Should you curve the brim? Or keep it flat? 'A Middle-Aged Man's Cap Journey.'

Should you curve the brim? Or keep it flat?

There was a reason for that angle that went beyond mere trends.

I was about to buy a cap, but my hand stopped at the last moment.

It was the brim.

In the store, caps with neatly curved brims were lined up.

Next to them were caps with brims as flat as if a ruler had been applied to them.

For a long time, I thought a flat brim was just 'in a state not yet curved'.

I believed it was flat because it was brand new, and after wearing it for a while, you would gradually curve it yourself by hand.

I believed that was just how it was.

So, when I saw someone in town wearing a cap with a flat brim,

'They're keeping it in nice condition,'

was about all I thought.

Apparently, the story was not that simple.

People who wear them flat have their own reasons for doing so.

People who wear them curved also have a culture they have built up.

The angle of the brim was not just a matter of preference.

In it, there was baseball, hip-hop, the streets, and the aesthetic sense of each era.

The world of caps is deep, even if you only look at the brim for a few centimeters.

A 55-year-old man found himself stopping at a new entrance once again.

To begin with, what is the brim for?

The brim of a cap was originally intended to block out the sun.

For baseball players, strong sunlight is a major issue.

When looking up at a ball hit high into the sky, if the sun's rays hit your eyes directly, you lose sight of the ball.

Therefore, a brim extending forward became necessary to create shade for the eyes.

However, if the brim remains completely flat, while it can block sunlight from the front, it is difficult to sufficiently block light coming in from the sides.

By curving it slightly, you create shade that wraps around your eyes.

It allows you to avoid the light while maintaining your field of vision.

In other words, there was a proper, practical reason for curving the brim.

Looking at photos of baseball players from the past, many are wearing caps with naturally curved brims.

Players used their caps repeatedly, breaking them in to fit the shape of their own heads and faces.

Soaking up sweat, being exposed to the wind, the shape changed little by little with every game.

A cap was not something that was finished the moment you bought it.

It was a tool that became your own as you used it.

This feeling is somewhat similar to leather wallets or denim.

At first, they are stiff.

But the longer you use them, the softer they become, and the owner's habits remain in the shape.

The way the brim is curved also reveals the feel of that person's hands and the time they have spent wearing it.

A curved brim held not just practicality, but a culture of 'wearing something in'.

So, why was the flat brim born?

If that's the case, why did a culture emerge of intentionally wearing a flat brim while keeping it flat?

Behind this lies the influence of official professional baseball team caps and the expansion of street culture.

A representative example is a cap like New Era's '59FIFTY,' which is sold with a high crown and a flat brim.

Caps like these don't soften and sink to follow the shape of your head; instead, the front stands up firmly.

The logo on the front is large and clearly visible.

Even from the side, the silhouette has a strong presence.

When the cap, once a tool for baseball, transformed into something to be 'shown off' on the streets, this finished form itself became important.

Especially within hip-hop and street fashion, maintaining a 'brand new' look became accepted as a style in itself.

You don't curve the brim, you don't collapse the shape of the crown, and you preserve the contours from when you bought it as much as possible.

That isn't just about 'using it carefully.'

It was a sense of presenting the entire cap as a single piece of design.

Until then, I had thought that caps were things you broke in to fit your head as you used them.

However, in the culture of flat brims, there is meaning in maintaining the finished form.

Even with the same cap, the philosophy is the opposite.

The culture of curving the brim is about making it fit yourself.

The culture of keeping it flat is about showing it off without breaking the shape.

Both ways show care for the cap.

It's just that the direction of that care is different.

What a curved brim says

The style of curving the brim has the charm of being natural.

Because it follows the shape of the face, the cap looks like it fits the head well.

In particular, dad caps and low caps, which we learned about last time, often come with a natural curve in the brim from the start.

The crown is also soft, changing shape to follow the head of the person wearing it.

They are easy to pair with adult clothing like shirts and jackets, and they don't make too strong a statement.

It is also rare for the cap alone to look like it is sticking out in front.

For that reason, it is a shape that is easy for beginners to adopt.

A curved brim also easily conveys a sense of having been used for a long time.

Slightly faded fabric.

A softened crown.

A naturally curved brim.

Rather than the tension of something brand new, there is a casualness that has become accustomed to daily life.

Instead of making the cap the star of your fashion, you wear it as an extension of your usual clothes.

For such people, a curved brim is easy to pull off.

For a middle-aged man, this natural feel is also appreciated.

If you suddenly wear a large cap with a flat brim, you might be a little surprised by yourself in the mirror.

That is because it looks like only your head has headed out to the street, while your body is still left at the station.

In that respect, a brim with a natural curve is easier to blend with the clothes you have worn until now.

You are not transforming yourself significantly, but rather adding something just a little new to who you are now.

A curved brim is not meant to be inconspicuous.

It is a shape that quietly blends into the life of the person using it.

What a flat brim says

On the other hand, a flat brim has a distinct presence.

A straight line spreading horizontally.

A high, upright crown.

A large logo placed on the front.

Rather than hiding the cap as just a part of one's outfit, it has the power to say, 'I am here.'

Especially in hip-hop and street fashion, the cap has become an important item for showing one's affiliation, aspirations, and roots.

Which team's logo do you choose?

Which city's name do you wear?

What kind of color do you pick?

Without using words, a cap conveys which culture you identify with.

A flat brim was also a shape that made that message stand out strongly.

When you curve the brim, the silhouette of the cap conforms to the shape of your head.

However, if you leave it flat, the cap's original linear design remains.

The logo is also easier to see from the front.

The presence of the cap itself comes to the fore, more so than the face of the person wearing it.

In other words, if a curved cap is a 'tool to be used,' a flat cap might be closer to a 'piece of art to be worn.'

Of course, not everyone thinks about it that deeply.

Some people just like the flat shape.

Others might choose it because it balances well with their face.

Even so, it took the accumulation of music and street culture for that shape to be widely accepted.

A flat brim was not an unfinished state just after purchase.

It was a finished form in its own right, while remaining flat.

The question of whether to peel off the sticker

As I learn about flat-brimmed caps, another concerning issue arises.

It is the sticker placed on the brim.

Should you peel it off?

Or should you leave it as is?

For a beginner, it is quite a dilemma.

Since it is a product sticker, it seems normal to peel it off once you get home.

However, some people wear them with the sticker still on.

There are various ways of thinking about this as well.

Leaving the sticker on shows that it is brand new or authentic.

Enjoying it as part of the cap's design.

Some people feel that kind of cultural significance.

On the other hand, many people peel the sticker off and wear it in a clean state.

Some people want to avoid leaving a sticker mark due to sunburn.

In the end, this is not an absolute rule either.

If you want to leave it, you can leave it.

If you want to peel it off, you can peel it off.

I will probably peel it off.

The reason is simple.

If the edges start to curl up little by little while I'm wearing it, I feel like I'd get distracted and wouldn't be able to focus on the conversation.

Understanding culture is important, but being able to wear it comfortably is just as important.

In the end, which one is correct?

Reading this far, as a beginner, you probably want an answer by now.

Should the brim be curved?

Should it be left flat?

The answer is, either is fine.

You might find that a bit anticlimactic.

However, this is the most honest answer.

It is not that curving the brim is orthodox and keeping it flat is wrong.

Conversely, it is not that a flat brim is new and a curved brim is old.

Each has grown up within a different history and culture.

A natural curve born from the practicality of baseball.

A flat brim that spread from street-style self-expression.

There is a reason for both.

And today, the boundaries between them have become quite fluid.

Some people buy caps sold with flat brims and curve them slightly before wearing them.

Some people don't roll them tightly, but add a gentle curve that follows the shape of their face.

Some people pair caps with pre-curved brims with street style.

Culture is not a specimen kept in a museum.

As people continue to use it, it gradually mixes and changes.

Therefore, you don't need to overthink that 'this shape must be worn this way.'

Once you know the background, you should just choose the shape that makes you feel comfortable.

How should beginners choose?

For those who are still unsure, I would first recommend a cap with a natural curve.

The reason is that it blends easily with everyday clothes.

By having the brim follow the contours of your face, the cap won't stand out too much.

If it's a soft shape like a dad cap or a low cap, it's easy for adults to incorporate as well.

If you choose subdued colors like black, navy, or beige, it's even easier to match.

Once you get used to that, try challenging yourself with a slightly higher crown or a flat brim.

Look in the mirror,

'It feels a little strange, but I don't dislike it'

If you can think that, it might actually be a good sign.

New clothing doesn't always fit you perfectly from the start.

Sometimes, it's just that you aren't used to seeing it yet.

However, there is no need to force yourself to follow trends.

Just because flat brims are popular, you don't need to flatten yours too.

If you feel more comfortable with it curved, then curve it.

If you only want to curve it a little, that's fine too.

What matters is not being seen as the right kind of person.

It is that when you wear it, going outside becomes a little more fun.

A cap is not something to be graded by others.

It is a small tool that connects you to the outside world.

Starting today, take a look at the brim.

Next time you see a cap in town, I want you to pay attention not just to the logo, but to the brim as well.

Is it curved deeply?

Is it curved gently?

Is it left flat?

Is the crown soft?

Is it standing up firmly?

There, perhaps, not only their preferences but also the culture they have grown up with is slightly revealed.

They might love baseball.

They might love hip-hop.

It might be a cap they have been using for a long time.

They might be cherishing the beautiful shape of a brand-new item.

Of course, you cannot judge a person solely by the angle of their brim.

However, if you know those differences, a small story is added to the scenery of the town.

This time, I learned that there are reasons for both curving the brim and keeping it flat.

A curved brim was linked to baseball, practicality, and the time spent wearing it in.

A flat brim was associated with hip-hop, street style, and an aesthetic of showing off a brand-new shape.

Neither one is correct.

Both have their own culture.

Much of the anxiety beginners feel stems from the desire not to make a mistake.

However, in the world of caps, knowing the background and choosing for yourself is likely more important than guessing the right answer.

The angle of the brim is a difference of just a few centimeters.

Even so, within those few centimeters, the history of sports, music, and the streets is layered.

A cap, after all, was not just a hat.

And what I'm curious about next is the people who greatly expanded that culture.

Why did hip-hop artists love caps so much?

Why did team logos from New York and Los Angeles spread beyond baseball stadiums to cities all over the world?

Next time, I would like to learn about the relationship between caps and hip-hop.

The gaze of a 55-year-old man has finally begun to shift from the tip of the brim to the city beyond it.

Kashimono / Karimono
Nothing is owned.
Everything is entrusted.

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kazuo haraya

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