Dad Hats are for more than just dads! With their flexible, supple feeling and easygoing nature, these hats are a great choice for anyone who’s looking to chill. Additionally, Custom Dad Hats are a popular choice in Cleveland, OH, to combine style and comfort, giving you the best of both worlds. And there’s no better place to make your Custom Dad Hat than Hat.Co, with a wide range of options and support at your fingertips.
No matter if you’re a novice hat designer or an old pro, we’re here to help. You can get a free quote online or dive into the design studio today.
On this page, we’ll outline how to tell if a hat is a dad hat, what makes them a great option for custom hats, advice for custom dad hat, and frequently asked questions. You can skip to a section here:
- What Makes a Hat a “Dad Hat”
- Who Wears Dad Hats
- Advantages and Disadvantages of Custom Dad Hats
- Steps To Customize a Dad Hat
- Pro Tips for Dad Hat Custom Design
- Dad Hat FAQs
- Start Making Your Dad Hat
If there’s anything that you still have questions on that we didn’t address on this page, call us at (636) 926-2777 and we’ll help you out.
What Makes a Hat a “Dad Hat”?
Dad hats are a popular style of hat in Cleveland, OH, as a result of their casual, easygoing feel and ease to maintain. A specific type of baseball cap, dad hats are made with a loose, structureless crown, and typically without much of a curve in the visor. Most of the time, they are made of softer fibers to enhance comfort.
To recap, here are the main factors that make a cap a “dad hat”:
- Unstructured top
- Gently curved visor
- Made with softer materials
- Normally has a smaller, simpler logo
- If they have designs printed on them, sometimes they are deliberately faded
Who Wears Dad Hats (Besides Dads) in Cleveland, OH?
Dad hats have been around for decades, and had their first rise and fall of popularity in the 90s, but in the mid-2010s, came back into style as a part of a celebrity-led resurgence, which is still going on to this day. They got their name in the 1990s, after the men who were known for wearing them, but they’re comfortable and stylish hat choices for anyone and everyone:
- Families in Cleveland, OH, will wear custom dad hats for everyday use.
- Vacationers can protect themselves from the sun and the elements while staying in style.
- Teens enjoy dad hats as a way to show they’re cool without sacrificing comfort.
- Barbecuers can make custom dad hats to wear while they’re out by the grill.
- Fishermen wear them when taking it easy and enjoying a peaceful day on the water.
- Golfers make use of custom dad hats to represent their team while keeping the comfort.
- Musicians, particularly hip-hop stars, frequently wear dad hats, contributing to their recent resurgence.
- You can take a break and relax in a custom dad hat.
If you’re managing a business or running a project, you can use a custom dad hat to promote your brand in a low-key way, and the hat could easily become your new favorite for daily use.
The Pros and Cons of Custom Dad Hats
Dad hats are great hats for Cleveland, OH, everyday wear, and are highly customizable. But just because they’re comfortable doesn’t mean that they’re right for everyone and every event. If you’re not sure if a dad hat is right or wrong for your project, check out these pros and cons below:
Custom Dad Hat Pros
- Unparalleled Comfort: Dad hats are often considered one of the most comfortable hat styles, due to their softer fabrics and looser fit.
- Pliability and transportability: Because they can bend more than other hats without harming them, they are easy to pack for travel.
- Lower Maintenance: Their pliability makes caring for your Dad Hat easy as well..
- Low-Key: They’re great for family events or other relaxed gatherings.
Custom Dad Hat Cons
- Durability: While the lack of structure makes them easy to maintain, they do wear out a bit faster.
- Logo Display: The low profile doesn’t display logos as well as some other hat styles.
- Looser Fit: With a looser fit, dad hats are more prone to falling off during activity.
How To Customize a Dad Hat
Not sure where to start to make the ultimate custom dad hat? No need to worry. Just use the below list to get an idea for the process:
- Decide Your Audience – If you start with the audience, anytime you’re making a decision you can ask yourself “what would the person wearing the hat like?”
- Set A Due Date – If you need the hats ASAP, think about using an existing logo or design.
- Make Your Logo – Sometime’s it’s possible to work with an existing logo, if you already have one If not, for expert advice, think about consulting one of our professional designers.
- Pick a Logo Application Method – The four main methods to apply your logo to your hat are screen printing, embroidery, DTF/heat transfer, and on patches.
- Decide on Base Colors – Since you already know the colors of your logo, pick something that will complement it.
- Send In Your Order – at Hat.Co, you can send in your order online or you can get a quote prior to sending in your order.
Dad hats aren’t the only hat style you can customize in this fashion, but different hat styles will be suitable for different occasions.
Pro Tips for Cleveland, OH, Dad Hat Custom Design
Even though the basic tennants of hat design customization can work with whatever style you’re working with, the soft crown and looser fit fit well with subtler decorations. Below, we’ve listed out some pro tips to help you find the best fit for your custom dad hat.
Pro Tip 1: Use a Small and Simple Logo
- These hats are meant to be casual – their casual nature should also be seen in the logo.
- Massive logos get in the way of the hat when folding or rolling it.
- Finely detailed logos can lose their intricacies when resized for a hat.
Pro Tip 2: Default to Embroidery
- Embroidery is probably the most popular way to apply logos to dad hats, because of the vintage look and feel.
- Embroidered logos stand up to wear and tear without compromising on the dad hat’s comfort.
- A small patch might work as well, but can get in the way of the trademark foldability.
Pro Tip 3: Expect A Looser Fit
- When picking your hat size, remember that dad hats fit loose on purpose.
- This is on purpose, so that they don’t squeeze the heads of Cleveland, OH, wearers.
- Most dad hats have an adjustable size, which can help if the feel is too loose for your liking.
Cleveland, OH, Custom Dad Hat Frequently Asked Questions
Hat.Co searched for the top questions on dad hats, and has answered them all. Check out the top Cleveland, OH, custom dad hat FAQs below:
What’s the difference between a dad hat and a regular hat?
Dad hats are a subtype of baseball hats, without any crown structure to hold its shape. Also, dad hats’ bills normally are less curved (though not flat).
Are dad hats good for big heads?
Because of their form-fitting, looser nature, dad hats are often great choices for people with large heads. Dad hats don’t squeeze larger heads as tightly as they might be in others, and often can be tightened or loosened if the fit isn’t perfect right away.
Do hats get looser over time?
Actually, they often get a bit tigther – after being out in the world of Cleveland, OH and washed, hats tend to get a little tighter. That said, the first time you wear them, they will probably loosen as you break them in.
How can I make a dad hat smaller?
If your hat is too loose, you can speed up the shrinking process using water and heat. One method you can try soaking it, then drying it in a warm place. Another is to gently steam it.
What should I wear with my dad hat?
Keep it casual with your outfit to compliment your dad hat. They go well with t-shirts, jeans, and tennis shoes. If you want to emphasize your logo, you can get a custom shirt to match.
Are dad hats still cool?
Yes they are! Being comfortable never goes out of style, and you can see this in their popularity today today. The casual nature is appealing to everyone.
Have more questions? Check out our top 10 custom hat FAQs for more answers.
Start Customizing Your Cleveland, OH, Dad Hat
When you’re ready to make your Cleveland, OH custom dad hat, Hat.Co is ready to help. Or if you’ve read this far and think another style might be better, Hat.Co has plenty of other hat options available for you to choose from, too. Our custom hat services are industry-leading and at your fingertips.
From design to delivery, we’re at your side, and are good to go as soon as you are. Start designing your custom dad hat online, reach out to us at (636) 926-2777, or get a quote now to start your order.