Irish tweed hats are back with a vengeance, and this time, they’re here to stay! The sudden re-emergence of the cap’s popularity among men across the globe owes much to celebrities who don the cap with great regularity. The likes of David Beckham, Brad Pitt, Dennis Hopper and Leanardo DiCaprio are but a few of those in the limelight who share an appreciation for the traditional irish flat cap, and they are all partly responsible for its latest re-birth!
It’s not uncommon for garments to fall in and out of fashion over time, however the flat cap's reinvention of itself is something to behold. Affectionately named by those who wear them, dependent upon your location on the globe as ‘paddy caps’, ‘scally caps’, ‘cabbie hats’ and ‘hanna hats’, they have been through considerable transformation since their inception dating back to the 14th century.
Irish tweed hats have been worn by every type of chap there is, regardless of social status, age or demographics – they have been popular with every social class at one time or another throughout their long and storied history. The wealthy seem to have always worn the flat cap, as too have the working classes. But now something very different is going on. Any busy city you visit, stylish young professionals are wearing the cap as if it were a modern day invention. It can be worn with just about any outfit and more importantly it looks good, regardless of who is wearing it!
Simply put, the flat cap works. The cut is close enough to the head to minimise unnecessary decoration, its hold is snug so that it stays in place and, when rendered in tweed, Irish tweed hats complement the male complexion. This is even more the case when you add in the modern male predilection for stubble or an unkempt beard, the mottled weave of the tweed matching the fuzz of facial hair very nicely.
