These cute hat trends are stolen straight from old-timey man jobs
When you ordered your cute cabbie hat, you were definitely picturing pairing it with a vintage tee and distressed jeans, or something similarly chic, yet understated. It’s easy to forget that most of the hottest hat trends that fashion gurlz are rocking today originated from old timey job uniforms.
When did we decide it was cool to look like you forgot to take off the arguably sweatiest work clothing item? I’m not sure anyone really knows. All we do know is these hats origins stories are less than glamorous, but also hilariously random.
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1. The Bucket Hat.
This is a hard look to pull off. Many have tried and many have ended up looking like they just got back from a father daughter fishing trip. That’s because the bucket hat used to be worn by fishermen and sailors.
Fishermen were rockin’ the bucket hats long before any of the cool kids were, and not as a cool street style piece, but because they didn’t want to get rained on. The hats were purely functional rather than decorative. They didn’t emerge an actual fashion trend until the 60’s, according to Fashion 101: A Crash Course in Clothing. Weirdly around the same time, one of the nerdiest characters to ever grace our televisions rocked it: Gilligan from Gilligan’s Island.
But the people who really made this odd trend cool were LL Cool J and Sugar Hill Gang’s Big Bank Hank, who was the first rapper to rock the former fishing hat in a music video, Complex reports.
2. Cabbie Hats
Cabbie hats were once a part of the cab driver uniform, but now they are part of the “rocker boho chic” look, or if it’s in patent leather, the “hot dominatrix on her day off” look. Also known as military hats, these hats look oddly uniform in their structure, which is probably why they provide a strong sexy look to any outfit. They single handedly turn a bad hair into a badass lewk.
If a guy were to wear one today, he might find himself in a screwball comedy-esque mistaken identity crisis, which involves driving strangers around NYC in a stolen blacked out SUV. There’s probably endless reckless driving scenes and wildly outlandish capers. Honestly, it sounds like a great movie– I already want to see it. Is James Franco available?
Anyway, somehow these hats become fashionable and perfect for hiding your bedhead at the airport, and we’re all for it.
3. Newsboy Caps
Newsboy caps are coming back. These flat billed hats aren’t for everyone though. In fact, if you can seamlessly pair one to a hawt ensemble, and not look like you should be throwing newspapers from your bike in the 1920’s, I commend you.
Carrie Bradshaw loved them, and Cameron Diaz was rocking them for hot minute in the 00’s. These hats aren’t COMPLETELY back though. They have a long way to go before we see Kylie rocking them in a snapchat video, but they have had fashion potential in the past. What’s that saying? What goes up must come down? Or what happened in the 2003 must come back in 2017? Something like that.
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4. Trucker Hats
The truth is in the name. These hats were originally donned by, night-drivin’, CB radio talkin’, drivin’ in the fast lane for no reason, truckers. Why did truckers wear these hats? Because they were FO FREE! Trucker hats were originally given away at truck stops, hence making truck drivers the trendsetters they never dreamed they could be.
These hats haven’t had a major renaissance in the fashion world… yet. Hoe-ever, considering that dad caps are now in style and Juicy Couture sweatpants are making their own comeback, our Von Dutch trucker hats are most likely next.
This is a trend that Kylie Jenner has been stumping for. She’s posted Insta shots of her rocking Von Dutch gear, but the world hasn’t been ready to follow suit. Maybe if she starts giving them out for free they can come back in style they way they were intended to.
Overall, fashion is funny. Unpopular opinion: Old-timey nurse hats are kind of cute. Can they be next?