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Revised 10/19/26
hats & scarves
Types of Men's Hats
Twenty-three hats, from the beanie to the bowler, with the story behind each one and the features that tell them apart. Put a name to a hat you saw, or find the one you want next.
Most of these hats were made to solve a problem, from Irish rain to low branches on an English estate.
With so many different types of hats to choose from, it can be hard to know which is which. Here's our complete guide to the types of hats for men, from beanies to cowboy hats and beyond. By the end of this article you will be able to identify each type of hat, learn about the different types of crowns, and discover the different elements of a hat. Let's get started.
Thinning on top, or shaved it all off? Every one of these hats works with or without hair. The soft hats cover the most, and a brim keeps the sun off a bare scalp. For men in treatment, our chemo hats are the gentlest place to start.
New to hat terms? The parts of a hat and the crown shapes are at the end.
soft hats
no brim, or a soft one
Easy, unstructured hats that pull on and go.
beanie
Men's Relaxed Cotton Beanie
100% cotton and relaxed, for everyday wear.
shop →Men's Maverick Beanie
Viscose from bamboo and cotton, light and soft for every season.
shop →Look for: a soft knit cap with no brim, either snug to the head or slouchy at the back, often with a folded cuff.
Wear it: everyday, errands, cold weather, and to bed.
Beanie hats for guys are a relaxed, comfortable style. Beanies can either be fitted to the head or slouchy, and they come in a variety of fabrics and textures. They are commonly worn to keep the head warm, to cover a bare head, or to add a stylish look to an outfit (or all of the above!). In the early 1900s, the term "bean" was slang for head, leading to the coining of the name "beanie." Beanies are versatile and can be worn on the street with jeans, at home with sweats and a t-shirt, or even to sleep. Our relaxed version comes in 100% cotton and is perfect for everyday wear.
beret
Look for: a soft, round, flat crown with no brim, worn tilted to one side.
Wear it: around town with a jacket or sweater. It reads artistic and a little dressy.
Although these soft, flat hats have been around since the Bronze Age (around 5,000 years ago), mass production of this style began in France and Spain in the 1800s, and berets are still heavily associated with those countries. Berets are super comfortable and highly fashionable. Our men's beret offers full coverage and can be worn on the street or to the studio.
bucket hat
Look for: a soft, round crown with a brim that slopes down all the way round. A boonie adds a stiffer brim and a chin strap.
Wear it: the beach, fishing, yard work, ballgames and casual weekends.
Bucket hats are soft hats, often made from cotton, with downward-facing brims. Bucket hats for men were originally designed to be purely functional: around 1900, the sloped brim protected Irish farmers and fishermen from the rain while they worked. They quickly became popular among upper-class Englishmen for hunting and fishing because of their easy portability and practicality. In the 1990s, bucket hats were emblematic of hip hop culture. Today, bucket hats are worn as both stylish fashion accessories and practical caps for outdoor activities.
Boonie hats. Boonie hats were developed as part of U.S. (boonie or booney hats) and Australian (giggle hats) military uniforms. They are a type of bucket hat that features a hanging chin strap.
night cap
Organic Cotton Sleep Cap for Men
100% cotton, and it pulls down over the eyes as a sleep mask.
shop →Men's Fleece Stocking Cap
Fleece, for the colder months.
shop →Look for: a soft cap with no brim, in cotton or fleece, that covers the whole head. Some are long enough to pull down over the eyes.
Wear it: to bed, or around the house on cold nights.
If you are bald or shave your head, or you just need an extra layer of warmth at night, a men's night cap is the perfect solution. Go for 100% cotton in warmer climates, and try out a fleece style during the colder months. Some styles, such as the 100% cotton sleep cap, can even be pulled down over the eyes to double as a sleep mask.
Sleep with a CPAP mask? Our guide to the best caps for CPAP machines covers the ones that work under the straps.
fedoras and the other classics
shaped crowns, in felt or straw
Hats with a shaped crown and a brim all the way round, from the everyday fedora to the formal homburg. The crown is usually the quickest way to tell them apart. Most come in felt for the cooler months and straw for summer, while the Panama is always straw and the boater almost always is.
fedora
Men's Wool Felt Packable Fedora
Wool felt that packs for travel.
shop →Men's Natural Straw Fedora
Natural straw with a 2 inch brim, for summer.
shop →Look for: a pinched front, a dent down the center of the crown, and a medium brim snapped down at the front, in felt or straw.
Wear it: felt with a suit or smart jacket in fall and winter, straw with linen and khakis in summer.
Fedoras have a rich (and relatively unknown) history. The fedora was originally created as a costume piece in the 1882 play Fédora by Victorien Sardou. Fédora, the play's protagonist (originally portrayed by actress Sarah Bernhardt), wore a brimmed hat with an indented crown throughout the play, which led to the hat being called a fedora. It was initially considered a women's style, and was especially beloved by women's rights activists and suffragettes; it even became a symbol of the women's rights movement. In 1924, Edward, then Prince of Wales, began wearing fedoras, leading to their popularity among men. They were especially popular in the 1920s and from the 1940s into the 1950s, leading to their association with gangsters and film noir stars. Fedoras are still a popular, fashion-forward style today.
trilby
Men's Black Tweed Fedora
A short-brimmed tweed fedora in the trilby shape.
shop →Fine Braid Fedora
Finely braided straw with a short brim, for summer.
shop →Look for: a short, narrow brim that angles down at the front and turns up at the back, on a lower crown with a shallower dent than a fedora's.
Wear it: weekends and evenings out, with jeans or chinos.
Named after a hat worn in a stage production of George du Maurier's novel Trilby, this men's hat looks like a fedora but has a more casual intent. Its brim is short and narrow, angled down at the front and turned up at the back, and the dip in the crown is less pronounced.
porkpie hat
Look for: a low, flat-topped crown with a round indent, a short brim, and usually a ribbon band.
Wear it: casual to smart, with a jacket or a knit. It has a vintage, jazz-club look.
Expect a squat crown that resembles an English pork pie and a short brim. Porkpie hats often have a ribbon wrapped around the base of the crown as well. Buster Keaton, a 1920s actor, commonly wore porkpie hats that he made himself by modifying fedoras. In the 1930s and '40s, porkpie hats became associated with jazz and blues music, and were often worn with zoot suits. Lester Young, a famous jazz musician from the 1930s to the 1950s, helped bring these bold men's hats into the spotlight. More recently, a porkpie hat was the accessory of choice for Bryan Cranston's character Walter White in the hit series Breaking Bad. He wore it as his alter ego, Heisenberg, which is why many fans still call a black porkpie the Heisenberg hat. Today, porkpie hats add a cool, vintage vibe to any look.
homburg
Look for: a single dent down the center of the crown and a stiff brim with a bound edge, curled up at the sides.
Wear it: weddings and formal events, with a dark suit or overcoat.
Popularized by Edward VII, the homburg hat was born in Bad Homburg, Germany. Look for a crown with a single dent down the center, and a stiff brim that's bound at the edges and curled up at the sides. Like the bowler hat, homburg hats were developed to be worn during hunting as a less cumbersome alternative to top hats. Today, they are typically worn to accentuate black tie attire.
bowler or derby hat
Look for: a hard, round crown and a short brim that turns up at the edges.
Wear it: vintage looks, themed parties and formal events.
Bowler hats have a round crown and short, upturned brim. Sometimes called derby hats, bowler hats were created in 1849 by hatters Thomas and William Bowler at the request of Edward Coke, who wanted to replace precarious top hats with hard, low-topped hats to protect his gamekeepers from stray branches. Bowler hats became popular among many different groups of people, ranging from businessmen in London to cowboys in the American Old West.
panama hat
Look for: finely woven pale straw, usually in a fedora shape.
Wear it: summer, the beach, resorts and outdoor weddings.
Panama hats are traditional straw hats from Ecuador, traditionally crafted from the leaves of the Carludovica palmata plant. They can be made in a variety of shapes, but are often the shape of fedoras or safari hats. Panama hats are lightweight and breathable; the perfect men's hats for sunny days and tropical climates.
A genuine Panama is woven by hand and priced to match. For a lighter summer hat at an everyday price, a straw fedora gives the same look.
Taking a fedora or a Panama on a trip? Our guide on how to pack a hat in a suitcase keeps the crown from getting crushed.
boater hat
Look for: a stiff, flat-topped straw crown, a flat brim, and a ribbon band.
Wear it: summer parties, garden weddings and regattas.
Sometimes called skimmers or katie hats, boater hats are defined by an ultra-structured crown and super-flat brim, and are usually made of straw. They were traditionally worn for boating and sailing, and you might expect to see this type of hat on an Italian gondolier, or atop the heads of singers in a barbershop quartet. These men's dress hats add a sophisticated flair to a beach getaway or weekend barbecue.
how to tell the classics apart
| hat | crown | brim | how dressy |
|---|---|---|---|
| fedora | Pinched at the front, dented down the center. | Wider, sitting flatter all the way round, often snapped down at the front. | Everyday to smart. |
| trilby | Lower than a fedora, with a shallower dent. | Short and narrow, down at the front and up at the back. | Casual. |
| porkpie | Low and flat-topped, with a round indent. | Short. | Casual to smart. |
| homburg | A single dent down the center. | Stiff, bound at the edge, curled up at the sides. | Formal. |
| bowler | Hard and round. | Short and upturned. | Smart. |
| panama | Woven straw, usually a fedora or safari shape. | Depends on the shape. | Summer, casual to smart. |
| boater | Stiff, flat-topped straw. | Flat. | Summer dress. |
Our fedoras, driver caps and beanies are in men's hats and caps, and if you are buying for someone else, a gift certificate lets him choose his own.
wide-brim hats
for sun, rain and wind
Hats made for weather first, then adopted for style.
safari hat
Supplex Men's Safari Hat
Moisture-wicking Supplex with UPF 50+.
shop →Aussie Soaker Cooling Hat
Soak it in water and it keeps your head cool. UPF 50+.
shop →Look for: a fedora-like crown with a wider brim all the way round, often with a chin strap.
Wear it: hiking, camping, travel and yard work.
You don't need to hang a pair of binoculars around your neck to don one of these outdoor caps. Modern-day safari hats developed from traditional pith helmets. Today, safari hats usually resemble a modified fedora with a wider brim and a chin strap. They are great for outdoor adventures from camping to yard work, and are often equipped with UPF protection.
outback hat
Weathered Cotton Outback Hat
Weathered cotton with UPF 50+.
shop →Flexible Brimmed Cotton Outback Hat
100% cotton with UPF 50+ and a flexible 3 inch brim.
shop →Look for: a wider brim than a safari hat, often curled up at the sides.
Wear it: outdoors in sun or wind: the trail, the ranch, fishing.
Originating in the Australian outback, think of outback hats as Australian cowboy hats. This style is all about functionality: expect wide brims meant to provide shade from the burning summer sun and protection from fierce winter winds. Though the name outback hat is sometimes used interchangeably with safari hats, outbacks typically have a wider brim that is sometimes curled upwards. Some outback hats for men even have UPF built right in.
western hat (cowboy hat)
Look for: a tall crown, often dented or pinched, and a wide brim curled up at the sides.
Wear it: the ranch, rodeos and country concerts, and every day in western country.
Cowboy hats feature a wide brim and tall crown to protect the wearer from the sun. They were most likely developed from hats worn by Mexican vaqueros, but this style of hat has been worn by horsemen around the world for centuries. The true rogue rider knows that this style, now associated with country music and rodeos, is always in style. Pair with jeans and a rebel glow.
gambler hat
Look for: a low, oval crown with a rounded indent on top and a wide brim that turns up slightly at the edges, in felt or straw.
Wear it: felt in fall and winter with jeans and boots, straw on the golf course and through the summer.
Imagine if a porkpie hat and a western hat had a baby, and you've got a gambler hat. Gambler hats have an oval crown and a wide brim that's slightly upturned at the edges. Another popular style of the Old West, this type of hat was originally adopted by wealthy landowners. Western shops often sell it as a gambler-style cowboy hat. Film aficionados may recognize the gambler hat as the hat worn by Rhett Butler in the 1939 film Gone with the Wind. Sport one of these and you'll be touted in the top echelons of southern society.
lifeguard hat
Look for: a very wide woven straw brim, a tall rounded crown, and a chin cord, sometimes with LIFEGUARD printed across the crown.
Wear it: the beach, the pool, gardening and yard work.
The big straw hat you see on every lifeguard stand. It is built for one job: shade. The brim is wide enough to cover the face, ears and neck, the open straw weave lets heat escape, and the chin cord keeps it on when the wind comes off the water. It is cheap, light and practical, which is why it has moved well beyond the beach to yard work, fishing and summer gardening.
caps with a front brim
a crown and a short visor
Built to keep the sun out of your eyes, from the ballpark to the golf course.
baseball cap
Jason Distressed Baseball Cap
A broken-in cotton blend cap, for everyday wear.
shop →American Flag Baseball Cap
A distressed cap with an American flag patch.
shop →Look for: a rounded crown with a button on top and a stiff, curved brim at the front. Trucker hats add mesh at the sides.
Wear it: everyday, weekends, ballgames and the golf course.
We're guessing you already know this one! A baseball cap is a rounded soft cap with a stiff, curved brim. You might know that the first baseball caps appeared as part of baseball uniforms, but you might not know that the very first ones were straw: the New York Knickerbockers wore straw hats in 1849. The rounded, button-topped cap we know today arrived in 1860 with the Brooklyn Excelsiors. Baseball caps are one of the most popular hats out there, with almost everyone having a few sitting in their closet. They're the perfect casual solution for protecting your face from the sun and bad hair days.
Trucker hats. These originated as cheap hats for cross-country drivers, with a bit of mesh aeration built in at the sides. But today, trucker hats for men are cool street accessories that look best when not taken too seriously. Look for fun graphics and ironic logos.
Dad hats. In a culture that celebrates the "lawn-mowing look" (think "dad jeans" and "dad bod"), it should be no surprise that fashion snagged the hat as well. Dad hats tend to be distressed, with a ball cap brim and a slightly shallower-than-normal crown.
driver cap
Men's Corduroy Driver Cap
Soft corduroy in the classic flat shape.
shop →Bryan Tweed Wool Driver Cap
Wool tweed, for the green, the town or work.
shop →Look for: a flat, rounded cap that lies close to the head, with the top sloping forward to a short, stiff brim.
Wear it: everyday to smart casual, the golf course and work.
A driver cap is a flat, rounded cap with a short brim at the front. Caps like it were worn in England for centuries, and the style became firmly rooted in English culture when, from 1571 to 1597, Parliament decreed that all "common" men had to wear a woolen cap on Sundays and holidays or pay a fine. Today, this cap goes by an almost limitless number of names, including golf caps, driver hats, driving caps, flat caps, scally caps, bunnets (Scotland), Dai caps (Wales), cheese-cutters (New Zealand), and more, depending on what part of the world you're in. Wear them out on the green, around town, and even to work.
Newsboy caps. Often sold under the same names, the newsboy is the fuller cousin: a rounder crown built from eight panels that meet at a button on top. A driver cap lies sleek and close to the head.
mariner's cap
Look for: a soft cap with a flat top and a short visor brim, often with a braided cord across the front.
Wear it: casual wear near the water, with a sweater or pea coat.
A mariner's cap is a soft hat with a flat top and a visor brim. It first gained popularity as a practical option for sailors, fishermen, and factory workers. In the 1960s, it became popular among both men and women after being adopted by the Beatles and Bob Dylan. Today, it is a great casual style to wear out and about. Like driver caps, mariner's hats go by many names, including Greek fisherman hats, fiddler caps, and skipper caps.
essentials
if you only own four hats
Four hats cover most of a man's week. Add the others as the occasions come up.
a soft beanie
For cold mornings, errands and a warm head at night. It works with or without hair.
a ball cap
The everyday hat for weekends, ballgames and keeping the sun out of your eyes.
a sun hat
A brim all the way round shades your face, ears and neck on long days outside.
a dress hat
A felt fedora with a suit or a good coat, or a wool flat cap for a smart casual look.
Men's Wool Felt Packable Fedora or Bryan Tweed Wool Driver Cap
how to read a hat
a headcovers dictionary
common hat terms
- Crown. It's the uppermost part, or central body, of the hat. Crowns are generally dome-shaped, but the curves can be more or less pronounced, depending on the style.
- Pinch. The pinch, or crease, refers to the indentations made at the sides and top of the hat. Technically part of the crown, a pinch defines the nature of each style. For instance, it helps distinguish a bowler from a fedora.
- Hat band. This decorative piece circles the crown, right above the brim. Some men like to tuck a feather into their hat band for a little extra pizzazz.
- Brim. The brim juts out horizontally from the crown, and is highly functional: count on it to protect you from rain and to provide shade on a sunny day.
- Lining. Some types of hats for men have fabric wrapped around the interior; that's called lining. It helps protect the fibers of your hat from dirt and grease, and can usually be cleaned with soap and water.
- Sweatband. Exactly how it sounds, the sweatband is a piece of fabric that diverts your perspiration from the inner brim of your men's hats. If a hat is a touch big, a terry sweatband added inside takes it in and soaks up sweat at the same time.
crown shapes on men's hats
While men's hats can appear similar at first glance, one of the ways in-the-know folks differentiate between styles is by examining the crown shape. Here's what to look for:
diamond
From above, a diamond-shaped crown is pointier towards the front, back, and side corners.
You'll find this style in:
- Contemporary fedoras
- Trilby hats
- Some western hats
oval
An oval crown features a rounded indent at the top of the hat.
You'll find this style in:
- Gambler hats
- Porkpie hats
flat top
These men's hats have a completely flat surface on the uppermost part of the crown.
You'll find this style in:
- Boater hats
- Top hats
rounded
Also known as open crowns, these have a smooth, 360° curve.
You'll find this style in:
- Bowler hats
- Baseball caps
- Pith helmets
center dent
A central groove is the main feature of a center dent hat, sometimes dipping between 1 and 2 inches.
You'll find this style in:
- Fedora hats
- Western hats
- Homburg hats
teardrop
This crown type is more narrow over the forehead than at the back, and looks like a teardrop when viewed from above.
You'll find this style in:
- Outback hats
- Safari hats
- Certain fedoras
- Trilby hats
bonus: specialty hats
uniforms, ceremony and tradition
Hats you are more likely to see on a uniform, at a formal event or at a celebration than on the street.
top hat
Look for: a tall, flat-topped crown and a narrow brim.
Wear it: white-tie events, formal weddings and costume.
Top hats have a tall, flat crown and a brim. The signature hat of both Abe Lincoln and the Monopoly man, top hats were once the pinnacle of men's fashion for the upper crust. However, top hats became less popular after being replaced with more convenient styles. Today, you will probably only see top hats worn as costumes or as part of formal uniforms.
peaked cap
Look for: a structured, flat top and a short, stiff visor, often with a badge at the front.
Wear it: as part of a uniform, not as a fashion piece.
Peaked caps are similar to mariner's caps, but they have a structured top. This style of hat is most commonly used in uniforms for police, firefighters, various military branches, and the post office.
pith helmet
Look for: a rigid, rounded helmet with a brim that dips at the front and back.
Wear it: ceremonial uniforms, costume, or as a sun hat in serious heat.
Pith helmets were first made from pith, the soft, spongy core of the sola plant, as part of military uniforms in British India in the 1800s. Militaries around the world have used pith helmets as part of their uniforms, including the Royal Marines in the United Kingdom. In the U.S., pith helmets are also associated with mail carriers.
sombrero
Look for: a high, pointed crown and an extra-wide brim.
Wear it: festivals and celebrations.
Spanish for "hat," a sombrero is a hat with a high pointed crown and an extra-wide brim. This type of hat was designed to protect against harsh environments. Western hats developed from sombreros.
common questions
open only the one you need
what hat should I buy first?
Start with a soft cotton beanie, a baseball cap, a sun hat with a brim all the way round, and one dressier hat, such as a felt fedora or a wool flat cap. Those four cover most of a man's week. See our essentials for the ones we'd pick.
what is the difference between a fedora and a trilby?
Look at the brim first. A trilby's brim is short, usually about two inches or less, and angled down at the front and up at the back. A fedora's brim is wider, usually two and a half inches or more, and sits flatter all the way round, often snapped down at the front only. Then the crown: a trilby's is lower, with a shallower dent, while a fedora's is taller and more deeply pinched. That is why the trilby reads more casual and the fedora dressier.
what is the difference between a homburg and a fedora?
A homburg has a single dent down the center of the crown, with no pinch at the front, and a stiff brim curled up all the way round with a bound edge. A fedora is pinched at the front, and its softer brim is usually snapped down at the front. The homburg is the more formal of the two: think dark suit and overcoat. The fedora goes from everyday to smart.
what is the difference between a porkpie and a fedora?
is a Panama hat the same as a fedora?
Not quite. "Panama" describes the material: a hat hand-woven from toquilla straw in Ecuador. Most Panamas are made in a fedora shape, so a Panama is often a straw fedora, but a straw fedora isn't a Panama unless it's woven from toquilla.
what is the difference between a flat cap and a newsboy cap?
A flat cap, also called a driver cap, lies sleek and close to the head. A newsboy cap is rounder and fuller, built from eight panels that meet at a button on top. Both have a short, stiff brim, and shops often use the names for either one.
is a derby the same as a bowler hat?
Yes. Derby is the American name for the bowler: a hard, round crown with a short, upturned brim, first made in London in 1849.
what hat does Walter White wear in Breaking Bad?
A black porkpie hat: a low, flat-topped crown with a round indent, a short brim and a plain black band. He wears it as his alter ego, Heisenberg, which is why fans call it the Heisenberg hat.
what is the difference between a safari hat and an outback hat?
The names are often swapped. A safari hat usually looks like a fedora with a wider brim and a chin strap. An outback hat, the Australian cousin, typically has an even wider brim that is sometimes curled up at the sides.
is a gambler hat a cowboy hat?
It's a style of western hat, so many shops sell it as a gambler-style cowboy hat. The difference is the crown: a gambler's is low and oval, with a rounded indent on top, while a classic cowboy hat has a taller crown, often dented or pinched.
how do I measure my head for a men's hat?
Wrap a soft tape measure just above your ears, across the middle of your forehead, and around the fullest part of the back of your head. Our men's hats are sized small to XL, and the men's hat buying guide has the full chart in inches, centimeters and traditional hat sizes.
how do I clean a felt or straw hat?
Gently. Brush felt and straw with a soft brush, spot-clean marks with a barely damp cloth, and never put either in the washing machine. Our guide to caring for hats and scarves covers each fabric.
what is the best hat for a balding man?
Whatever he likes wearing. Every hat here works with or without hair. On a shaved or bare head, a soft cotton beanie is the most comfortable everyday choice, and a cotton or fleece sleep cap keeps it warm at night. Outdoors, a brim all the way round, like a bucket, safari or outback hat, shades the scalp, ears and neck. For men in treatment, our chemo hats are the gentlest place to start. We also carry men's wigs and hairpieces and men's eyebrows.
will a hat draw attention to my hair loss?
Not if it fits. A hat that fits sits level and stays put, so you are not reaching up to adjust it, and that constant adjusting is what catches the eye. Choose a style that suits what you are wearing, the way you would choose a jacket, then put it on and forget about it. People notice a good hat, not what is under it.
do I have to take my hat off indoors?
Traditional etiquette says a man takes off his hat in someone's home, at the table, in a place of worship, at a funeral, and during the national anthem. Lobbies, halls and elevators are fine. Two exceptions: religious head coverings, and hats worn for hair loss or a medical reason, which can stay on anywhere.
A hat we missed?
Send it to us through our contact page. We want to hear from you.
why we care about this
specialists in hair loss since 1995
In 1990 my grandmother Carol lost her hair to breast cancer treatment and could not find anything comfortable or attractive to wear. She was a hairstylist, and she decided the women who came after her would have better. She and my mother started Headcovers on that idea in 1995.
Most men lose some of their hair, usually just to time, and some to alopecia or treatment. Most of them don't say much about it. The right hat is the one you stop thinking about, and every hat here works with or without hair. If you are in treatment, our men's chemo hats and sleep caps are the softest place to start. If you came to settle an argument about trilbies, I hope we settled it.
Found the one?
Beanies, driver caps, fedoras and sun hats, all in one place.
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