Interestingly, Parliament law under Queen Elizabeth in 1571 decreed that - to encourage domestic wool consumption and boost wool trade away from Spanish-held lands - all men 6 years old and over (except nobility) had to wear wool caps on Sundays or be fined three farthings a day (!). The flat cap (rounded, with a small stiff brim that's discreet) originated in the 14th century of Northern England, where it was usually called a bonnet. But there's a lot of confusion around the different styles, so we wanted to explore the who, what, where, when and why of it all. Range of hats, from the stylish toppers at Boyne Valley Knitwear to some of our old school Guinness merchandise. Though flat cap devotees include Harry Styles and Prince William, these stylish caps have been around for literally hundreds of years they are never out of style.Īt Shamrock Gift, we're very proud of our gorgeous

Whenever David Beckham or Brad Pitt get pictured in one, caps will get called a hot new fashion trend - but trend implies a flash in the pan. A toff can be a bit of a chap as well without, as it were, losing face.'įlat and newsboy caps have been around forever they have the unusual characteristic of being able to look both vintage and modern, all depending on how you dress them up.

So it is undoubtedly classless, and there lies its strength. 'A cloth cap is assumed in folk mythology to represent working class, but it also denotes upper class affecting casualness.

Flat cap symbolism