor, also known as a visor cap, is a topless hat with a visor or brim and a strap around the head. The top of the head is uncovered, and the visor shields the face, eyes, nose, and cheeks from the sun. A sun visor can be curved or flat, and the strap frequently comes equipped with an adjustable velcro clasp at the back.
Although not often, the strap can be used as a sweatband. This style of headgear was created for use in outdoor activities (particularly golf, tennis, volleyball, and softball) when eye protection from bright sunlight is essential. Furthermore, airflow is allowed by the missing top and helps to keep the wearer cool.
Panama Hats for Boys
Click image for more info
The Panama hat is well known for its superior breathability and excellent fashion capabilities. A Panama hat is a classic Ecuadorian brimmed straw hat, also called an Ecuadorian hat, a jipijapa hat, or a toquilla straw hat.
Ecuadorian hats are light-colored, lightweight, and breathable, and they’re frequently paired with light suits like linen or silk. Its excellence is defined by:
- how tightly it’s woven
- the level of quality of the weave
- time spent weaving a whole hat out of toquilla straw
Due to their comfortability and breathability, these hats were popular as tropical and seashore accessories at the start of the twentieth century.
The Cuenca and Brisa weaves are the two most popular forms of weaves. The Cuenca weave looks like a herringbone pattern and uses a little more straw than the Brisa weave. The Brisa weave resembles tiny diamonds or squares.
This weave is less complicated, yet some people think it’s more refined than the Cuenca weave since it’s lighter. Crochet, fancy, torcido, and new order weaves are examples of other weaves.
The cost of these hats is determined by the amount of time and effort invested by the weaver. A single hat might take an expert weaver up to eight months to complete. The hat might then be sold for up to $200 by weavers.
When a buyer is found, the hat would then be passed through other workers who would finish the brim, shape it, eliminate defects, bleach the straw, and apply inside and external branding”.
Flat Caps for Boys
Click image for more info
This flat cap is another interesting, classy pick but maybe more reserved for formal events, such as weddings. A flat cap originated in the British Isles, is a circular cap with a stiff little brim in front. The hat is a bunnet in Scotland, a Dai cap in Wales, a cheese-cutter in New Zealand, and a golf cap in the United States.
The hats were first worn in the United States in the 1890s. At the turn of the century, the cap gained popularity and became standard boy’s attire. They were worn to school, as well as with suits and leisure clothing. In the 1910s and 1920s, flat hats were usually worn with knicker suits.
Conclusion
Deciding on a hat for your boy should be a positive experience, so try to have fun with it, and I can guarantee you that they will, too.
References:
Kiddle: Hat facts for kids
NNNOW: Caps for Girls & Boys
Farfetch: DESIGNER BOYS HATS FOR KIDS
THE TRENDY BOY: Types of caps & Hats for men with name // Different types of caps and hats.
Gentleman’s Gazette: Complete Guide to the Bowler (Derby) Hat & How To Wear It
