Welcome to Men’s Hat Trends, the second article in the Autumn/Winter 2018 style series.
As with every season, there are 4 overarching trends.
The first trend for the A/W ’18 season is full of color blocking and classic, distressed collegiate-inspired looks.
The second style consists of earthy tones and aged effects like quilting, beadwork, leather pieces, and metal embellishments.
The third trend revolves around high-tech, artificial intelligence-inspired designs. Textures like metallic leather, velvet, and glow in the dark effects make a bold statement.
The final style focuses on combing cultures and generations through street art and shared nostalgia. Neon colors accent ethnic patterns.
Check out our blog from last week where we covered women’s styles. In
the coming weeks, we will go over youth
trends and active wear
styles, so stay tuned.
Style and Personality
The following sections break the men’s hat trends into five lifestyle areas. Often times, these will overlap, and guys will be interested in pieces from each collection.
Cold Weather
Heathered fabrics, poms, cuffs, and patches are all still popular with men. We’re seeing some visor shapes make their way into the market this year. Decoration includes Navajo patterns, nature-inspired art and unique art placement.
Outdoorsy
Coastal fishing is huge this year; you can expect a lot of bright blues and teals with fishing camo and illustrations. Jade is also a common color as well as digital and tactical camo patterns. Heavy washes and trout illustrations are also popular.
Surf and Skate
Floral patterns and tie-dye are transitioning over to men’s wear as well. We’re seeing a lot of vintage and 90s inspired looks with detailed illustrations. Flat visors and performance fabrics are very important in this market.
Old School
Caps of this style are focused on quality craftsmanship and highly functional pieces. outdoor recreation. There’s an emphasis on outdoor recreation, earth tones, and textured fabrics with a weathered appearance. Patches are very prevalent.
Americana
Americana styles are even more prominent this season than they usually are. You’ll see a lot of distressed and tonal takes on the traditional stars and stripes look.
Decoration Elements
There is a wide array of decoration elements expected for men’s hat trends in the A/W ‘18 season.
These include dye patterns, metal accents, generic camo, removable patches, custom eyelets, and special fabrics like leather, denim, corduroy, and suede.
Graphics
Many of the graphics are based on a tagline and its typography with images being the secondary force. Images are single-line, detailed illustrations with a hand-drawn look. Graphics are inspired by nature with bears being a common motif.
Prints and Patterns
Plaid is huge for the colder months as well as other geometric patterns and stripes. Generic camo, ethnic patterns, and other nature-inspired prints are common. You can expect a lot of these to have a distressed look.
Trim and Details
Perforation gives caps a breathable, performance look. We’re seeing a lot of unique art placement, custom eyelets, and removable patches. Metallic accents, quilting, and mesh overlays are also popular.
Fabrics and Shapes
As the weather cools down, you’ll see warmer looking, more durable fabrics being used on headwear. Wool, corduroy, suede, and denim are all very popular for fall and winter. Five-panel caps with flat visors are dominating this season, but you’ll also see a lot of camper shapes and traditional ball caps.
Don’t forget to check back next Tuesday as we cover youth hat trends followed by athleisure wear. Let us know what you think about the men’s hat trends in the comments below; you can also follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
