What is a Dad Hat?

From celebrities to humble fishermen, we have all seen them and most of us have worn them. A staple in fashion for decades, the dad hat has swung in and out of fads over the years, but at one point it solidified itself as the essential look for fathers across the globe. You know the look, but what exactly is a dad hat and how did it get that name? 

You may have seen on Twitter or Tik-tok that the dad hat is making a comeback in fashion. Now more than ever, the simple look of the dad hat is in style. However, the truth is, the hat never went out of style in the first place, there has only been more and more build-up around the hype of the dad hats. For some people, the dad hat is an everyday piece of clothing, for others, it’s just a staple of fatherhood and a symbol of a simple life. The dad hat has moved from just a clothing item to a movement itself.

Dad Knows Best

Why is it called the dad hat you may wonder? While there isn’t an exact correct answer to this question we can assume that it's mainly because it is commonly worn by middle-aged men. This is likely because the style has been around so long that it would be hard to find someone who hasn’t owned a dad hat of their own at one point, father or not. 

Some say that during the '90s, the birth of the dad hat, there were just baseball caps and flat brimmed hats, and the only ones rockin' the hats we now know as dad hats were, well, literally dads.

The dad hat got a similar start to the dad shoes if you happen to remember that online “meme” a few years ago. As jokes began to be made about the way dads looked and their clunky white shoes, the internet saw that the dad hat was also a very common piece of clothing that fathers decided to sport with their everyday outfits and the jokes about dad hats began to pour in as well. 

What is a Dad Hat though?

Sure, we've hit on why it's called a dad hat for the most part, but what are the origins of the first dad hat? It's time to find out how the dad hat came to be.

What is a dad hat? A dad hat typically is an unstructured, six-panel, pre-curved cap with an adjustable closure on the back. Dad hats are commonly made of a soft, washed cotton blend, coming in a variety of colors and prints. Sounds so simple, right? Except the industry didn't make dad hats for us; we made them for ourselves.

Before the dad hat, the headgear on the streets were pro-style baseball caps or flat-brimmed snapbacks, until one of our favorite decades came along. The '90s were a distressing time—literally. People loved to shred their jeans, their flannels, their combat boots. While the distressed look took off, it was only a matter of time before anyone attacked their apparel to give it that worn-and-torn look that would turn toward caps. And that's exactly what happened.

Those high-profile baseball caps and flat-brimmed snapbacks just screamed “new” and “clean” which were two looks that were totally out of style in the 90s. Buckram is the stiff fabric that makes traditional caps stand up so straight and tall. Cool kids began slicing that material right out of the front seam of their caps to have that more weathered look. And they weren't done deconstructing these caps yet. Do you have a straight brim? No thank you! To have even more of that original dad hat fit meant curving the brim. If you ever wrapped rubber bands around your brim to get that classic curve? Kudos, you helped define the dad cap culture.

The look and feel were purposefully comfortable, relaxed, and laid back. It was, and is, the opposite of the stuffy other caps out there. And the fashion industry took notice. Celebs known for their fashion like Rihanna can be seen sporting “designer” dad hats along with fashion icon Kanye West. These hats while having the look of the dad hat weren’t made like the dad hats back in the day. These “dad hats” were already sold with the weathered look they have.

Dads on the other hand, actually wore their hats to their near breaking point, far before anyone thought of intentionally distressing apparel. Dads earned their dad hats. Hats off to them.

Best Three Dad Hats

The dad hats of today are now among the most popular headwear choices rather than snapbacks and flat brims. No more slicing and dicing on your own. They come pre-weathered now! But who's wearing dad hats, and why? Dad hats are the most sought-out cap now because anyone can wear them, for any reason. But here's something about all the differences between dad hat wearers.

1. The Purist: Dad hats are the heavy lifters of hats. They can be tightly wadded up and thrown into a box or truck bed. The people who love dad hats, for this reason, are completely utilitarian. They're the type who wants the sun out of their face and hair out of their eyes so they can finish that outdoor craft or finish that workout without bother. They have things to get done and their dad hat is their best friend. As the most forgiving of caps, dad hats hit the washing machine and dryer like no other. They're that durable. So wash those dirt stains on your dad hat, weekend warrior. It'll be ready for you to come next Saturday again. We'd recommend the Six-Panel Unstructured Twill Cap for you. In a nice cotton-polyester blend, we can already envision you folding it up into your jacket pocket with your favorite logo on the front for your next great adventure.
   
   
2. Comfort King or Queen: Maybe you don't need a cap for a day out at the beach or for an outdoor project, but for you, it finishes your look. You're best spotted in a t-shirt and jeans, but it's incomplete without a dad hat to tie it all together for you. There's something about the casual look of a dad hat also that somehow improves on what might otherwise be a bland and boring look. And if you're having a bad hair day, too? The dad hat's got you covered, literally. With tons of different colors at reasonable prices, we'd love the Ace Best Selling Adjustable Cap on you in any outfit.
   
   
3. The Cool Kid: Dad hats have been hot on the scene for a while, But if you hadn’t heard about it before 2015 it is likely because you have and always will be on the top of the fashion game. These aren’t exactly “dad hats” but they are rising in popularity like them and have a very similar look! Like your '90s kid predecessor, you never want to look like you're trying too hard. You take that high-fashion suave and purposely plop this up and coming dad hat on your head, see how it turns out! Our favorite celebrities are starting to move from dad hats to trucker hats, you should too! We'd love to dress you up—or down—with the best colors of our Richardson Trucker Cap. Just as you follow trends, we want your hat to pop with color. 
   
   

A Fashionable Future

One of the most asked questions about dad hats is “are they still in style?” The simple answer to that question is YES! Through dad-ication the dad hat has only gotten more fashionable throughout the years and we at Logoup.com can see it get even more popular! Go to Logoup.com today to make your dad hat with your company or even your personal logo embroidered!