What may have started as functional wear became a statement of sorts in the wearing of hats. Each of these head coverings has an interesting history. Some hats are worn as a commercial marketing technique, and others like the animal hat from Covered Hats are worn as a symbol of advocacy. Here are some examples of how hats are worn as a style choice, statement, or protection.

As a style choice

Also known as a straw hat, the boater cap is designed to protect the wearer against the sun. A suit, which has a forbidding personality, is made approachable with a touch of this hat. With its airy and light material, this style choice has even become the go-to city accessory for middle-class and upper-class men.

Another cap, the pork pie, is a class on its own as well. A pork pie cap may be embellished with feathers, brooches, or other decorative items. Designs range from beautiful to downright bizarre.

Not to be outdone, the baseball cap’s utilitarian design has taken the world by storm. What started as a hat to protect the eyes has become the go-to in style and function. The baseball cap has become the go-to for the shirt-and-jeans combination, redefining the casual vibe. Even companies are tapping their versatile design for marketing purposes.

As a statement

One of the most famous hats used as a statement is the fedora cap. This head covering from the 1920s initially became a symbol for women’s rights movement in the postwar period. Many decades later and women are still fighting for their rights, as shown in the wearing of the pink hat. The pink hat, made famous in 2017, is a symbolic protest against the typical chauvinistic male of modern times.

Further, hats have also become symbolic in the form of the Mazari Hat. Wearing this hat supports the rights of the Pashtun, an ethnic group minority in Pakistan. A hat is not only a style option but also a symbol for advocacy, like the animal hat from Covered Hats.

As a protection

For the best shade that protects the face against the sun, the sun cap is the preferred choice for hiking. The sun cap may even have very large brims that can cover the entire neck and shoulders.

Similarly, there are also caps designed to protect the wearer against cold weather. Some examples are the beanie cap and the trapper cap. With the introduction of the bobble cap or a beanie with a design at the top, these head coverings need not be boring.

As a symbol of independence and toughness, the cowboy hat is a league on its own. This headpiece does not only protect you against the sun but from the rain, snow, and wind too. More importantly, this hat is designed to protect you against the dust. Not just a style icon, this hat was even used to collect water from rivers or creeks.
As a style option, the hat may completely change your look. Before, the hat was the last option in completing an outfit. Now, people choose the hat first and then the outfit. Hats have become a statement, befitting a more modern and accepting society.