Put A Lid On It

A friend of mine recently used the phrase “your signature caps” to describe one of my style proclivities, and it spurred a moment of reflection on my journey to adopting baseball caps as a style statement (and not merely to tame a bad hair day while running errands).

I wrote about first starting to wear them fashionably several years ago for Flare Magazine (RIP). There was a large chunk of my life when donning a baseball cap didn’t fit into my lewk: The aughts-Mod revival and ensuing Indie Sleaze eras most notably. But over time they have gone from a fail-safe way to retain a bit of anonymity to my *thing*.

Maybe it’s because baseball caps now have so little to do with sports (or logomania), instead becoming a place to brandish a #shoplocal moment, the work of a favourite artist, or touting pride in being a plant person. Their versatility can be surprising, and I’ve seen some cuties wear theirs with a patterned silk scarf tied over their b-ball caps and under their chin 1950s movie-star style for a bit of glam. I will definitely be trying this accessory-on-accessory action for myself!

Since we’re currently in the season of swing (that’s a baseball term, right?), here are a few caps that have caught my eye – some of which have slid into my wardrobe, too.

OKAYOK

Who isn’t into a good bouquet? Junction-based brand OKAYOK, known for its happy-making apparel and accessories, speaks to us plant people with this jaunty number – just one of several cap designs the label offers that are made-to-order. Tulips in Checker Vase hat, $40 at OKAYOK (okayok.ca).

Mister Green

Made by one of my favourite "high minded" lifestyle brands, this is a cap I don’t actually own yet because I’m indecisive about the colourway I like best (they're all deeply appealing). But I love its retro look and when I’m in L.A. again, I will pop by Mister Green and make my move. Psychédathlétiques cap, $50 USD through mistergreen.la.

Baa Baazaar

Baa Baazaar champions the charmed life; its Roncesvalles brick-and-mortar space boasts a sweet mural by Laura Dawe, confection-shaped candles, and an array of items that call to one’s cottage-core leanings. I love their logo cap done in this juicy hue, but it comes in other colours too. BAA hat, $40 at Baa Baazaar (baabaazaar.com).

Uniqlo

One of my first baseball cap purchases in adulthood was this style from Uniqlo featuring Keith Haring’s iconic Barking Dog. Lots of folks smile when they see it, and it makes me happy to know Haring's Foundation benefits from the use of one of my favourite artist's work. Keith Haring UT UV Protection cap, $34.90 at Uniqlo (uniqlo.com).

Billy Bamboo

Coquette-core in a cap? Count me in. My pal snagged one of these embroidered-in-Toronto Billy Bamboo pieces at Pictus Goods during the first Opaloma tour, and I have thought about it a lot since then. Billy Bamboo Bow Embroidered cap, $47 at Pictus Goods (pictusgoods.com).

This page contains affiliate links, y’all.