Bucket hat

Bucket hats available here at HANSEN

We have a number of bucket hats for sale. Firstly, we stock the Kapital Old man and the sea chino hat in khaki. This design is reminiscent of more traditional bucket hat designs with a practical strap around the back so you can change the size of it. It’s also given in the colour of khaki, a colour often used for outdoor clothing, especially that of the army. 

As is always the case with Kapital, they also include some sort of Japanese detailing. In this case, it’s the white contrast stitching which subtly circles the whole surface of the hat. This sort of stitching is reminiscent of sashiko embroidery, a form of hand sewing which uses simple running stitch normally in white thread. The tradition of sashiko stitching is centuries old, originally born out of the need to repair old garments by reinforcing them decoratively. In fact, the word ‘sashiko’ translates as ‘little stabs’, referencing the tiny stitches which were used to make the fabric stronger. What makes the use of this technique even more special is that sashiko stitching was often used on the garments of farmers and fishermen. It makes sense, then, that it would be used on this modern day fishing hat.  The hat is made from 100% washed cotton giving it a pleasingly-uneven texture. It is also made in Japan, like all of Kapital’s pieces, and made in one size. 

We also stock another line of Kapital fishing hats, these ones called Ox check x chino bucket hat. This piece comes in three colourways - dark blue, red, and green; khaki, pink, and green; and green, brown, and beige. The pink bucket hat especially is a brilliantly-playful summer piece.Each of the hats are made from 100% cotton, decorated with a checkered pattern for the body of the hat and the rim in a block colour. Again, the hats are embroidered with sashiko- style stitching circling the rim of the hat. These designs are slightly bolder than the other Kapital hats, lending its style more to the streetwear designs rather than more traditional ones. Finally, we also stock our own design of white bucket hat, the EDVARD. The piece is made from a Japanese cotton linen blend which is dry to touch. Tape covers the seams of the piece and it has two holes in the top of the hat for ventilation, as is traditional. This piece is brilliant for changing the styling on any outfit. Fishing hats have casual connotations. Though, as they were adopted by fashionable women in the sixties, they can be dressed up thanks to their formal silhouette. Bucket hats are still practical, even if not worn for that purpose. Especially with the reinforced stitching on the Kapital designs, these pieces are hard wearing and likely to keep you dry if caught outside whilst its wearing. Cotton itself can be water resistant, especially if given a waxed coating.

FAQs about bucket hats

How do I take care of bucket hats?

As bucket hats are usually made out of 100% cotton, as is the case with the ones we stock here, you can use the washing machine to wash them. However, if you want to make sure they don’t stretch out of shape, it’s better to wash them by hand. Cotton can shrink in hot water, so it's important you use either cold or warm water to wash cotton items.If you do hand wash your bucket hat, make sure you let it soak for a short while and don’t pull it out of shape whilst it's wet. Let it dry on a flat surface. Cotton is known for being easy to wash so you have no reason to have any causes for concern washing your bucket hat. 

Which other hats are associated with this style?

The modern bucket hat was also inspired by pieces issued to the US Army during the Vietnam war. This headgear was made from cotton material in an olive colour.These pieces were issued for the same reasons people first wore bucket hats - because they would keep people dry and also protected from the sun. They were easy to fold up if not needed.This style of hat is officially called the boonie hat or giggle hat. The only difference with them and bucket hats was that they had a wider brim, good for shielding the wearer’s eyes from the sun. They also often had straps on the top of the hat where foliage could be lodged to provide additional camouflage. The safari hat is another style which inspired the modern day bucket hat. They also had military roots, first worn in the 1800s in Asia and adopted by European armed forces. It was Yves Saint Laurent who brought them into the fashion domain in the 1960s, around the same time as the fishing hat!

When do people wear bucket hats?

Bucket hats have become a high fashion item and are still seen on runways to this day. Festival bucket hats are also worn playfully, harking back to their place within the mod subculture and later, the hip-hop scene. Bucket hats can show allegiance to different music genres, worn proudly to show which culture the person belongs to. 

Which brands are popular for bucket hats?

Especially when bucket hats were adopted by the hip-hop community, bucket hats were used to show brand allegiance. Hats often had the brand logo across the top of the piece, clearly showing which brand, and therefore subculture, the wearer was attached to. This also sometimes meant wearing custom bucket hats, donning the message you wished to spread.This is still the case today amongst some groups where bucket hats from Adidas, bucket hats from Fila, and bucket hats from Nike are very popular. Other dedicated streetwear brands follow this trend, such as bucket hats from Supreme and bucket hats from Stussy. 

Is this piece for both men and women?

Yes! Although they had masculine origins, bucket hats for women has become very popular. This is in part thanks to the sixties where the style was adopted to have more of a high-fashion edge. Since then, hats that are both trend-lead and practical have been worn by women as well.