19 Types of Men’s Caps (& How to Wear Them)

A styling guide on the most popular headgear for guys

Co-authored by Neepa Sikdar and Eric McClure

Last Updated: February 1, 2026 Fact Checked

Compared to women, men’s fashion can get quite a bit samey. There are only so many different ways to style a suit jacket or a collared shirt before things get a bit boring. But you know where guys really get to shine? Headgear. There are so many different kinds of hats for guys out there that everyone can find something that works for them. In this article, we’ll take a look at caps, specifically—what they are, when to wear them, and how to style them. We even met with professional stylists to get the expert insight on how to pull each one off!

A note on what a “cap” is. A cap is a type of hat with a soft crown and a brim or visor that only appears at the front of the hat. All caps are hats, but not all hats are caps! We’re only going to cover caps here, but we’ve got you covered if you’re looking for more info about hats.

Different Types of Caps for Men

An image of various men’s caps, including the fitted cap, snapback, baseball cap, trucker hat, dad hat, five-panel cap, and newsboy.

Caps are defined by their soft crown and a brim that only appears on the front. Some of the most popular caps for men include the fitted cap, snapback, baseball cap, trucker hat, dad hat, five-panel cap, and newsboy.

1

Fitted cap

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Fitted caps are defined by how they stay on your head, which is purely by fitting (ergo the name) comfortably but firmly around your head. Any hat that doesn’t have a buckle or fastener technically qualifies as a fitted cap, although most people use the term “fitted cap” to refer specifically to baseball caps with fitted backs.^{[1]
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- When to wear: Fitted caps are sleek and casual, which makes them a perfect all-around option for running errands, going out with the boys, or hitting a local bar up.
- How to style: Fitted caps can go with any outfit, although they do tend to look a little out of place with formal attire. Keep it simple: T-shirts, jeans, canvas shoes, jean jackets, and other casual garb are perfect.
- Expert tip: Personal stylist Neepa Sikdar says, “Hats are particular. They should be really the last ending piece of an outfit... make sure that the color scheme works well for your coloring and make sure it complements your outfit and doesn't detract from it.”^{[2]
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Meet the wikiHow Experts

Jordan Stolch is an image consultant and style advisor who runs a personal styling firm where she helps people learn how to dress their best.

Neepa Sikdar is a personal stylist with nearly two decades of experience in personal styling and fashion.

Yvette Jordan is a personal wardrobe stylist who helps clients develop confidence in their wardrobes.

Alena Le Blanc is a personal stylist who focuses on sustainable style transformations and seasonal wardrobe refreshes.

2

Snapback

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Snapbacks are the popular alternative to fitted caps. They’re defined by the plastic “snapback” closures on the back of the hat. A lot of men prefer snapbacks over fitteds because you can adjust how the cap fits, which is helpful if you ever grow your hair out or want a looser/tighter fit.^{[3]
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- When to wear: Like fitted caps, snapbacks are typically best for more casual outings and laid-back events.
- How to style: Any kind of casual attire will work with a snapback!

3

Baseball cap

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Baseball caps are exceptionally popular for a reason. They’re versatile, iconic, and fun. They have a flat or slightly curved brim, they’re made out of a single type of fabric, and they have a button on top. They usually have a logo of some kind on the front, but that’s not required. The crown on a baseball cap is typically structured and rigid, while also leaving room for hair and comfort, which can make someone’s head appear slightly larger.^{[4]
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- When to wear: Baseball caps really work in casual settings. They’re also great options if you’re going to be out in the sun for extended periods of time. The thickness is perfect for keeping your head covered but not too hot, and the brims are long enough to really cover any sunlight you’ll run into.
- How to style: Almost any informal garb will work nicely with a baseball cap.
- Expert tip: Personal wardrobe stylist Yvette Jordan says the baseball cap is a staple for men’s wardrobes, describing them as “Classic, tried, and true.”^{[5]
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4

Trucker hat

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Trucker hats are basically baseball caps with two differences: the backside of the crown has a mesh-like fabric that allows your head to breathe, and the crown doesn’t have extra space—it sits snuggly around the head.^{[6]
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- When to wear: If you’re going out for something a little active, like karaoke, go-karting, or to the ball game, trucker hats are a great option.
- How to style: Any kind of casual gear works. Just make sure that you don’t wear trucker hats at an angle or too high on your head. They tend to fit in a kind of boxy way, and they won’t look good at weird angles.
- Expert tip: Personal stylist Alena Le Blanc says it’s best not to mess with how you wear trucker hats. Just keep it simple: “The classic way to wear a trucker hat is facing forward and fitted to the head.”^{[7]
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5

Dad hat

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You know that kind of cheap, floppy hat old guys get for free from work? The ones with corporate sponsor logos, sarcastic phrases about fishing, or some other nonsense? Those are dad hats. And they’re all the rage these days. Dad hats typically come with a buckle or belt-style clasp in the back, and they universally have zero structure in the crown. They also (usually) have a bill with a deep curve—not a flat brim.^{[8]
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- When to wear: Dad hats scream “I’m laid back,” so they really shine in more relaxing settings. They’re also great for stuff like walks through the park, where you want some cover from the sun but don’t want to wear anything big or cumbersome.
- How to style: Keep the “dad” energy going! High-waisted jeans, sneakers, maybe a jean jacket. Play into the pseudo-1980s vibes instead of leaning away from them.

6

Five-panel cap

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Five-panels are a trendy variety of dad hat defined by the way the hat is divided into distinct sections. They have five (obviously) different panels, with one of the panels sitting horizontally on the front. They also tend to have shorter bills, and they’re popular with runners and cyclists because they’re comfortable, and the shallow crown makes the hat stay in place when you move around.^{[9]
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- When to wear: Anything that doesn’t require a suit jacket is destined to be a good occasion for a five-panel cap. They’re subtle and (typically) pretty unobtrusive design-wise, so you can get away with wearing them in a lot of places where a hat would normally look a little weird.
- How to style: Five-panel hats are typically associated with more hip, trendy crowds, so any kind of elevated streetwear will work wonderfully with a five-panel.

7

Newsboy

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Also known as a Gatsby cap or the newsie, newsboys are named after the working-class kids who used to hawk newspapers in the late 1800s. These caps have a short and rounded, but very stiff, brim that may or may not have a button clasp or a hatstring. They have slightly puffy, rounded crowns that are a little baggy, but not baggy enough to move around much when you walk. Importantly, newsboys must have panels that meet at the top of the crown.^{[10]
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- When to wear: Newsboys look best when the weather is a little on the cooler side, since they’re kind of bulky and can keep your head warm but not that warm. They’re appropriate for casual or more serious situations, depending on how you style them up or down.
- How to style: For a more relaxed look, jeans, a white T-shirt, and a leather or jean jacket can work. In more formal settings, try a tweed suit, peacoat, flannel, or chinos.
- Expert tip: Image consultant and style advisor Jordan Stolch recommends using newsboys to dress up jeans, leather shoes, and suspenders. “You're going to look super, super stylish if you can rock something like that and feel really confident doing it.”^{[11]
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8

Baker boy

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Baker boys are named after the bakers who used to wear them. They’re a lot like newsboys except they have a looser, floppier crown. They are often confused for newsboys these days, since the distinction really boils down to the style of the fit.^{[12]
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- When to wear: Anytime you’d wear a newsboy, you can wear a baker boy.
- How to style: The same way you’d style a newsboy: dress it up or dress it down. The key thing to keep in mind here is that baker boys tend to be a little floppier, so you don’t want to pair a baker boy with anything especially tight-fitting.

9

Ivy cap

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Also known as a flat cap or flat ivy cap, the ivy has recently gotten quite popular on the back of the show Peaky Blinders, where most of the main characters wear these hats. They’re very similar to newsboy caps with one major distinction: they have no panels. They’re typically sewn in one (or sometimes two) pieces, giving the hat a more uniform, smooth look.^{[13]
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- When to wear: Ivy caps are the more “serious” alternative to the newsboy. You can wear them in more informal settings for sure (dive bars across the country all have a few old timers who nurse their beer in an ivy), but they’re great for formal events like weddings, funerals, or dates.
- How to style: An ivy will look right at home with a long peacoat, scarf, and a collared shirt. In informal settings, wear whatever else you’d like. Ivy caps are pretty unobtrusive visually.

10

Ascot cap

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Also known as a Cuffley or Lippincott cap, the ascot cap is a type of ivy cap made from a single panel of wool. Beyond that, ascot caps tend to be much thicker, firmer, and more rigid than other ivy caps.^{[14]
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- When to wear: Anytime you wear an ivy cap, you can wear an ascot cap.
- How to style: Style it similarly to an ivy cap: dress it up with a collared shirt, suit, or stylish peacoat, or wear it with a sweater and jeans.

11

Beanie cap

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Beanies aren’t technically caps, but there are beanie caps with brims that absolutely qualify. A beanie refers to any brimless cap made of fabric that is meant to keep the head warm. Beanie caps typically have short brims that are meant to shield the eyes from the sun when walking in cold weather.^{[15]
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- When to wear: These are strictly “wear outside when it’s freezing” gear.
- How to style: With a big, warm coat, some gloves, and snow boots!

12

Mesh cap

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Mesh caps are functionally identical to trucker hats except the mesh is stretchy and malleable—not firm plastic. This gives these caps a bit more versatility and breathability, which makes them much more popular with athletes. You can also find mesh caps that are 100% mesh, without the traditional closed-off front you’d find in a trucker cap.
- When to wear: If you’re working out or going to be doing a lot of sweating, mesh caps are a phenomenal choice. They’ll protect you from the sun without leaving your scalp a sweaty mess.
- How to style: These hats are extremely utilitarian, so it’s really more about the function than the fashion here.

13

Flipped cap

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Also known as reversible caps or flip caps, flipped caps are a modern invention. These hats are reversible. Beyond that, they come in all sorts of different styles and designs!
- When to wear: Whenever you feel like bringing two hats with you for the price of wearing one hat.
- How to style: It totally depends on the style of the cap in question.

14

Kepi

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The kepi isn’t commonly worn outside of cosplay outfits and military reenactments, but they do occasionally get some love as an offbeat fashion option. These caps have firm crowns in the shape of a parallelogram and a buckle that latches in the front of the cap where the brim meets the crown. They’re most often associated with infantrymen from the 1800s.^{[16]
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- When to wear: If you aren’t going to participate in a LARP about the Battle of Gettysburg and you just want to wear one out, it’s probably reserved for high-fashion occasions and nights on the town with fashionable friends.
- How to style: Lean into the weirdness of this one. Conductor coats, fishnet gloves, suspenders, elaborate shirts, anything in that universe will work well.

15

Patrol cap

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Also known as field caps, soft caps, or soft kepis, the patrol cap is the more informal headgear worn by most modern soldiers. It has the same general shape as a kepi, but it’s much smaller and always made of a softer material.^{[17]
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- When to wear: Patrol caps are surprisingly versatile, both in terms of when you can wear them and with what. It’s probably best to not wear one to a wedding, but beyond that, the world is your oyster.
- How to style: Think of patrol caps kind of like a variation of a dad cap. Respect the distinct niche the hat fits into and lean into it. Military-inspired garb or camouflage can work. You can go a little more formal with a wool patrol cap and throw on a flannel, peacoat, or fisherman’s sweater.

16

Cycling cap

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Cycling caps are simple, skin-tight caps that wrap around the top third of your head. They have tiny brims that can be flipped up or down depending on whether you want it to protect your eyes or not, and they typically have a stretchable liner which doubles as a sweat absorber when you’re riding.^{[18]
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- When to wear: Outside of cycling, these caps kind of look best in “on the go” situations. A shopping day, light exercise, karaoke party, and other moderately active scenarios make a lot of sense with a cycling cap. You can also rock a cycling cap if you’re going out on the town with friends.
- How to style: Keep it casual and maybe a little bit retro. Graphic Tees, retro shirts, jeans, and capris are all great options.

17

Greek fisherman cap

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Also known as a marine or mariner’s cap, the iconic Greek fisherman cap is unmistakable. It has a softer, larger crown that leads up towards the forehead, making the head appear a little bigger, and a distinct, smooth but firm, brim—often with a decorative hamstring separating the crown and brim. They’re named after the demographic that made them popular: Greek fishermen would wear these hats in the 1800s.^{[19]
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- When to wear: Break this one out whenever you grow out your salt-and-pepper beard and feel like hunting a giant whale that stole your leg. Or, alternatively, just wear it out when it’s a little cold or you feel like dressing like a fancy lad.
- How to style: These hats tend to read as a little fancier outside of dock-related situations. Thick sweaters, suit jackets, peacoats, chinos, leather jackets, and bombers can all go well with a Greek fisherman hat.

18

Paparazzi cap

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Paparazzi caps are a modern invention. They’re customizable caps with hidden pockets and attachable visors that make it difficult for cameras to detect who you are. They’re popular among tech workers and people who have grown increasingly concerned about the amount of surveillance in this world.
- When to wear: Whenever you don’t want to be monitored or recorded.
- How to style: Totally up to you. This cap is more about function than high fashion.

19

Skull cap

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While the skull cap isn’t technically a cap, the word “cap” is right in the name, so we found it reasonable to include it here. Skull caps, like beanies, are knit hats that hug the head. The difference between a beanie and a skull cap is their purpose: skull caps are meant to absorb sweat, keep hair in place, and make helmets more comfortable to wear.^{[20]
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- When to wear: Whenever you want an added layer of protection for your head or if you’re going to be doing any kind of physical activity.
- How to style: Up to you. These caps are typically worn for their performance, not their aesthetics.