In 1860, the Brooklyn Excelsiors wore the ancestor of the modern rounded-top baseball cap, which featured a long peak and a button on top, and by 1900, the “Brooklyn style” cap became popular. The baseball cap is such an iconic accessory in the American culture that it could be called America’s national hat.
Today, the baseball cap is worn to show love for a team, as a fashion statement or as marketing support. With more and more cap manufacturers on the market, the production is estimated at 350 million units around the world. Made up of a soft cap and stiff visor, it is typically adjustable at the back thanks to a plastic strap, Velcro or elastic band.
The key factors contributing to this market growth include the rise in aesthetic values, the desire to keep pace with the latest fashion trends as well as promotional marketing and visibility.
While expensive iterations may signal status, the affordability of the common baseball cap, as well as its longevity as a fashion statement, has helped it to remain firmly part of the modern style lexicon.