Hats have been a major part of our lives and fashion choices for thousands of years, where designs have constantly been evolving as the decades pass. The great thing about hats is that they can be both fashionable and functional, so whether you’re completing your look or shading your eyes from the sun, you can’t go wrong with this clothing accessory.
Right now, vintage hats in an eclectic range of shapes and styles are in vogue. But these days, the truly wonderful thing about fashion is how inclusive and diverse it is, where you are free to wear whatever you want, wherever you want. You can blend items from a variety of eras and no one will bat an eyelid. Your fashion choices and preferences are as unique as you are. Here are the most popular hats of the last seven years.
1950s – The Fedora
Table of Contents
Considered one of the most iconic hats ever, the fedora used to be the peak of fashion back in the 1950s. Favoured by 50s icons such as Frank Sinatra and Humphrey Bogart among others, the fedora was the epitome of cool back in its heyday. Often made out of felt, the fedora features a wide brim, an indented and pinched crown and a ribbon that forms a band around the hat.
1960s – The Pillbox
Although synonymous with the 60s, pillbox hats were popular amongst women from the 1930s. A staple of Jackie Kennedy’s wardrobe, the first lady infamously wore this hat when her husband, President John F. Kennedy, was assassinated back in November 1963. Named because of its resemblance to pill boxes, this style of hat features a flat top, straight sides and no brim.
1970s – The Floppy
The ‘Decade of Decadence’, as it is affectionately referred to, saw the rise of hippie and bohemian culture, where people were embracing the opportunity to wear more roomy, free-flowing clothing. These wide-brimmed hats were all the rage, with actresses such as Brigitte Bardot and Farrah Fawcett pairing their gorgeous flowing locks with a floppy hat for a quintessential boho look.
1980s – The Bucket
The bucket hat was a big hit with rappers and the hiphop community in the 1980s and became a mainstay of streetwear in the 1990s and beyond. One of the most versatile designs on this list, the bucket hat features a wide, downward-sloping brim. Not only does it look great, but this style of hat is super practical and can be worn all year round, come rain or shine.
1990s – The Baseball
Despite snapback caps and other styles being worn in the mid to late 20th century, baseball caps and other sportswear attire blew up in the 90s and has remained in the mainstream ever since. This style consists of a soft cap with a rounded crown, with a stiff bill that can be either straight or curved, with a sports team’s logo (predominantly baseball) emblazoned across the front.
2000s – The Trucker
Another style of cap that had its moment in the 2000s was the trucker hat. Bold designs embellished with rhinestones and brand logos, trucker hats were a big hit with celebrities, with everyone from Justin Timberlake and Gwen Stefani spotted wearing them. If you didn’t own a Von Dutch hat during this period you were most likely living under a rock.
2010s – The Beanie
Although beanie hats were around in the 1990s, they have become increasingly popular in the last decade partly due to hipster culture, where a chilled, laid back look has been a vibe. In an interview with Vox, editor of Highsnobiety Jian DeLeon says that beanies “are supposed to convey this semi-stoner, relaxed, California ‘bro’ type”, which is funny when you see cool kids in North London sporting this look across the pond.
2020s – ?
Who knows what the next decade will hold for fashion and the status of the humble hat, but popular styles that are proving to be on trend so far this year include the bucket hat (always a fan fave) and more statement pieces like cowboy hats.
