For a sport that’s widely considered America’s national pastime, baseball has been surprisingly slow to conquer the world of fashion. It was only in the early 2000s that the Yankees and Red Sox started wearing jerseys and visors that were deemed “trendy” by the industry, and that “dugout style” began to filter into editorials and designer collections.
The baseball cap has arguably been the most influential piece of that transition, as it’s now synonymous with the sport and, to a lesser extent, the casual lifestyle that’s associated with it. A soft hat with a curved crown and a stiff bill projecting forward, the cap is typically embroidered with a team’s logo. Its popularity has given rise to countless variations that are used by both professionals and amateurs alike, and the hat is often considered a staple for any baseball fan’s wardrobe.
A baseball cap is produced in a multistep process. The fabric is cut into predetermined patterns and then sewn together, with additional materials added for the visor, peak, and plastic extenders. Embroidered caps can be structured or unstructured, and the choice is often based on personal preference. Structured caps, also called constructed caps, have a material known as buckram in their crowns that allows them to maintain their shape. Unstructured hats, on the other hand, are made without this material and are floppy. They’re more suited for warm weather and can be rolled or folded up, which makes them easier to pack in a suitcase.