The Best Ways to Style a Vintage Trucker Hat

Don't mistake trucker caps for baseball hats.

Trucker caps and baseball hats have a similar form factor, but in the fashion industry, they read pretty differently right now. Trucker caps are in fashion right now, in a big way. If you're a farmer, you may be surprised to find out how these hats can mean something personal to you.

What is a trucker hat, and what makes it fashionable? All we know is, dig out your grandpa's vintage trucker hat because we've got some huge style tips for you. If you're a modern farmer, tipping a trucker hat over your head will be the perfect accessory detail this summer.

Keep reading for the ultimate vintage trucker hat style guide.

Trucker Hats vs Baseball Hats

The lowdown is that trucker hats are a subset of baseball hats. There are many popular styles, but they all boil down to classic forms.

It will have roughly six triangular sections coming to a peak with a fabric button (called a "squatchee"). It will have a bill; the bill can be flat, or curved. The closure at the back might be made of clips, velcro, or fabric belts.

A trucker hat or trucker cap is a variation of this style.

The trucker cap will have a bill, but what differentiates it from a baseball hat is the foam insert at the front of the hat. This will make the trucker cap stand up taller than a typical baseball hat. It will also be done in a five-panel style as opposed to six.

The back of the hat will typically be made of some kind of mesh with a snap closure at the back.

We like this because the mesh keeps the hat breathable for long, hard days, and the snap closure keeps the hat one-size-fits-all.

You'll also see trucker hats referred to as a "mesh cap" or a "netback cap."

Why Are Trucker Hats in Style

It's about nostalgia. Trucker hats are truly riding the wave of nostalgia in fashion and media.

They come from a time when things were simpler. When the world was less busy.

Trucker hats automatically invoke a sense of nostalgia for times spent baking in the sun and doing hard work while waving to neighbors.

You can also find similar hats making an appearance in the greaser subculture of the 50s. Now is the perfect time to reclaim trucker hats and make them an everyday wardrobe accessory.

They may be cheap, but that doesn't mean they're not good quality. You don't need to be in silk and cashmere all day to look good and feel good.

To this day, sporting a trucker hat is a great way to signal your solidarity with the working class, agriculture, and industrial workers. We get how farmers can feel disillusioned by their work; trucker hats are a great way to express this core part of your identity and your pride in your work.

Trucker hat snap closures and their mesh material make them functional items that are still of great quality, and that's why we love them.

History of the Trucker Hat

Before we talk about style, we always want to revisit history. Vintage hats are vintage for a reason, after all.

Where did trucker hats come from, and why are we paying homage to them in 2022?

Trucker hats in the form we know them as first began popping up in the 1970s. U.S. feed and farming supply companies gave them out as promotional items to rural workers and farmers.

The wide front panel of the trucker hat was the perfect place to put an emblazoned logo. Those vintage logos are still trendy on vintage hats, but you also have the option of adding custom logos or messages these days. The hats are ideal for signaling your values, such as hats bearing a message like "Support Local Farmers!"

For workers, this is cap was basically uniform. The mesh made it breathable, and the long bill protected workers from the sun. These facts remain true to this day.

Vintage Trucker Hat Style Guide

We've broken down this section into separate tips. Feel free to take them or leave them!

If you're a farmer or a rural worker, wearing a trucker hat is a huge statement. To other people, it's a declaration that "This is me! These are my roots!"

Your work is valuable. Your fashion should reflect that.

Find a Logo You Like

This tip is number one on the list because the trucker hat logo is huge. You can't ignore it, so you better find a logo that you like.

Rihanna was recently seen wearing an Esso (yes, the gas station) hat.

You could go for something vintage like that, or for a custom logo.

As mentioned, we have revitalized the style for rural workers.

If you're working in the cattle industry, we have designed a variety of custom patches for you. How cool is that? We have plenty of logos for other industries as well, so check them out on our website.

Or, ruffle through your parents' and grandparents' belongings. They might have some hidden gems.

More Nylon!

Nylon is an amazing and functional material that is getting more love in the fashion world. Therefore: nylon nylon nylon!

One thing that makes trucker hats awesome is the nylon mesh back.

Some people think the nylon mesh makes the hat "look cheap" or that "the company couldn't even bother to design the full hat." These are not the people you want to be listening to when it comes to style tips.

We love nylon because ultimately, it's functional and breathable.

Nylon is a material that wicks away sweat and repels moisture. If you're going to be working in the sun, you'll want something breathable and sweat-resistant.

Adding more nylon to your outfit harmonizes with the material of the hat. It's one of the world's most versatile materials, so you'll find plenty in terms of options.

Nylon is great because it can be dyed easily in any brilliant color, so you have your pick of the lot. It's quick-drying and easy to wash and care for.

Here are some of our suggestions to pair with the hat:

• Outdoor techwear made of nylon is often UV-resistant and sweat-resistant
• Activewear constructed from nylon
• "Swishy" loose-fitting nylon pants that come in a range of brilliant colors

Street Style

If you're not familiar with the elements of street style, now's your chance!

For anyone that doesn't want to do with mass media and urbanization, street style remains accessible for its grassroots origins and fashion philosophy.

Those in the scene don't play by the industry's rules. They don't want to dress like they're corporate.

And neither should you.

That's the beauty of street style, and why trucker hats fit right in.

Trucker hats come in a rainbow of eye-catching colors. Vintage hats come with all sorts of weird logos that no one these days would recognize.

They're quirky, and therefore, they're an accessory that can make a statement.

Guess what? Trucker hats are in Vogue magazine 2022 as a "street style must-have." They're high fashion, too.

Here are some of our suggestions for making your trucker hat more street style.

• Pairing it with contrasting styles such as sleek suits
• Take advantage of the funky colors of trucker hats to color block your outfits

Embrace Colors!

Check out some of Vogue's photos for inspiration. Those in the fashion world are wearing trucker hats with everything. We love the picture of the salmon-colored hat worn with the salmon shirt.

And that brings us to a really important point: colors!

How do you know you're boring? You hate colors. In the same way, colors are anathema to corporate drones.

Well, you don't have a dress code. Wear whatever funky colors you want!

Outfits planned around the bright colors of your trucker hats are sure to pop.

Say you have a cap that's bright blue and pink. Would you dare wear it? Yes, you would!

Style that with a bright blue collared shirt or blue pants. Blue jewelry. Blue anything, to make the color pop.

The color variation in trucker hats is amazing. Don't plan to pick up new clothes to match your hat. Just track down a hat that matches the brightest shirt in your closet.

Here are our favorite combinations of colors for your inspiration:

• Blue, off-white, and red
• Blue, salmon pink, and beige
• Rainbow!
• Forest green, light blue, and white
• Muted colors with colors that pop
• Green and black

On Board with the Y2K Trend

If trucker hats are part of the Y2K trend, it wouldn't hurt to explore other trends from the 2002-2003 era.

If you're on board with full-blown nostalgia, we've got some suggestions for what you can incorporate into your look.

If you're old enough, you might find the midriff-baring and glitzy bubblegum glam a bit too much. Or, maybe not.

It never hurts to explore.

Shiny Materials

Shiny materials are popular in techwear and are seeing a great resurgence.

Shiny puffer jackets, silver-metallic flared pants; you could plaster your outfit on your windshield to keep the sun out.

The mesh material of trucker hats and the loud logos pair really well with these bold trends.

Teeny T-Shirts

Tiny t-shirts are also back in style, and they'll go well with trucker hats. A logo on your t-shirt, a logo on your hat. No one will ever think you lack personality.

Bootcut and Low-rise

It's been high-rise and boyfriends everywhere. We figured it was time the pendulum swung.

The bootcut and low-rise denim look is back, and you could get one to complete the whole outfit.

Flared Pants

This next tip is sort of a combination of the previous tips.

Get yourself some flared pants. Yes, they were denounced. But yes, they're back in style.

Get your flared pants in the brightest nylon color you can find, or the plainest vintage denim. We don't care.

We just think that flared pants and vintage hats are a match made in heaven.

Getting the Fit Right

This last section is for finding trucker hats that fit you well. Though they're one-size-fits-all, it never hurts to find one that's comfortable for you. It's your clothing after all, and you'll get the most wear out of something that fits well and lasts long.

Measure Your Head

Who knows? You might just have a really big noggin.

Take a measurement of the widest part of your head. If your head is not between 22in and 23.5in, you may need to order custom-sizing for your hat or make some adjustments yourself.

Pick the Right Dome

Trucker hats have an iconic stiff and high dome. Maybe you don't like that and don't want to stand out as much.

Thankfully, there are hats where those characteristics are toned down a little. Maybe that's the kind of hat you can pick up.

Decide How to Position the Bill

You can choose to wear the cap backward, forwards, and any way you want. It's your hat.

Maybe not sideways.

Wear it forwards for a more smart-casual look, and backward for a relaxed look.

If you want to be especially bold, you can tip the bill up a little so that it starts at your upper forehead while wearing it forward.

Find a Hat That Means Something to You

Remember, the vintage trucker hat is a legacy of the people that built your industry. You can wear them to announce that you're here, loud and proud.

We love their color range, their functionality, and their versatility. They're comfortable, and they make a statement with that huge logo.

Feel free to contact us if you're a rural worker and you're looking for a custom hat. We'd love to work with you.