Types of Hats - Best for Protection & Style

1. Baseball

Worn since the 17th century, the baseball hat has a stiff, mid-sized bill in front, a small button on top, and a round-shaped crown. It’s made from different materials, making them versatile and easy to dress down and up.

Although named baseball, it isn’t just meant for attending sports events or playing sports, but the hat is also excellent for when you’re jogging, walking, running errands, and running, just to name a few. These hats are durable and provide sufficient protection for the head and face. Thus, they have become a staple in the uniform of many professions, such as the US Coast Guard, US Navy, and police, to name a few.

2. Bucket

The US Military initially wore bucket or Boonie types of hats during the Vietnam War. Nowadays, they’re most famous for fishing and farming because they offer great rain and sun protection. The hat has a mid-sized, downward-sloping brim that goes around the head, so you’re also protected from multiple elements. Likewise, it often comes with a chin strap to keep it in place even when it’s windy. The classic bucket hat also offers a high level of comfort and easy packability, handy for travelers and adventurers.

3. Vizor

These types of hats stay true to their name: they protect your eyes (and face) from the UV rays, thanks to the mid-sized brim. However, they won’t cover the top of your head since they’re crown-free. The advantage of this design is that the hat facilitates rapid heat loss from the top of your head, perfect for tennis, other cardio sports, and a walk or visit to the beach. The vizor hat’s strap encircles your head, and it usually uses Velcro to secure the hat to your head comfortably. You can adjust it according to your desired fit.

4. Boater

This type of hat was famous from the 1800s to the 1900s, worn by men during sailing events, boating, and when they’re transitioning from winter hats to summer hats. Made from straw, it has a timeless, unisexual, and versatile design. Both men and women can wear it as protection for the warm weather and as accessories for semi-formal and formal occasions. Some schools in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK also use these types of hats as part of their students’ school uniforms.

The boater or skimmer hat has a flat top, small or mid-sized brim, and a two-tone ribbon around its short crown (women hats), giving it a European appeal. It’s also the kind of hat that you see Gondoliers in the Venice canals wear. The only difference is that what they wear has a wider and thinner brim, and its ribbon has two tails extending off its back.

5. Bowler

The bowler hat, popularly known as the derby hat in the US, was manufactured in the 1800s to help resolve top hats falling off while riding horses. Thanks to the hard felt material used, it's also durable to ensure it can endure rough activities. It has a round-shaped crown and a short brim with an approximate size of two inches. This classic hat is also a popular fashion item, especially since it’s one of Charlie Chaplin’s signatures.

6. Beanie

Assumed to originate from the slang term for the head, “bean”, the beanie is a type of hat meant to provide warmth during the winter season. It’s available in various styles and made of different thick materials. The hat also usually has decorative weaves. Some beanie types of hats have balls or pom-poms on top, while others don’t. Likewise, you’ll find beanies with either short or long ear flaps for added warmth, while others don’t have any.

7. Deerstalker

A hat stereotyped for detectives because of its strong association with Sherlock Holmes, the deerstalker was actually initially designed for, well, deer stalking. That said, it’s also a famous hunting gear. From 1870 to 1890, though, it became a fashionable item for men to match their sports clothes. Nowadays, you’ll find unisexual deerstalker types of hats and those specifically designed for women, having ribbons, furs, and more.

8. Trapper

Initially worn by trappers in the 1600s, these hats are like giant beanies with longer ear flaps and thick covering for the forehead. They’re also popular pieces of hunting headgear during the cold season and for ice fishing. Today, some people wear them as fashionable pieces.

9. Cowboy

Among the most popular and easily recognizable types of hats, the Western, cowboy, or cowgirl hat has a wide brim for enhanced protection from dust and other elements. It’s perfect for when you are on the ranch, farm, and riding a horse. You’ll find waterproof varieties meant for rainy days and lightweight ones made of straw designed for the hot summer days.

Shape-wise, the hat has turned-up sides, but some designers keep them flat. The crown is also taller than other hats and can be pinched, teardrop or C shaped, or dented in the center. Not only did it become popular in the mid-1900s, thanks to Western movies, but many also embraced it as a fashionable item. That is why you’ll find cowboy or cowgirl hats with ribbons or buckles. It’s also already available in various colors, instead of the classic beige, brown, and black.

10. Beret

Another classic, the beret, was first introduced in Europe in the 17th century and is commonly worn by artists and farmers. During the 20th century, it became a political statement and then a part of pop culture. Its timeless design includes a flat, round, soft crown with poofy edges, thanks to the excess material. Some designers add an “apple stem” on top for additional style. Material-wise, these types of hats are usually made of acrylic, cotton, and wool. Beret hats provide excellent insulation, both cold and hot. You can wear them either hanging on one side of your head or the center.

11. Newsboy

Also known as ascot, ivy, duckbill, and paperboy, the newsboy hat was initially designed because of a law enacted in 1571. That is, males ages six and above were required to wear flat hats made from wool. The hat rose to popularity in the late 1800s. Then, in the early 1900s, it became a famous hat for newsboys, while in others, it was used for sport shooting and hunting. Come the 2000s, women started wearing the newsboy hat as a fashionable accessory. This low-profile classic hat is perfect for any occasion and climate, depending on the material used in its construction. It has six to eight quarter panels, an extended crown, a short brim, and a button on top. You’ll also find ones that have snaps on their brim.

12. Fedora

A type of hat named after a stage play, the fedora became an iconic symbol of Frank Sinatra. Women activists also started wearing this hat in 1924 and they became popular fashionable types of hats for men, thanks to Britain’s Prince Edward. Some of the most popular music artists, like Humphrey Bogart, Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake, and Britney Spears, also wore this hat as part of their outfits. Hence, you’ll find fedora hats in many stylish varieties: stingy brim, snap brim, trilby, and pork pies, as well as made from several materials that suit several climates. The classic design, though, has a small brim turning up at the back and is made of wool or felt. You can also turn the hat’s front up or down.