This is a frequently asked question by the younger generation, Gen Z and Millennials. It's been asked in 2018, 2019 and will likely continue into 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 etc. The question is "Are fitted hats out of style?"

Recent Updates

Update: As of January 17th, 2023 fitted hats is still popular (slightly more popular than snapback caps). The huge interest during 2020 - 2022 has normalized. Fitted hats has an average search volume over 100k. Snapback hats has actually decreased in popular searches from the "49,000" average searches previously reported to "12,000" searches.

Update: As of December 23rd, the term "fitted hats" has seen yet another increase going from 100,000 average monthly searches to 165,000. The term "fitted caps" has also seen an increase going from 40,000 average monthly searches to 60,000. The term "snapback" has remained the same at 49,000 average monthly searches.

Update: As of September 23rd both "snapback" and "snapback hats" have relatively stayed the same with an average search volume of 40 - 50,000 searches per month. "Fitted hats" has since increased to over 100,000 average searches per month.

Update: As of June 8th 2021 "snapback hats" has an average search volume of approximately 49,000 searches per month and "fitted hats" has an average search volume of approximately 74,000 searches per month. Similar terms for both hats show that fitted hats in general are still currently more popular than snapbacks. A large part of the popularity can be credited to many companies creating exclusive (limited edition) versions of fitted hats and not exclusive versions for snapbacks.

Update: As of March 4th "fitted hats" has an approximate average of 60,500 searches per month, an increase of 11,000 searches from the reported amount just 6 days ago. "Snapbacks" and "snapback hats" remained at 40,500 average searches per month. Its important to note these are averages. In February 2021 "fitted hats" actual search volume was approximately 135,000 searches compare to "snapbacks" approximately 33,100 searches. The gap between fitted hats and snapbacks are much larger than we previously thought, with fitted hats interest outperforming snapback hats. This information is provided by data from Google Search.

Update: As of February 26th, 2021 "fitted hats" has an average search volume of 49,500 times per month. That's an increase of 16,400 searches from the 33,100 average searches we reported in December 2020. "Snapbacks" currently have approximately 40,500 average searches per month an increase of 500 searches from December 2020. Which means for the first time in decades, fitted hats are more popular than snapbacks when it comes to search volumes. Search volumes may continue to go up or down but we are only recording major differences.

The Answer: NO, fitted hats are not out of style

Not only is the answer a no, but its a resounding no. Fitted hats in general will never go out of style, or at least it would take a lot of changes for this to happen. Fitted hats in general are the original modern day baseball cap, even before New Era Cap Company ever existed. However, usually when people ask "Are fitted hats out of style" they are referring to the 59Fifty New Era fitted hat, and the answer is still the same. No, it's not out of style. 59Fifty fitteds are the style of hats that professional baseball players wear off the field, professional football players wear on the sideline and professional basketball players wear on the side court.

You May Also Be Interested In: Fitted Hats vs Snapbacks: Backed By Real Data!

Introduction of Snapbacks

Fitted hats were more popular back in the 2000's. It was during the millennium when I was first introduced to fitted hats. Especially in street culture, fitted hats became a staple in Hip Hop, and everyone in the streets started rocking fitted hats in New York City. Even in 2021 New Yorkers (street culture) still have a high interest in fitted hats (according to Google search engine)

The Introduction of Snapback hats aka the 9Fifty caps did take some of the attention away from fitted hats because this style of hat offered a well needed solution to a common problem people were having. That problem was the sizing process and figuring out which fitted hat size was right for their head. With a single snapback hat it's one style, one size fits most. With fitted hats, it's one style, 12 different hat sizes. Stores actually preferred to keep snapbacks in their stores over fitted hats because they didn't need to stock 7 sets of 12 different sizes. Instead they could stock 40 snapbacks to please all customers. Because people didn't have to figure out their hat size and stores no longer had to stock different sizes, snapbacks became more popular than fitted hats...but not by much.

Let's Look at the Data

According To Google Search

According to Google search, just the term "fitted hats" get searched approximately 33,100 times every month (as of December 2020). This number does not include other related terms such as "fitted caps", "59fifty hats", "black fitted hats", "LA Dodgers fitted hats" etcetera. Including the many variations the estimated search is closer to 150,000 - 300,000 searches per month. "Snapback hats" has approximately 40,500 searches per month, 1.2x more than fitted hats. However the term "Snapback" has approximately 33,100 searches per month while "fitted" has 110,000 searches per month, which is 3x more searches than snapback. Snapbacks has more interest over fitted hats because of the one size fits most plastic strap mechanism on the back and people generally love that (I enjoy it as well). The below chart will show you that Californians & New Yorkers have the most interest in fitted hats than any other state in the nation.

Instagram Data

Instagram hashtags can give you a pretty decent idea how popular something is on their platform. Before we start digging into the numbers be sure to follow my Instagram @FittedHats and show support. I will be posting fitted hats that match sneakers and will be showing customized exclusive fitted hats that we will be creating.

Current Hashtag Posts (as of August 2020)

#fittedhats 40.9k posts.
#fittedhat 70.4k posts
#fittedcap 106k posts
#fittedcaps 30.5k posts
#teamfitted 85.9k posts
#fitteds 60.2k posts
#fitted 1.3 million posts

These hashtags are used by individual users and brands. There are many more creative fitted hat related hashtags but Im just sticking to the basics. Although most of these hashtags are related to fitted hats not all of the posts are. For example the hashtag #fitted is used in posts mainly related to fitted hats, but also include cars, fitted clothing, fitted sheets and other objects. The numbers represent the history of that particular hashtag. Based on this information we can conclude that fitted hats does have a certain amount of popularity as of 2020.

Now let's look at the #Snapback hashtags

Current Hashtag Posts

#snapback 7.8 million posts
#snapbackhats 85.9k posts
#snapbackhat 151k posts

Looking at the snapback Instagram hashtag we see that Snapbacks are more popular than fitted hats. This correlates with what we already knew from Google search which showed that snapbacks are more popular than fitted hats, but that fitted hats are still in style and being talked about.

Exclusive Fitted Hat Drops

If you read the updates above (top page) we shared with you some numbers that show fitted hats currently in 2021 have more popularity than snapback caps. One of the reasons that contribute to the popularity of fitted hats over snapbacks is exclusive fitted hat drops. Companies like Hat Club, My Fitteds, Capsule Hats, Sports World 165, Lids and others often release limited edition fitted hats with unique colorways and concepts. These companies do not, or at least rarely release limited edition snapback hats. Why is this the case? We're not entirely sure, maybe there isn't much of a demand for limited edition snapbacks.

New Era Cap Company

The last thing I want readers to look at is New Era Cap Company itself. New Era constantly introduces new 59fifty fitted hats & 9fifty snapback hats once or twice a week on their website. I encourage you to look at the fitted hats (any size). I've done exactly this with the Banana Camo fitted hat. Within 48 hours of it's release this fitted hat has sold out in multiple sizes. If there was not a demand for 59Fifty fitted hats New Era Cap Company would not create or stock these hats because the company would be losing money. If fitted hats were out of style New Era would only sell snapbacks or create fitteds for MLB, NFL & NBA players and sell dad hats, bucket hats and winter skullies.

Hopefully this article gave you some great insight about the interest of fitted hats and answered your question about whether or not fitted hats are out of style.