Baseball Caps – A Valid Obsession!
It’s finally time!
After tentatively teasing you with a few stylish baseball caps here and there in some of my most recent posts, I’ve decided to take the plunge and talk about possibly one of the most seemingly controversial accessories for of all. Baseball caps, this is your moment!
Often disregarded when it comes to fashionable headwear, as there is always something deemed more en vogue than the dressed-down baseball cap, however, I really truly think that it’s about to finally have its well-deserved time in the spotlight. After all, athleisure and loungewear have never been more stylish, so I don’t think the casual baseball cap, and all of the effortless styling possibilities it brings with it, is too far off.
Baseball Caps For Women
I’ve always loved baseball caps, especially as far as casual, sporty looks go, but lately I’ve been turning to them for an abundance of different looks. Sometimes even as accessories to smart/casual and even dressed-up looks, either to bring the look down to a more casual level or just to mix things up. Usually the latter!
There are many types of baseball caps out there, and they have often been the missing piece of my sartorial puzzle, and they complete my looks in ways I didn’t even think possible. They’re also greatly appreciated when I haven’t washed or styled my hair – sometimes, due to busy mom life, and sometimes just laziness, there’s no shame in either – so they’re a hardworking accessory that I certainly couldn’t live without.
How To Wear Baseball Caps
I’ve tested the waters by slowly introducing baseball caps to you over the past few months, and I’m actually pleasantly surprised by the feedback I’ve been getting. Turns out, adding baseball caps to everything isn’t quite as out there and frowned upon as I thought, which makes writing this post even easier. Believe me when I say I am beaming from ear to ear as I write this entire post.
So, without further ado, and with absolutely no apologies, here are some of my favorite ways to wear some of my favorite baseball caps. (As you may have guessed, I own far more baseball caps than the ones that were lucky enough to feature in this post. Who knows, I may do a second part featuring the ones that didn’t make the cut some months down the line…)
Best Baseball Caps
1. Let’s start with one of the chicest baseball caps in my rotation… a dark-hued beauty that comes courtesy of the one and only Hermès. Like I’ve said before, a baseball cap can’t be THAT frowned upon if Hermès makes one. This Hermès baseball cap is every bit as luxurious as you would imagine, with the unmistakable Hermès logo being a prominent feature. Go big or go home, I say. If you want to dip your toe in the baseball cap water, a high end luxury designer cap is a great way to start.
I wear this cap with absolutely everything, but this time round I’m wearing it with some Barrel jeans (more – and I really do mean more – on these in a few weeks. Watch this space!) a heart and lace detail blouse, and my Bottega Veneta board flat sandals.
Cool Baseball Caps
2. If you’re a hat person, you’ll know that autumn/winter is all about felt hats and cozy knitted beanies, while the summer calls for lighter hats such as oversized straw hats and cool cotton bucket hats. So where does that leave baseball caps? The good news is that cool baseball caps are perfect for all four seasons – another one of their many great benefits! Side note – I believe there is a hat person hiding inside of everyone. If you don’t think you’re a hat person, I just think you haven’t found your style yet. Maybe this will be the year you experiment with different hat styles and finally find the one for you!I think the picture above really proves my point about the sheer versatility of baseball caps. I’ve gone for a much more summery look here – I may be getting ahead of myself but I can almost feel the Spring arriving! – and teamed a black leather baseball hat with a mint colored blanket skirt, peach colored Balmain crop top, and Dior espadrilles. True to my high/low aesthetic, I’ve teamed the baseball cap with a few luxurious accompaniments, but I also think that choosing a leather baseball cap is a less casual take on the trend. Fabric is everything, and in this instance, choosing a leather baseball cap in a sleek color instantly adds the chic factor.
Color co-ordinating in advance is the perfect way to take away the stigma of baseball caps being regarded as an afterthought, and just something you throw on last-minute as you head out the door.
When Were Baseball Caps invented?
I’m fascinated by history, as you all know, and I was very interested to find out when the world was first introduced to one of my favorite accessories of all. According to Wikipedia (where else?) the earliest version of the baseball cap dates back to 1860, where the Brooklyn Excelsiors wore a style that isn’t too dissimilar to the style we know and love today, except that it featured a long peak and a button on top.
When Did Baseball Caps Become Popular?
Just 40 years later in 1900, the "Brooklyn style" cap gained huge popularity, but it wasn’t until another 40 years (sometime in the 1940s) that the modern day traditional baseball cap style was born. The fabric of the baseball cap changed, and caps were then made with latex rubber, which therefore stiffened the baseball cap and made the front of the baseball cap the shape and structure that it is today. And the rest, as they say, is history.
4. If you want to experiment with the baseball cap trend but don’t want to commit to the dressed-down or sporty aesthetic, then another great fabric to choose is corduroy. My corduroy baseball cap – which I’m wearing with high rise jean shorts, a mint mock neck top, a black vest, and Golden Goose superstar sneakers – is one of my favorites, and not just because of the 90s and early noughties nostalgia it brings with it.
Although it’s technically still regarded as a baseball cap, it bears some resemblance to the Baker Boy hats and Brixton hats that every single style-savvy celeb from Nicole Richie to Bella Hadid has been sporting these days, thanks to the fabric, so it’s a great meet-in-the-middle style for beginners.
5. I love accessories that can be brought in to tone down overly feminine looks, and a baseball cap is very high on my list of go-tos; especially as far as my floral cord babydoll dress is concerned. As well as my trusty corduroy cap, I’ve added my staple crew socks and Chanel sneakers to really bring home the dressed-down aesthetic.
Adding sneakers to florals is something I love doing, as it instantly changes the concept of the whole look, but true to my signature high low style, statement sneakers are usually a great way to go. To make the look even more casual and athletic, I would swap the corduroy cap for something a little sportier.
What Is The Most Popular Baseball Cap?
Another brief bit of history here, as I was intrigued to find out what the most popular and best-selling baseball cap in the world was. Baseball caps may be popular with some fashionistas right now, but they will never go out of style for the sports nut. Therefore, it should come as no shock, but the most popular style – or design, should we say – is the New York Yankees baseball cap. This doesn’t surprise me in the slightest. Regardless of which baseball team or football team (insert other sports team here) you support, I actually think that wearing your team’s name and logo with pride on your head can still be every bit as stylish as it is patriotic. The rule of using a casual hat to complement a casual look or dress down a slightly more formal one still applies.
6. When you think of painters’ overalls, you usually associate them with a very casual aesthetic don’t you? And the same goes for baseball caps, so marrying the two together seems like a pretty failsafe option, doesn’t it? I could have gone for my sportiest or most casual baseball cap here, and it would have fit in perfectly with my overalls.
However, I wanted to mix things up a little bit and add some luxury to the proceedings which is why there was one baseball cap that was fit for the task – you guessed it, my faithful Hermès baseball cap! The rest of my perfectly structured and put together look consists of a printed layering top, dolman quilted jacket, and Golden goose superstar sneakers.
7. I wanted to toughen up my otherwise pastel pretty look, and thought a leather baseball cap would be an inspired new direction to go in. I love how versatile baseball hats and hats in general can be, and just how much they can make or break a look. I guess you could say that about any accessory, which is one of the many reasons I love expressing myself through fashion.
I’m wearing wide leg utility jeans, a pink tie dye button down, a white vest, my Bottega Veneta board flat sandals, and my favorite leather baseball cap here. If I didn’t want to make such a bold statement with my choice of headwear, I would choose a baseball cap in a lighter color, or choose a different style of hat – perhaps my bucket hat? – altogether. Or maybe even go hatless. (I think I would feel naked without a hat after all of this...)
8. We’ve all heard of the term boyfriend jeans, and mom jeans, but have you ever heard of dad jeans? I will unapologetically confess that I was today years old when I found out what dad jeans were – and I don’t know how I’ve lived without them for so long! (Let’s get real for a second, these have probably been classed as corduroy, loose, wide legged jeans for many years, but it’s nice to see that they’ve been given a name and therefore the recognition they deserve.)
Akin to mom jeans, dad jeans are incredibly comfortable and super-easy to dress up and down, which is why I can’t see them going anywhere anytime soon. I’ve added a splash of color to my aforementioned corduroy dad jeans by way of my sun bleached baseball hat, and completed the look with a baseball tee, a stripe blue tunic, and my Dior espadrilles.
How To Clean Baseball Caps
You won’t believe how many times I’ve been asked this question. A very valid question, actually, as there has to be some care when cleaning and washing a baseball cap to avoid the hard front becoming misshapen. I always tell people that to avoid any heartache, it’s always best to avoid the washing machine and to hand wash the hat in a bucket of warm soapy water. A little TLC goes a long way!
Is It Safe To Wash A Baseball Cap In The Washing Machine?
I have heard that some people have successfully washed their baseball caps in a washing machine on the gentlest cycle, placed inside a pillow case, but my personal preference is to go down the hand washing route, as I would be heartbroken if they got ruined.
How To Wash Baseball Caps Without Ruining Them
This is how I wash my baseball caps without damaging their shape…
Fill a bucket – the kitchen or bathroom sink will also work – with warm water and a few drops of your favorite laundry detergent. You can also add some stain remover if your hat is particularly dirty. My personal preference is to actually use a milder laundry detergent (a gentle one I would use on babies’ clothes is perfect!) as opposed to a strong one that I use for higher temperatures in the washing machine, such as when washing bed sheets and towels, for example.
Soak the hat in the water for around 15-20 minutes, and then rinse it thoroughly to get rid of all of the detergent. Gently pat the hat dry with a towel to get rid of any excess moisture, and then lay the cap flat on a towel until it dries completely.
9. Girlfriend jeans are the sassier and chicer alternative to the classic boyfriend jeans, and I love how effortlessly I can dress them up and down. I’ve gone for a real mix and match, high low, smart casual look here – what can I say? I like to cover all bases – and worn my versatile turned-up girlfriend jeans with a white button down, yellow sweatshirt, Hermès sneakers, and a gorgeous Burberry baseball hat that in my opinion, ties the whole look together rather perfectly.
I love how all the colors complement each other, and how something as simple and casual as a baseball cap (albeit one from one of my favorite British brands) and a pair of jeans can be elevated with the rest of the pieces. Mix and match at its finest!
10. And to finish off, one of my favorite looks that I have been rewearing again and again during this crazy time in quarantine. Because if you can’t be comfortable and casual during a global pandemic, when can you? Am I right?
I’ve teamed some dark cigarette jeans (a great choice in terms of fit and color, as they can withstand a little bit of dirt that a mom of five will no doubt come into contact with, and fit wise, are comfortable enough to wear all day if need be) with a simple white ribbed layering top and an oversized purple sweater vest. I’ve given the look a touch of high fashion edge with my black leather baseball cap and Chanel sneakers. The epitome of casual-comfortable-cool.
So what do you think? Have I convinced you that the baseball cap is the accessory of the moment? Look forward to hearing your thoughts on Instagram (@Lily_Tracy). You can shop all my outfits on the Liketoknow.it app
Love, Lily x x