9 Classic Hat Styles Every Man Should Own

The hat is one of the essential fashion accessories that would not go out of style and fashion. From the old golden times, men have been wearing hats to enhance their fashion statement and make them look stylish as possible. Your grandfather probably owned some hats that you can still borrow to wear nowadays.

Needless to say, like any other fashion items, it has been through ups and downs. It is developed into different styles, colors and material. Up until now, there is a wide variety of hats that you can choose from. Sometimes it is too much that you don’t know which styles of hats you should have. And being able to choose the right styles of hat is one of the most important steps in buying the perfect hat for your own fashion style.

In case you are building a hat wardrobe, it is important that you choose the most essential hats with classic styles. They are the types of hats that you can wear for a lot of occasions- both formal and casual events. They are also types of hats which can be fashionable and stylish regardless of time.

If you don’t know which hats you should own, the article below will provide you with a list of classic hats you should have.

First of all, let’s me define what the classic hat is.

There are 4 main parts of a classic hat including the brim, crown, taper and bond. Back in the old days, men worn hat to be stylish. They also used it to protect them from the harmful elements of the weather such as sun, rain and wind.

In order to do so, a classic hat tends to have stiff sides, stiff crown and structured construction. The brim of the hat is often of a circular shape. There is a band or a decorative ribbon around the crown’s base. The difference in the shapes and dimensions of these elements will contribute to different style of classic hats you can have on the market- such as the fedora, homburgs and porkpie.

The material of a classic hat is often made from felt material such as wool.

Here is the list of 9 classic hat styles you should have in your hat collection:

1. Fedora Hats

This is one of the most popular classic hats and I am sure that you have probably heard of it. It is such an icon of the classic style that will never go out of fashion. Because it is so popular and gets a lot of attention, you should be aware that some hat makers call their product “fedora hat” while the size and shape of the brim are not really so.

The traditional form of a fedora hat features a crow which creases down along its length and pinched sides. The front of the brim is slightly curved and you can easily reshape it to your preference. The brim of a fedora hat is quite wide and flexible. The sides of the brim are un-curved though you can bend the brim to whatever shape you like. You can wear the fedora hat with the brim curved down to form a mysterious look. On the other hand, you can wear it with the brim curved up to look more social and open.

There are basically two types of fedora hat- one with straw and cotton material to suit casual event. The other type of fedora hat is made of wool to form the iconic classic hat for your formal events such as weddings, funerals and church meetings.

Thanks to its style and popularity, you can easily find thousands of fedora hats on the market with different designs, colors and material. You can look for some of the best option here https://thebesthat.com/best-fedora-hats-for-men/.).

The last great thing I want to mention about the fedora hat is that it can be worn by people having all kinds of face’s shape. Even if you have a round face, an oval face or a diamond face, this type of classic hat will complement your facial features well.

2. Trilby

A trilby has the form which looks quite like a fedora with shorter brim. In fact, the crown of a trilby looks like the crown of a fedora. However, instead of having an evenly long brim, the back side of the brim is shorter than the front side. The width of a trilby’s brim is also shorter than the width of a fedora’s brim. And with a smaller brim, although the crown of both of the trilby and fedora are of the same size, the former would look much bigger than the latter.

When you wear a trilby, the most common way you should follow is that you wear with the front brim pointing upwards and the back brim pointing downwards, emphasizing the narrow angle of the back even more.

Just like a fedora, a trilby is suitable for wearing to formal events such as weddings or proms. It is less common to wear a trilby for a casual event.

3. Homburg

A homburg also looks like a fedora hat with some minor adjustments. The crown still looks the same with the lengthwise crease. However, the brim of this classic hat is stiffer with all sides slightly curved upward.

The best occasion for you to wear a homburg is to your formal business meetings. Or in case you need a dress hat, this is one of your best options.

4. Porkpie

All of the above classic hat styles hat a creased high crown, this style of classic hat has a shorter crown with flat top. It doesn’t form a teardrop shape like the above style. In addition, the brim of this hat is quite small which is slightly curved upwards.

If you are a tall person, you can consider purchasing this hat instead of a hat with high crown. Since it is short, it might not be suitable for people with round, short face as it will highlight the weakness even more. However, if you have a rectangular face or an oval face, you can consider wearing this hat.

5. Bowler/Derby

A bowler is also known as a derby hat. This style of classic hat has a crown’s top which looks like a dome. There is no pinching on the hat. The brim of a bowler hat is also quite narrow which is slightly curved upwards.

Although this hat might remind you of the British guy and immediately think about it as a posh item for a formal event, it is not really true. In fact, working class British men wear this type of classic hat more often than anyone else since it brings a feel of fun and casualty, more than the other classic hats such as the fedora and homburg.

6. Western Hats

A Western hat is one of the most iconic classic hats and you would recognize it from other hats almost instantly. A typical Western hat has a very tall crown and wide brim. The top of the crown shapes like a teardrop like a normal fedora hat. But the most significant feature of the crown is that it also has a dimple on one side of it. This hat also has a lot of decorative details on the band.

A Western hat is not for a business meeting or a formal event. However, if you attend a party with a Western theme or when you want to dress up like a cowboy, this hat is definitely a must have an item.

7. Panama Hats

This hat gets its name when it is shipped from Ecuador to Panama to be sold to the sailors there. A high quality Panama hat can cost thousands of dollars. The hat is very stylish and trendy while being functional as well to keep the wear feel cool all of the time under the hot and humid weather.

While a Panama hat can have a design of a fedora or the trilby, it is made from a different type of material- which is the woven palm leaves. You can easily curve the brim to whatever shape you desire. You can also roll some of the Panama hat and pack it inside your bag, which makes easy for you to bring along with you when you go travelling. It will retain its shape really well after being rolled or washed.

A Panama hat is more casual than a fedora hat. You definitely should have one in your hat wardrobe to wear with your casual outfit. It is also a great hat to protect you when you go to the beach or go travelling.

8. Boater

A boater is made of straw material with a flat top and wide un-curved brim. It is one of the hat styles that is recently made and sold.

This type of classic hat is most suitable for casual events. You can also wear it when you take part in some sports such as rowing or when you go to regatta events. You should not wear it with your formal clothes.

Although this hat is not as suitable as a Fedora hat when you need a hat to go to the beach, it can still replace the Fedora hat perfectly when you go out in a hot summer day.

9. Top Hats

A top hat features a very high crown and small short brim. The crow is unstructured with a flat top while the brim is narrow and un-curved.

In general, the wearer needs to follow a strict dress code when he wears the top hat. He needs to wear a black top hat with his white tie. On the other hand, a grey hat is required to be matched with a morning dress.

A top hat will make it quite hard for you to pair with other pieces of your clothes. In addition, its use is not as versatile as other types of classic hats. It can be used for special formal events and when you wear costume only. So think about your frequent of using this hat before you decide to invest in one.

Here is the list of the most iconic and stylish classic hats you should have in your wardrobe. A classic hat is suitable for various formal meetings such as weddings, funerals, churches and proms. It will complement your formal suit and make you look like a true gentlemen. So if you are still considering about wearing such a hat, this is the good time for you to go out and search for one.

I hope with all of the information above, you would know exactly what you need and from then on, can upgrade your wardrobe with all of the fancy and stylish hats as much as possible.

By Mike | Published: April 14, 2017