Keep On Y2Kin': The Trucker Hat Is Everywhere, Again
There's an old quote that's been doing the rounds on IG stories recently, one that declares "minimalism is dead" and rallies behind the maximalist's war cry of "long live bad taste." It might be from a while ago, but its revival is totally befitting of a time when Y2K opulence is thriving. Hard. And like Paris Hilton or Bennifer, trucker hats are a form of early naughties-ness that have undergone a renaissance of late.
Denim, Von Dutch, and Ed Hardy have all come to worship at the church of the trucker cap — a headwear category usually defined by its mesh back and graphic-laden front. For the SS21 wardrobe, brands like Hedi Slimane's Celine and Gucci have been putting them on the runway, while the NBA's Jordan Clarkson has brought the masses back to Kapital's trucker hats (pictured above).
Naturally, the rise of the trucker hat has been cemented by other famous faces. Rihanna has been returning to the look by way of vintage Esso hats while her beau Rocky has been pairing his with brave combos like the blazer and short partnership. Add that to the fact Bella Hadid has been giving graphic gaudiness on multiple vacations, and you've got a formula for a headwear choice that's going nowhere fast.
With this piece of Y2K memorabilia on the mind, we picked out 10 of our favorite trucker hats that are available online right now.
Shop this year's best trucker hats below.
Awful Lot Of Cough Syrup
Awful Lot Of Cough Syrup has emerged as one of the most exciting brands on the West Coast, building a cult following for their sizzurp-inspired designs. Though the label's base of operations is in LA, its clothing pulls from Texas's legendary chopped n' screwed era — a technique of remixing hip hop music that developed in the Houston hip-hop scene in the 1990s by DJ Screw. Your favorite rappers have taken notice, making this hat a staple in their wardrobes. We get why. The bold print and bright colorway feel nostalgic, a callback to the Dirty South's legendary reign over music.
Pleasures
Pleasures' Gaze Snapback is a playful spin on the trucker hat, directly contrasting with some of the more rugged and traditional truckers you may encounter. You get not one, but two Mona Lisa's on the front of the cap, along with a Fall-ready tonal brown. Show up to the Louvre in this.
Louis Vuitton
LV adds its luxury stamp to the category without losing touch with the gaudy graphic origins of the trucker, applying its logo and luxe-defining monogram to the mesh. Bargain bin, this is not.
mastermind WORLD
mastermind WORLD's hat is a beautiful hybrid combining the mesh paneling from a standard trucker hat with the silhouette of a camper hat. We are here for it. Even more so, a mastermind World embroidered logo always looks great.
Kapital
Kapital is the plug — the go-to brand for outfit-defining trucker hats. The Japanese brand is well-known for the reinterpretation of uniform clothing and accessories that are everywhere in the West. Kapital has found some exciting ways to rework the classic trucker hat, and today is no different. The messaging and trippy font on this hat would make it the perfect addition to your festival fits. It looks like we will be adding more Kapital to our rotation.
Gucci
As with most things in modern fashion, you have two choices. You either go down the archive digging, thrift store-searching path. Or, you drop huge money for the world's biggest fashion houses.
We11done
The Seoul-based We11done clearly understood the assignment when it came too making new truckers. Keep it bold, and keep it graphic at all costs.
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