The cap, how we like it… or not!

David

1. Why I love it

First of all, I want to clarify that by "cap" I mean a baseball cap . I do not wear a flat cap.

There was a big gap between the cap and me.

I wore it a little as a teenager, then not at all until fairly recently.

I found it to have a slightly too juvenile connotation , at a time when I was trying to assert myself as an adult, where I was more likely to wear blazers, shirts, dress shoes, etc.

Last year, an event prompted me to take an interest in this accessory again: the release of our first caps .

I was able to try on some models that we had at the office and I said to myself: " hey, but this actually suits me ."

For me, this accessory has two main uses.

First of all, a cap can make an outfit denser. It is almost a separate garment since it is worn on the head, it is quite visible.

A cap can have its own style: there are more casual caps, more sporty caps, more dressy caps, etc. The choice of its color must be considered in relation to the rest of the outfit.

In short, I think it has the potential to bring interesting stylistic depth.

More pragmatically, it is also an excellent hair cover-up .

With the successive lockdowns, I got into the habit of doing my hair less. So when my hair is messy, I put on a cap and hop, no one will see or know.

2. How I like it

I let myself be carried away by my tastes in terms of caps, even if I think that we could establish categories of caps that I like:

• Plain caps in beautiful colors . My preference is for green, which I find very versatile.

A mouse green cap, linen. Perfect for summer. Varsity Headwear

• Patterned caps . Not all of them of course, but while wandering around e-shops, I sometimes come across some pretty fun models.

Would I wear this? Not sure. Either way, I think it's funny and pretty cute. Beams+

On the other hand, I am not very fond of caps with large logos or inscriptions . The attention is diverted: we look more at what is written on the crown than at the cap itself.

I see some successful looks with such caps, but I think it would be better if we removed the inscription.

This is not for me. Portia1924

3. How I like to wear it

I currently wear two hats:

• An olive green from Monoprix that was given to me and that I wear a lot because the color fits very well with my outfits.

• A Norse Projects linen/cotton check, which is a little stronger visually and requires a little more thought to wear well.

These two are enough for me for now. I have no plans to have more, although I don't rule out being pleasantly surprised, especially by a more creative model.

Both of these caps are consistent with my style, so much so that they fit into many of my outfits without me having to worry too much.

Below is an example of an outfit. The idea was to have a simple base in terms of colors: gray t-shirt, blue shirt, white pants.

Then, we thicken everything at the ends (top and bottom), with burgundy loafers, a beige bandana but also with a checked cap.

To give you some more inspiration, I love how Swedish brand Berg&Berg incorporates caps into more formal outfits.

4. My favorite brands

I wrote an article listing a dozen brands of caps, ☞ you can find it here ☜

Here are three brands I look at often:

1. Norse Projects which has beautiful things every season, both on sober models and more creative ones
2. Officine Générale for the beautiful choice of materials
3. Beams+ for more creative and fun caps

Jordan

I counted. I have nine. But I only have one head.

I haven't worn caps for a long time. Since I was about 30.

Before that, it was not worth it. I already looked a little younger than my age, I did not want to add an element of the adolescent panoply.

Now that I have hair on my chin and dark circles that justify my age, I can afford it.

1. Why I love it

It is a popular accessory , which transcends generations and styles, an accessory that is modest in its form, easy to access and which is not purely aesthetic since it protects from the sun.

Beyond that, I especially like it when my hair looks like crap or I don't have time to style it, the cap comes in handy.

2. How I like it

I like the dad cap . Now that I'm a father, I feel legitimate.

The dad cap is soft, six-sided with a rounded visor. It is made of cotton, lined or not and preferably faded by the sun. It must have dragged a little in the corners. A spider web on the visor? All the better.

Ben Affleck wears a Boston Red Sox cap in New York City in October 2007. (Photo by James Devaney/WireImage)

It can cost €5 in a thrift store or around fifty when it is adorned with a cool logo.

I like the hats that claim to belong to a group. They benefit from a certain hype and I am probably a victim of it. I am talking about the hats that say: "Golf Club" with the name of a city, or "Book club". Or with the name of a trendy cocktail embroidered on it. Or the name of the brand for that matter, it doesn't really bother me.

And then, even if it's a Ricard, I like it too. Or a construction company, I'll take it. Well, if I like the cap. If I like its color, its shape suits me.

It may be ridiculous, I agree.

Especially when you're not part of any of these clubs. But that's kind of the point. The cap can be a bit ridiculous, a bit badly put on, soft and flat. It's the cap that you found in a corner and that you just perched on your head without thinking about it.

I don't particularly like caps with technical properties. I won't surprise you here. For me, it protects the sun, that's already not bad. For the rain, all I have to do is run away, find a tree that is sufficiently spread out, a suitable balcony.

If I'm hiking, on the other hand, I'd probably go for a technical bucket hat. But that's beside the point here.

3. How I like to wear it

Preferably on the head.

Hilarious.

I'll talk to you in JPEG, it's more meaningful.

To casualize a gray summer suit, I wear sneakers, a t-shirt and a cap. And then, since the suit is gray, the cap allows me to add color and a little more relief.

Here the cap is really logical. It's the same register of formalism as the rest of the outfit. It's casual. So here, the cap confirms all that. And in addition, of course, it adds a touch of color. A rather sporty green that I particularly like.

And finally, an outfit that is not mine and that I love. The cap (on which it says "What's funny?") is an element that serves the authenticity of the outfit.

The construction may seem complicated with a message t-shirt, a blazer with gold buttons, a western belt and 501s. Well, the cap says here: "these are clothes that I wear every day, I didn't put them on just for the photo."

The cap allows you to make the clothes your own. To not give the impression of being a mannequin that you have dressed.

When we engage in slightly more elaborate outfits, it is a way of deflating the aesthetic scope , of making it more humble and more down-to-earth in the end, because the cap, as I said in the introduction, is popular and modest in essence.

4. My favorite brands

My very first cap came from Universal Works . But I don't wear it often because the cap is stiff, which I don't like. Nevertheless, I mention the brand because it's a good lead all the same.

Norse Projects : already mentioned above but I have to mention it again because the first caps I liked came from there. You can easily find them on sale and the colors are always well seen. I must have three from them, including a beige one that I wear very often.

Berg&Berg : not that they are exceptional but the colors are also well felt. Like this one:

Rowing blazers : hard to find. But I had to mention them. Because it's exactly my kind of cap. A little offbeat. And right in the Ivy universe that I love so much.

Novel Mart : What do you want me to tell you? I like a cap with "Novel Chess Club" written on it even though I don't play chess or "Beaujolais"! Who knows why!

Kian

1. Why I love it

Personally, I love wearing caps, and I love the way they look in general. I think they're a great accessory to add to an outfit, considering mine is pretty casual. The cap also helps when I haven't styled my long curly hair or if I'm feeling a bit unmanageable in the morning.

2. How I like it

I really like New Era snapbacks and fitted caps, especially the 59FIFTY.

I think that to wear a fitted sports cap, you need a personal style that is quite streetwear, even a little vintage.

A fan of the 59 Fifty, Jay-Z wears one alongside Alicia Keys at Yankee Stadium in New York in 2002. (Photo by Rich Pilling/MLB via Getty Images)

3. How I like to wear it

During the summer, I wear my caps backwards, because I feel like they look better on me that way.

With a t-shirt, I think wearing a cap backwards looks great, but on the other hand, I never wear it like that with a sweater or sweatshirt.

Since I love streetwear, I wear my caps with oversized t-shirts and big pants. I really like the baggy look, and I think a cap ties the look together, thanks to its pointed shape that makes your head look flat.

4. My favorite brands

I recommend New Era first. It's one of the biggest cap brands in the world, and they have models for everyone. It's also an iconic brand in the world of hip-hop and streetwear, and it's now the exclusive brand of the MLB.

I really like the Yankees cap that New Era created in collaboration with Aime Leon Dore . I especially like the style of the Yankees logo.

I also recommend the James Perse trucker cap. It's a cap that has a less streetwear look and it costs more.

Unlike New Era's fitted cap, James Perse's is trucker-style, so the back part is made of plastic mesh, and the size can be adjusted.

Pierce

Much like Jordan, caps are a recent addition to my wardrobe. Indeed, being 21, Parisian and in the middle of a hair transition, I really didn't want to fall into the cap/AirPods/mid-length hair cliché.

However, some nice caps had been catching my eye for a while, and as I scrolled through the pages of all the "cool dudes" on Instagram, I wanted to join the movement.

Because when you're 21, you want to be a force to be reckoned with while standing out. A fine balancing act. So after much hesitation, I gave in.

1. Why I love it

Versatile practicality. Whether it's when a blazing sun threatens to turn my skull into a kettle, when my increasingly long hair refuses to be tamed, or as a headband to keep it out of my eyes.

When I don't want to carry an umbrella, a cap and raincoat do the trick. Example below during the incredible but rainy BonneGueule 2021 team building.

Plus, it's an easy accessory to master. As Benoît and Nicolò said in their respective videos about summer, you shouldn't put style in the closet. And the cap is the ideal accessory to enrich a summer outfit, with a utilitarian bonus.

2. How I like it

Colorful and/or textured. I am very tall, I am talkative, and my voice carries. So if you are going to be noticed, you might as well be noticed for your headgear with its colorful "flare" and unusual design.

So I am a fan of caps in pastel colors and/or with a vintage look, with an original embroidered logo or writing. I also prefer the strapback adjustment system, aesthetic and practical to my taste.

3. How I like to wear it

My first, and only (for now) cap is from Holiday Boileau . It's simple, friendly, and sweet (I've exhausted my stock of alliterations). Yellow is a color I like more and more, and on the head of the tall beanpole that I am, it really energizes the top of my look.

I only have a few photos with it, but it enhances a simple look (sneakers, jeans, white tee, striped shirt) and makes it brighter.

Enjoying the summer with this chick on my head, I will wait until the start of the school year to treat myself to a more workwear cap and try a more sophisticated look, as Nami and Jamie do perfectly:

4. My favorite brands

I go to thrift stores, to Vif Vintage (101, rue Boileau Paris 16). And I like the brands Namiman and Holiday Boileau.

Jerome

1. Why I don't like it too much

You can look: you won't find a cap in my current wardrobe. Oh sure, I've worn a few before, mostly in the summer, and for more utilitarian than stylistic reasons . That is to say, the sun and I are very complicated.

Over the years, I have tested several caps, often cheap, with different shapes and materials . Being of rural origin, it is even possible that I proudly went as far as John Deere models. But let's move on: it was never really love at first sight between the cap and me and I finally got over it.

My last time with a cap was in the spring of 2019. That is to say, I persevered for a long time, not so much for the style but for practicality. Until 2017, for example, I spent my summer holidays on the roads and by bike. It was still the simplest and most obvious headgear for this activity. But it was also a choice by default.

Since then, the bike has been well stored and I motivate myself every summer to find something that suits me better than the cap. The hat? Not sure. However, I don't think I have any particular contraindications: head circumference of 59cm, nothing very unusual on paper except a persistent feeling every time I wear something on my head - even a hat.

I am probably one of those who have difficulty projecting themselves with it, and I have searched in vain: there is no rational explanation for this phenomenon. I do however have a hypothesis, which is worth what it is worth and which is more a matter of personal feeling than of scientific observation.

From my point of view, the cap rather hardens my face, and it's not something that I particularly like. A link with hair loss, perhaps? That's an idea. Except that I've already tried long hair, short hair and even a shaved head with a cap and it never gave anything unforgettable.

Another hypothesis: maybe the caps tested so far were simply not of extraordinary quality or hold. To take the investigation to the end, we would therefore have to try the experience of a high-end cap . But do I really want to?

On the other hand, I really like the cap in others, in old school hip-hop for example, and I will discuss this point a little later this summer in the Pochette series.

2. My alternative to the cap, the bob hat

I found an alternative, the bob or bucket hat in English .

I now have three of them and they suit me well: cooler than the cap, more flexible and more protective too. and it's almost as important as sun protection.

Linen, cotton or velvet bobs . Linen because it is probably the most suitable material for high temperatures. Last year, I had also added this pretty ecru Lock & Co model to my shopping list, and I do not despair of adding it to my collection one day.

In the meantime, I have set my sights on the cotton bucket hats produced in France by Brut Clothing and inspired by French workwear from the 50s. The sculptor Brancusi apparently wore similar ones, and that is typically the kind of little detail that I like. As for the colors: ecru and indigo. I have something to play with.

But guess what, I didn't stop there. You may have noticed that I also like velvet. To go further, to anticipate the return of autumn, I found a beige velvet model, vintage and unbranded this one .

To find what I want, I look in thrift stores or at Brut Clothing , Universal Works , Norse Projects , Lock & Co , Engineered Garments

3. How I wear the bob

For this summer, I'm thinking of wearing a bucket hat with next to nothing: a plain or patterned Cuban collar shirt, loose pants, sneakers or soft loafers like my pair of Quoddy . If the days are cooler: a T-shirt over a military-inspired shirt and my trusty lightweight parka in Ventile Cadot .

For fall and the velvet model: same thing, with a few extra layers - crew neck sweater or turtleneck, boots and fatigue pants for example. For something a little more dressed up, I will probably wait until I grow a white beard to learn about Sean Connery 's style in "Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade" - a model, in that genre.