The curve hat has been on everyone's mind for the past few months, so much so that you'd almost think it had just been released. However, the one we're wearing these days with sober but hilarious messages or evocative little logos or pictograms has a long history behind it. What is the origin of the one that Americans affectionately call the Dad hat? Headict has investigated for the sake of your fashion culture.
THE SPORT CAP, AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE BASEBALL UNIFORM
When the Brooklyn Excelsior baseball team adopted a round-crowned, short-visored cap for their uniform in 1858, other teams quickly followed suit. The baseball cap was born.
A century later, the American company New Era created the legendary 59Fifty, the model that is still worn during games by all Major League Baseball players.
FROM FAN ACCESSORY TO MESSAGE CARRIER, THE CAP EVOLVES
From 1970 onwards, the explosion of the sport on television and the Detroit Tigers cap worn on Tom Shelleck's head in all episodes of the Magnum series helped to bring the cap out of the baseball field.
In 1996, a new milestone was reached when director Spike Lee asked New Era to create a special New York Yankees model in red to match his jacket. It was the first time a baseball cap didn't wear the exact colours of the team, and it marked the cap's transition from fashion accessory to identity carrier.
AN EVER MORE PERSONALISED CAP
At that time, the "frat boys", students on American campuses, applied themselves to personalizing their "fraternity" cap as much as possible. The material that stiffened the front was removed, the peak was shaped to be rounded and the cap was even put through the dishwasher for a grungy effect. This was the birth of the so-called unstructured cap, a trend that became a trademark of the '47 brand and exploded between 1995 and 2003.
After the boom, it fell into oblivion in favour of its cooler siblings, the flat peak snapback and the original baseball field fitted. Now a regular part of American middle-class attire, the curve cap is now the famous Dad hat.
Today the Dad hat is making a comeback, it is still as accessible as ever and fits perfectly with the sober and discreet trend. The very essence of the US identity, it appeals to all social classes. With a message that hits home or a funny logo, it crowns a simple outfit with a wink that sets you apart. If you also like the sleek aesthetic and the fashion potential, Headict offers you a wide selection of the most fashionable curve caps.