When we’re wondering how to choose headwear, let’s assume we’re breaking it down into a baseball cap, or a beanie. You may well be considering a Trilby or a Homburg, a Stetson, Fedora or Fez, and God bless you if you are. If so, a quiet chat in the back room of a pub is required. It’s all possible, but it’s going to get more complex.
Let’s start with how to choose a baseball cap.
This is a tricky one, far harder than choosing a beanie. Do we want a flat peak with a snap back – Gangsta? Or a flat peak with a flexfit? Or a pro peak with a fabric tab? Should it be 5 panel? Do we want a contrast underpeak? Contrast button and eyelets? A nice heavy twill, or a Melton wool, and let’s not forget all those truckers out there, steaming the cab up on Route 66. Do we want it to be distressed? And are we getting distressed trying to figure it all out?
To relieve a little stress, would you hate us for saying that although it really matters, in a way, does it really matter? In our humble opinion, and as with trainers, when most people choose their headwear they are extremely brand loyal. We may struggle to get a New Era 39 Thirty disciple into a Supreme cap, or a Norse Projects fan into an Obey Maximus (unless of course New Era hook up with Supreme and start making caps out of Loro Piana wool, giving you the best of both worlds). As such, the chances of us becoming a massive cap brand are slim/probably none. BUT, they are amazing when it comes to getting our brand name across when we have access to a superstar DJ, who’s agreed to be flipping the occasional disk while flashing his cap at the crowd. So just pick the one that you and the mandem will feel happiest reppin, and relax.
What about bespoke caps?
What about bespoke caps, I thought you said we could relax? Well yes, but to make a truly authentic cap, you need to make them from scratch. An off the shelf cap is fine for putting that brand name out there a bit, but if you do really want to try and ‘sell’ them with pride, we’ll need printed inner tape, labels, stickers, contrasts and the full English headwear breakfast. Minimums of 144 per style, gorgeous, and we can totally do it, if you want to go next level.
How to choose a Beanie
When the leaves are falling and the wind is whistling up our sarong, we all start to wonder about how to choose a beanie (and why we still live in England). Do we want wool or acrylic? To turn up, or not to turn up? Should it be a slouch beanie, a classic beanie, or a trawler beanie? Do we want it plain, or in a marl, or with a stripe? How about a standard flat fabric, or maybe with a few raised cable knits. Pom pom? No Pomp pom? Vintage or clean? And what about those nice Nordic patterned, let’s go fishing in the fjord efforts?
To kick off, we’d go for a nice classic turn up. We can do a couple of dozen, but within that 24 if we want an experiment why not do a mix up of some of the above mentioned styles. Say 18 classics, with a couple of slouchers, a few pom poms and a vintage. Launch them out there, and see what the good people say.
Boring Stats
Not our favourite subject, but if you like the boring stats, we should say that in our experience there is a sell through of beanies against caps of around 3-1. So beanies are more successful because a beanie is a beanie, whether you’re DKNY or DKN Nothing, it’s a knitted thing you pull on your head. No instruction manual is required to get in on, even in Derby.
