When Did Wearing Baseball Caps Backwards Become a Trend?
If you take a glance back through your memories, likely, you'll consistently recall seeing the people around you wearing a cap backward. While it might seem that this trend is counterintuitive, as the brim of a hat keeps the sun out of your eyes, it exists nonetheless, and dare we say, it’s pretty amazing.
In fact, wearing a cap with the brim in the back is so popular that the trend hasn't budged in decades. Everyone has worn a hat backward at one time or another, and for some celebrities and well-known individuals, it became a trademark. Wearing a baseball cap backward isn't going anywhere anytime soon, but where did this trend originate?
The Origination of the Backwards Cap
While it is somewhat impossible to pinpoint the first person in history ever to wear a baseball cap backward, it's important to remember here that the baseball cap exploded onto the scene in the late 1800s to keep the sun out of the eyes of baseball players on the field.
In 1877, catchers began to wear masks to protect their faces from 90 mph fastballs, and many of them turned their hats around so the brim would not interfere with the protective mask. It was easier to turn it around than take it off because when it was time to bat or head to the dugout, they could toss off the mask and turn the hat around within a matter of seconds, no need to search through equipment.
So, while it's near unimaginable to figure out who the first person ever was to wear a backwards cap, it's not at all far-fetched to think that its popularity stemmed from baseball. That popularity hasn't faded at all in over a century.
The Invention of a Trend
The backward hat was a hallmark for television characters like Will on the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. What was once a way to show rebellion turned into an accidental fashion statement.
Rappers in the late 80s and 90s always wore their hats backward, receiving a ton of air-time as music videos grew in popularity. This trend has never been specific to a particular ethnicity but was adopted by people of all genders and from all walks of life.
There aren't any rules for wearing your hat backward, and today, even supermodels like Gigi Hadid and successful businesswomen like Kylie Jenner jump on the trend. Quite literally, anyone can wear their cap turned around. If you attend any ball game (especially baseball), you'll likely come in contact with a sea of people wearing a baseball hat backwards.
What Type of Hat to Wear Backwards
While traditional baseball caps were the first hats worn in a backward fashion, today, you can wear any baseball hat backward, ranging from dad hats to flat bills. Poleberg offers an incredible variety of baseball hats of all shapes, logos, and sizes, each one ready to tackle the backward cap trend.
When it comes to wearing a cap backward, everyone has their preference. Some people prefer the traditional baseball hat turned around, while others like the clean look of a dad hat. Turning a flat brim or a fitted hat around creates a classic style.
Some people prefer a fitted hat over wearing a snapback backward, but again, that depends on the look you want to achieve. Fitted hats tend to look a bit more pulled together, even when worn backward, while snapbacks are more on the casual side. Backward caps go with almost any ensemble unless, of course, you have a professional meeting or wedding to attend.
Creating a Look from a Classic Trend
Over the years, the look of a backward hat has become classic. There are no restrictions as to who can and when they can wear it unless, of course, you're attending a fancy event, wedding, or funeral, for that matter.
Though we'll probably never know the exact moment wearing a cap backward came to be, we'll always have the style movement it created. Somewhere along the way, the backward cap became a stylish expression of freedom, and that makes us love it even more.
For all your backward cap trend needs, visit Poleberg today!
