What your hat reveals about your personality

The hat you choose to wear can say a lot about you. A head covering is not only practical, but also a fashion accessory that characterizes you. The type of hat or head covering you wear reveals a part of your personality to everyone.

A little history…

In the 1800s, hats were part of the attire of any self-respecting gentleman. A man never left his home without a hat on his head. The hat was a symbol of social class, from the bowler hat worn by bankers and stockbrokers to the fabric beret cap worn by laborers and workers.

Until the 1950s, hats, particularly in America, represented a symbol of social status, work, and ostentatious style for men, particularly in the city of New York. The fashion of the 1930s considered the hat a very important accessory. It was widespread and worn very often by men and women in America and Europe. However, with the increase in global tensions, the hat trend then faded, and men swapped their felt fedora hats for military helmets.

Hats are without a doubt the most elegant and effective accessory in a well-dressed man’s wardrobe.

It is so powerful that it can make a strong impression, whether positive or negative. Although the hat covers a person’s head, it also reveals his character.

The head covering, in general, is one of the most powerful fashion accessories in ready-to-wear fashion, both vintage and modern, especially because it is the first piece of your outfit that is seen.

• Fedora:

This soft-brimmed felt hat became popular, particularly thanks to American icons such as Humphrey Bogart, Frank Sinatra, Harrison Ford, Michael Jackson, or French icons Alain Delon and Jean-Paul Belmonda. Fedoras are available in a variety of colors, materials, and shapes. Its very similar shape with an identical crown and shorter brim is called the trilby. They are usually made of felt, but casual fedoras are available in a variety of materials such as straw, wool, cotton, or feather.

Fedora hats are also widely used as a fashion accessory for women.

Women who wear this style of hat indicate that they have a strong personality. The timelessness of this hat exudes a very sophisticated chic and enhances any outfit. With a fedora on your head, you are clearly making a statement of style and glamour reminiscent of those of the silver screen of the 1920s and 1930s.

• Beret:

The beret is the inevitable French head covering. It pays homage to the biblical figure of Noah. In fact, legend has it that Noah accidentally discovered that when animals trampled the wool he used to waterproof his ark, it created a resistant felt fabric, which he transformed into a weather-resistant hat. You can find more information on the origins of the beret in our article on the subject.

The beret is now the emblem of the thoughtful and misunderstood poet, the artist full of inspiration, or the elegant Parisian. It is also traditionally worn by the military, but this authoritarian aspect is often forgotten. If you prefer to wear a beret, it’s because you have a resistant artistic side that needs to be nurtured, but you also know which direction your life is going. The beret will always symbolize the flavor of self-confidence and timeless style.

• Flat cap:

In an attempt to save the dwindling wool trade, the English legislature in the 16th century enacted a law requiring all males (except nobles under the age of six) to wear woolen hats on Sundays and public holidays or face a fine.

Thanks to this law, the flat cap became a symbol of working-class society in the 19th and 20th centuries, and remains popular today among all generations, men and women, rural and urban. It testifies to a style rooted in personality, a certain class, and an unreserved elegance.

• Gavroche cap:

This timeless cap was mainly worn by newspaper vendors in the early 20th century. Made of the same fabric as the flat cap, mostly wool and tweed, the gavroche cap is sewn from the top and not from the back, which gives it a fuller body and a characteristic circle-like appearance. It often has 8 panels, also called “slices of pizza”. Nowadays, it is increasingly worn by mature men, modern and savvy gentlemen, and has become popular among all generations, especially since the success of the Peaky Blinders series. With this cap on your head, there is no doubt that all eyes will be on you. This style brings confidence to its wearer and gives him or her an authoritative, self-assured, and vintage chic look. There’s nothing to say, this look is totally on-trend!

• Beanie:

Initially limited to hipsters and the young, the beanie is now a conventional basic element. However, how you wear it says a lot about you, and there are many ways to wear a beanie. Originally, it was mainly worn in fall-winter. Nowadays, it can be worn in all seasons, like the docker or the bob. Worn with jeans and a t-shirt, the beanie reveals that you are a hipster, and worn with work clothes, it indicates that even if you wear slightly formal clothes to work, you prefer to give a casual impression. If you wear it pushed back, the beanie falling along your neck, where part of your hair is visible in the front, you are most likely a thoughtful personality, an artist at heart, a songwriter, trying to discover yourself. On the other hand, if you place your beanie on top of your head, in a slightly more classic way, with your ears half-covered, it seems to indicate that you prefer to play it traditional, in a more classic and conventional way.

• Cloche hat:

The cloche hat, dating back to the early 20th century, has had many embodiments. Generally made of felt and worn low on the forehead, it is available in a felted version for winter and mid-season and in a straw version for warm weather and summer season. If you like the cloche hat, you probably love vintage fashion and high-end fashion, with a penchant for the Roaring Twenties (1920s-1930s).

• Wide-brimmed hat:

The carefree elegance of this 1970s style will always make you stand out in the crowd. You are a positive person, always smiling, full of energy, and have a gift for putting others at ease. You are creative and love fashion and accessories. You are what we call a fashionista!

• Cowboy hat:

With cowboy hats, your look tells your story. There is probably no other element of cowboy attire that is more revealing than a man’s hat. In the United States, a man’s profession can be discerned just by looking at his hat. The particular characteristics of the cowboy hat, such as its shape, color, material, and wear, are very diverse depending on where it is made. The hat can be made of felt, wool, leather, or cotton. We would like to point out that this style of hat is now completely unisex and suitable for both men and women. It brings a very American, ranch-like, equestrian side. This hat tells a story, your story. Therefore, when you buy a cowboy hat, know what story you want it to express based on your personality and ambitions, whether you have a connection to America and horses or not.

• Baseball cap:

Originally an all-American style, very casual, with a sporty vibe, the baseball cap has been around for many years. Originally worn by athletes, it is now popular worldwide and among all generations. Whether you prefer to wear your cap in its natural, sporty state or adorned with a pattern or decoration, you are an active person who loves movement and streetwear. In reality, the reason why players wear baseball caps is to protect themselves from the sun during the day and the stadium lights at night. That’s the functional purpose of the cap. In previous generations, players would fold the brim of the cap to better cover the corners of their eyes. This type of pleat is how most hats are worn, as it allows more shade for your eyes.

There are distinctions between a flat brim, a curved brim, and a slightly curved brim. The slightly curved brim is usually the most common and widely used.

• Trilby:

Known as the hat of the wealthy man, it is characterized by a short brim, a pleated crown, and a pinched front. Initially made of wool felt, it is now mostly made of tweed, wool, and straw. Created in 1894, its fashion quickly faded but it was reintroduced later as part of the retro fashion style. If you like wearing this type of hat, it seems that you are a fashion-passionate and very creative person, an artist at heart. You are willing to try new trends and new styles and you are a person who lives in the present moment.

• Men’s Hat:

Men should always remove their hat, including baseball caps and casual hats, when entering an enclosed space. Hats should not be worn indoors, except in public thoroughfare areas such as corridors, lobbies, and elevators in public buildings. In public buildings, the elevator is considered a public thoroughfare area, so the hat can be left on. Nowadays, there is a tendency to democratize the wearing of hats even when inside a building. Everything will depend on the situation (case by case), but overall we notice more tolerance in this regard. The tilt of the hat is a traditional gesture of politeness, with the same origin as the military salute, which comes from the lifting of the visors of medieval knights to indicate friendliness.

• Women’s hats:

Women do not need to remove their hats as often when indoors. City hats like the Gavroche cap or flat cap rarely need to be removed. This rule stems from the function of women’s hats as fashion accessories that are linked to a complete outfit, from top to bottom. While men may have multiple hats to match various outfits, women often can only match one hat to an individual outfit. Also, women’s hats worn to keep warm in cold weather must be removed indoors. We think particularly of the beanie and the fedora. If you’re a fashionista, any occasion is good for wearing a hat or any type of headgear. This type of fashion accessory quickly transforms into the centerpiece of your outfit.

Consider your personal style when buying a hat Your personal style is an important factor to consider when choosing your hat. You can try on several different hats before finding the ones that are most comfortable and that best fit your style. There may be only one hat that suits your style, or several. Your taste and personality will make the difference here. If you already know your personal style, here are some ideas for types of hats that could work well with your wardrobe.

Vintage look: cloche hat (with a wide brim), fascinator hat, leather beret, flat cap or Gavroche cap…

Bohemian: wool beret, wide-brimmed hat, straw hat, summer hat, trilby hat.

Modern chic: docker beanie, flat cap, Gavroche cap, fedora, canotier hat, Panama hat.

Also consider the shape of your face Trying on hat styles that you like is the best way to find one that fits your style and face shape. However, there are established standards used by hat makers and milliners that can help you adapt hat styles to your face shape.

Heart-shaped and triangular face: Try hats with wide brims, rounded styles, and styles that curve upwards and away from your forehead.

Round face: Look for angular hats, wide-brimmed hats, and bell-shaped hats that balance the soft shape of your face with firmer angles.

Elongated face: Try hats that extend onto your forehead, such as flat caps or Gavroche caps with their visors, wide-brimmed fedoras that tilt onto your forehead, or bell-shaped hats.

Square face: Soften the sharp angles of your face using more rounded styles, and avoid brims that extend over the side of your face.

Discover our collections of Gavroche caps and flat caps now. Our headgear comes in one size, adjustable, or fitted. We have provided you with a wide choice of headgear for men, women, and children in a variety of materials: felt, wool, tweed, velvet, cotton, polyester, knit, mesh, natural straw, paper straw, fur, fleece… Browse our shop now to find the headgear that suits you!