Types of Hat Shapes
24 Different Types of Hats to Know by Name (and Shop Too)
As POPSUGAR editors, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. If you buy a product we have recommended, we may receive affiliate commission, which in turn supports our work.
Admit it: you hadn't heard the word "fascinator" before Princess Beatrice made a meme out of her bowed Philip Treacy at the Royal Wedding. That's OK — the world of headwear is much more complex than you'd think. Sure, we were familiarized at an early age with The Cat in the Hat, but what hat did that cat begat? After all, hats are defined as "a generic term for headwear that usually includes a crown and a brim," but that's just the tip of the iceberg. It's time to put away your grade-school knowledge of hats and get an expert education.
Panama
Originally made from the leaves of a tropical palm tree, this wide-brimmed hat is now made from strawlike material.
Cartwheel Hat
A hat with a low crown and wide, stiff brim.
Breton
A peaked boatman's cap originally worn by the Breton peasantry that has a brim that rolls up all the way around.
Brixton Fiddler Cap ($46)
Turban
A headdress with a long length of cotton or silk wound around a cap or the head.
Newsboy Cap
A casual cap with a small stiff brim in front, which is also referred to as a Baker Boy, Apple Cap, Eight-Piece Cap, Eight Panel, Cabbie, Jay Gatsby, Fisherman's Cap, Pageboy, Applejack Hat, Lundberg Stetson, and Poor Boy Cap.
Cowboy Hat
A high-crowned, wide-brimmed hat best known as those worn by the North American cowboy.
Beanie
A small, close-fitting knit hat worn on the back of the head.
Bowler
Also known as a derby hat, it is a stiff hat with a rounded crown, which was created in 1849 for the British politician Edward Coke.
Trapper
Also called an ushanka, this hat is a fur cap with ear flaps that can be tied up to the crown, or tied around the chin. Similar to an aviator hat, which is also known as a bomber hat, and often worn with goggles.
Urbancode Trapper Hat ($95)
Porkpie
A hat with a flat crown and a brim turned up all around.
Sombrero
Typically worn in Mexico and the Southwestern United States, this is a felt or straw hat with a broad brim.
Sombrero ($73)
Boater
A kind of formal Summer hat with a stiff, flat crown and brim. It is traditionally made of sennit straw and decorated with a grosgrain ribbon.
Baseball Hat
A soft cap with a rounded crown and stiff, projecting peak.
Smiley Face Baseball Hat ($29)
Fedora
A felt hat with moderately wide brim that has a soft crown with a crease from front to back.
Rag & Bone Wool-Felt Fedora ($195)
Pillbox
A round hat with upright sides, a flat top, and no brim.
Trilby
A soft felt hat with a narrow brim and indented crown.
Visor
A screen for protecting the eyes.
Top Hat
A formal hat with a high, cylindrical crown.
Wool Felt Top Hat ($83)
Fascinator
A light headpiece that attaches to the head with a comb or clip and consists of decorative materials like feathers, flowers, or beads.
Asos Fascinator In Black ($51)
Beret
A round, flat cap made from felt or cloth.
ASOS Bow Beret ($19)
Bucket Hat
A simple, soft hat that is made from cloth and has a brim.
Fez
A flat-topped conical, red hat often with a black tassel on top. It was formerly the Turkish national headdress.
Fez Hat ($17)
Cloche
A close-fitting hat that is bell-shaped.
Homburg
A stiff felt hat that has a narrow, slightly rolled brim and a rigid crease from front to back.
Homburg ($30)
