How the humble baseball cap became the chic way to lay low

Fashion loves nothing more than an “if you know, you know” reference. This summer, that comes on top of the head. The humble baseball cap has replaced the equally humble canvas tote as a way to signal a wearer’s cleverness and cultural prowess.

Recently, the cap has included a subtle statement. But unlike the infamous Maga hat, these are less political and more “in the know”. They might feature the logo of a highly rated restaurant, a podcast, author or even a fictional workplace. Elle Fanning wore a Waystar Royco cap in May, a hat tip to the media conglomerate in the TV show Succession. Another popular choice bears the name Pierpoint & Co, the investment company staffed by the characters in Industry.

Caps are also ways for celebrities to showcase their ordinariness. Kendall Jenner has made the extremely mainstream New York Yankees cap a signature, while Hailey Bieber wore a Porsche cap even though she could probably afford to buy several of the German brand’s sports cars.

In a slightly meta twist, their appearance on TV has been central to the rise of the performatively ordinary baseball cap. In Succession, Kendall Roy’s hat might look discreet but it is far from ordinary: made by luxury brand Loro Piana, these cashmere caps can cost more than £500.

Crucially, those without Roy-level cash can buy other styles for relatively little. John Lewis’s £15 navy one is a bestseller (pictured above), while versions by Barbour and Paul Smith – both less than £30 – have also found a following. Depop has seen a 72% rise in searches for baseball caps in 2023, and says that Carhartt and Gap caps (available for less than £20) are popular.

Merch & Company sell caps for small but rated restaurants, including Jack’s Wife Freda in New York, for about $35 (£28). “These brands are niche and can often create an instant connection with someone,” according to co-founder Bill Knutsen, who says wearing a hat is “more subtle than a branded T-shirt or hoodie – it’s not as in your face”.

Beka Gvishiani, founder of the popular news Instagram account Style Not Com, is known for wearing a custom-made bright blue baseball cap. He thinks the style has been taken up because it allows comfort and anonymity. “I feel secure when I wear the cap. Celebrities, and any people besides, share [this feeling],” he says. “All the fashion brands understand this and caps have became the new T-shirt.”

What’s hot – and what’s most definitely not – this week

Going up

The Pulp Fiction fringe | See Kim Kardashian’s face-framing blunt bangs that hit just above her brows.

Luxe lipsticks | Dior’s new Rouge Premier lipstick is infused with gold and comes in a ceramic case. For £400, as other’s have noted, it’s literally putting your money where your mouth is.

Service stations | Wool socks at Tebay, printed T-shirts at Gloucester, Fair Isle knits at Cairn Lodge … motorway service stations are suddenly worth the diversion.

Going down

Belly buttons | TikTokers are covering up their belly buttons and applying fake belly button tattoos above them. Placed higher than their natural navel, it is said to give an appearance of a shorter torso and longer legs.

Online shopping | British retailer Boden says it is bringing back its printed catalogue. Much safer than dropping your phone in the bath while browsing.

Sunsets selfies | If your August Instagram dump doesn’t contain a stylised sun lounger shot of you reading Barbara Kingsolver’s Demon Copperhead, were you even on holiday?

Chloe Mac Donnell, deputy fashion and lifestyle editor solves your wardrobe dilemmas

Q: I have a lot of clothes and I’m trying to save. But all the new season drops are giving me the urge to update my wardrobe. What’s a cheap trend I can tap into? – Sidney

A: If you have a lot of clothes, I bet you already own pieces that reflect this season’s key trends. Like every autumn, tartan was on the catwalks at Dior and Burberry, there were tailored blazers at Valentino and Saint Laurent and sheeny-shiny metallics at Simone Rocha and Paco Rabanne. Rather than buying something new, think about how you can wear something you have in a different way.

If you have a plaid shirt, try wearing it unbuttoned over a white vest, a la Kate Moss at Bottega Veneta (pictured above). A hoodie and leggings is very Miu Miu and you could channel Victoria Beckham with fishnet tights under a midi skirt. Or simply try a new colour combination, such as red and brown at Tory Burch or black and red at Saint Laurent.

Got your own style question? Send it to fashionstatement@theguardian.com.