The popularity of men’s casual hats is still at a high peak, and it’s no wonder—hats are an excellent way to make a fashion statement among men! Men’s hat have long been used as fashion statements, political statements, and even just as representations of what is going on in society when the hat was made. Although some consider hats to be for formal occasions only, the popularity of wearing hats with casual fashion has increased in the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. Casual fashion, as opposed to formal fashion, is fashion worn for everyday situations—in the past, work clothing would typically be considered casual fashion, but with the popularity of uniforms and stricter clothing regulations enforced by employers, personal hats do not usually feature in the work clothing of men or women.

Let us take a look at the history of men’s casual hats as well as what styles are popular today! We will also discuss how to find just the right hat for your features.

The History of Men’s Casual Hats

Hats have been worn by men and women for centuries. There were many reasons for hats during previous centuries. Some of those reasons were for religious purposes—such as hats designated to be worn by priests, clerics, and other religious figures. Other reasons were for moral or societal reasons, such as requiring women to cover their hair, partially or entirely. Men were also required or expected to wear hats during certain occasions, especially during more religiously strict reigns such as under Cromwell, before the era of Restoration England.

Hats were also worn for fashion, though the hats worn by the aristocratic classes were typically considered formal, with casual hats being restricted to the peasant and growing working classes. As the middle class began to grow in Western Europe, the use of hats for casual and personal wear grew much more popular.  

The earliest casual hats for men typically had a tall crown and were fairly narrow brimmed—one common style in the 15th and 16th centuries was the capotain, known popularly as the “Pilgrim hat.” This type of casual hat could be worn at many different places, such as church, local gatherings, and during the man’s working labor. It provided a man with distinction but also protected his scalp from the sun and cold. As the 18th century approached and the availability of casual fashion for men and women grew, the style of hats began to focus more on style than function. The most popular style of men’s casual hat in the 18th century was the tricorne, which was medium brimmed with three points. Variances on the style such as the bicorne were also popular. In a similar way to women’s fashion, men’s casual hats also sought to express the events of the time. Various badges and symbols could be placed on a man’s hat, such as the tricoloure symbol popular during the French Revolution.

However, as the 19th and 20th centuries passed, the style of men’s casual hats began to become more subdued and toned down. Top hats, fedoras, and other sleek hats were popular—while big hats with big brims were usually, with a few exceptions, considered more appropriate for female fashion.

Casual Men’s Hats Today

The use of men’s hats has never particularly gone out of fashion, although the style of hats worn has changed considerably over the years. Here are a handful of the most popular casual men’s hats on the market today, and not surprisingly, many of them have been around for decades or even longer than that!

Fedora: The fedora hat came under the spotlight during the 1920s and 1930s when gangsters gained prominence and almost celebrity in the Western world. Mugshots and posed photographs of gangsters sporting these stylish hats ensured their popularity and their endurance in the world of casual men’s fashion. Although the fedora has been adapted and adopted for female fashion, it is still considered a dominantly male style of hat. The hat has a short brim but is made of flexible material, which is one of the reasons for its enduring popularity. You can tailor a real fedora to your personal style with pinches, pulls, and tweaks—pulling up part of the brim, pinching down the sides, and breaking the brim in the front are all popular ways to put one’s own personal touch on a hat. Although the hat was most popular in colors of lilac and baby blue, it is typically worn in darker or more neutral colors such as brown, black, and grey, today.  

Newsboy or Fausto: The newsboy, or Fausto hat, first came into popularity during the early 20th century due to its favor with newsboys. Newsboys, also called Newsies, worn the hats in a variety of colors. They quickly lost their connotation with young boys and were adopted by young adult and old adult males for their casual fashion use. The hat is made of soft but sturdy material and has a button on the top, with eight even panels making up the brim and crown. The most popular colors of the past remain today: brown, grey, and plaid colors.

Bucket: The bucket hat has become very popular since the 1980s, when it was typically worn by older gentlemen in films but has since been adopted as a part of men’s casual hat wear by younger ages. The bucket has is a soft denim-type material, with a short crown and medium sized by soft and almost floppy brim. The hat is most popular in a light brown tan color, but is also sold in high numbers in black, brown, and navy blue colors.

What kind of casual hat is best for me?

You may be wondering what kind of casual hat you should wear to suit your face and your personal style. Wonder no more! Let’s go over some of the more common facial types and see what best suits your face.

A short and full face

Is your face not exceptionally long and fuller? Then you will want to wear a casual hat with a medium sized crown. This way, the hat does not look like it is sitting on your face, and elongates your facial features but not comically so. You should also choose a hat with hat band that does not match the rest of the hat, because it shortens the perceived height of the hat while complimenting your own features. The hat should not be “Extreme” in any way—a moderate brim and moderate tapering are the key to complimenting a short, fuller face.

A long and slender face

Now, if your face is longer and thinner, you will not want to wear a casual hat with a medium sized crown. Instead, choose a hat with a short crown—this will make the hat appear to be more a part of your face instead of appearing too high and far away.  You should avoid hats with a wide upturned brim, as they exaggerate a long and slender face. But the brim should not be too thin or too flat, otherwise it exaggerates thin, long lines. One tip is giving the hat a slight tilt, which will improve

Square face

If your face is more square, particularly if you also have a strong square jaw, then you should wear casual hats with rounded crowns. Rounded crowns, as opposed to square crowns, will compliment a square face—square crowns exaggerate square features in an unflattering manner. Also be sure to avoid setting your hat too far back on your head to avoid lengthening the square features of your face.

There are many more different face types of course, but the following general tips should help anyone in their quest for casual hats that flatter:

-Avoid any extremes when choosing a casual hat. Brims that are excessively wide and crowns that are excessively tall are rarely flattering.

-Focus on the color of the hat. Does the color suit your features? Will it compliment the clothing that you wear for your casual fashion? Neutral colors are best for multiple outfit uses.

-How you tilt the hat is also important. Depending on the shape and length of your face, you may want to tilt the hat slightly on your head, or tilt it further.
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Men’s casual hats have been worn for centuries, and given the current popular trend of fedoras and other casual hats, it’s sure to continue for a long, long time!