If you're wanting to expand your hat repertoire but don't necessarily want the look of brimmed hats, donning a new cap is often the easy grab-and-go option. Let's look at some the varying styles we carry to get you started!
"Flat" cap is the umbrella term you'll likely hear to refer to a fair number of more refined styles and cuts, and luckily enough, they're all appropriate for everyday wear! So let's demystify some of the basic cuts we carry to help you on your way.
The Ivy (or Ivy League) is likely what we would consider the dressiest of the flat caps. They're easy to spy because of their flat, wedged shape given by having the single panel of fabric sewn on top, and a secondary thinner panel trimming it to the bill, which is still quite visible. Our Belfry Sarno is a great example of the more trim and modern cut made in this style, and the Wigens Arthur carries the heft of the more classic cut if you prefer that. As you can likely tell with the Arthur especially, this style of cap would pair rather well with a suit with its direct clean lines and shape, but don't feel intimidated about dressing it down with a nice sweater and jeans for a leisurely day out and about..
What could be considered the more casual counterparts to the Ivy are the Pub and Duckbill cap cuts. A quick Belfry Cheat to recognizing these is to pay attention to where the fabric is tacked along the bill and how much of the bill remains visible because of this. Pubs like our Belfry Caserta will have the fabric tacked mostly toward the edge of the bill but keep it slightly visible, whereas Duckbills similar to the Wigens Younger are made in such a way that the bill becomes nearly unseen! Tacking the fabric thus is what gives the Duckbills their more swooped profile which--you guessed it--looks like a duck's bill.
These were considered more the workman's hat, meant to be part of a gentleman's everyday attire, and today remain easy to pair with even a graphic t-shirt. They're our top no-fuss option, and the first ones we recommend to our habitual ballcap wearers wanting something new! They tend to not have any excess fabric at the sides of the caps and fit more trim against the head, and so fit in a more familiar fashion.
What about Newsboys? Ours tend to be 8 panels or 6 panels, spied easily with an added button on top. (A variation of the 8 panels are the Apples/Applejacks that have a more voluminous amount of fabric, another favorite!) If you're a fan of Peaky Blinders, you likely know this style very well. While the 8 panels like the Belfry Rieti have a more mushroom styled shape, the 6 panels like the Belfry Capua trim the Newsie back to have a sleeker profile more likened to the Ivy and Pub, making it a favorite of our customers wanting the paneled cap look without the excess material.
Also, while most of our newsboys tend to be tacked down, the Belfry Rapallo is an opened style that really lets you play with how the fabric lays much like if you were wearing a tam or beret, perfect for people who enjoy styling their hats to truly make the look their own. 
Think the assortment of flat caps are nice, but like to stick to an old faithful and favorite? Don't worry--we have an assortment of Baseball caps, too.
Most will come with the buttoned six panel top, and while our Belfry Italia collection tends to have the shorter bills, the Wigens baseballs will have the slightly long bills to keep you covered. Some of these made in our heavier Fall/Winter fabrics will even come with earflaps tucked inside too like a few of their flat cap counterparts, making them the perfect option for the middle of winter when it really settles in and gets cold!
For an alternative open billed cap, we also carry Fiddler caps (sometimes also referred to as Fisherman caps, but Fisherman caps tend to have nautical braiding and trim on the bill and bands. Same cut, but the difference lies in the details quite literally!) The Belfry Ravenna is a perfect example of this cut, and a great alternative to a Newsboy. These tend to go a step above just a plain baseball cap, and while you can dress these up a bit with a nice jacket, like baseball caps they tend to be considered a bit too casual for suits--stick to the classic Ivy or an 8 panel Newsboy for that!
So what do you think? Ready to try and cap off your look with something new? We hope you do, and enjoy checking out all of our available styles!
