Eight-piece caps, also known as bakerboy or newsboy caps and various other names, are traditional headwear for the working classes in the yards and factories of the past century as well as the country cap of choice for the landed gentry. The other version is the typcal flatcap which is constructed differently. As the name suggests, the cap is made of eight separate pieces of cloth sewn together with a peak and a button on its apex. These caps have been popular throughout the years but have become even more popular with the beginning of the vintage movements.
The caps softness makes them easy to wear and store, unlike felt and hard hats, and can be worn with casual and informal dress.
There are many different places that sell these caps and in many different versions and cuts but one place which I have found to be one of the best is the Hat People of Oregon, USA.
Each of their caps are made-to-order and in a variety of cloths and cuts. In particular, the various cuts are better than what you would find in other places. For one, their extra full cut is almost similar to vintage proportions and is volumnious. It does not feel too tight when you wear the cap; a fault I find in many other caps when there isn’t enough cloth to create room for the head and you end up having to pull the cap down to stop it from slipping off.
I have one of their caps in this extra full cut. After wearing it in, it has more or less become my cap of choice as it is the easiest to wear and has a lot less hassle than my other caps which tend to fall off easily in the wind. They are made with an elastic in the sweatband which you can adjust for fit. The peak is of layered cloth rather than having an insert card so you could easily stuff it in your pocket. The crown is not attached to the peak like others with thread or poppers so you could pull the crown forward to cover most of the peak or slightly backwards, etc. This allows you to adjust for roominess so it won’t feel tight.
The cloths used are wools, cottons and linens. All are hand washable. They are lined in cotton.
The price is reasonable as well for a made-to-order cap and I doubt you could get any better elsewhere without having to pay a lot more for a bespoke cap.
《秘雲舘》 Into the Hidden Clouds 