Batter Up

It should come as no surprise that the six-panel baseball hat got its start in America’s favorite past time. The style dates back to the 1860s when an amateur team called the Brooklyn Excelsiors first wore caps with a long visor and a button on top. The style, which adapted the shape of women’s sun bonnets to protect player's eyes, was popularized through the sport as the “Brooklyn style.” In the 1940s rubber was used to stiffen the inside and the modern baseball hat was born, fast becoming a staple of American fashion for both its utility and symbolism.