Hat Trends That Are Outdated And What You Should Wear Instead

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When picking the right hat, there are a couple of things to consider. First, you should always ensure it fits well. Luckily, there's a simple way to measure your hat size, and with that, wearing hats that are to small or too big should become nothing but history. Second, it needs to fulfill your needs, such as keeping your head warm in the colder months or protecting your face from the sun during the summer. And last but certainly not least, the hat you pick should be fashionable, as rocking an outdated style can easily take your look from fabulous to atrocious. Simply put, a hat can make or break an outfit.

To better understand which hat styles are currently in style and which ones should be stationed at the back of your closet until their next comeback, we've enlisted the help of personal stylist Jordan Stolch from MiKADO Personal Styling. Exclusively for Glam, Stolch shares her expert insights on all things hat trends. Moreover, we've thoroughly researched reviews and ratings on hats from Amazon to provide you with the best (and most stylish) options for the months ahead.

Even though wide-brimmed floppy hats are often considered a timeless staple when it comes to sophisticated fashion, Jordan Stolch explains to us that this style of hat isn't that trendy anymore. "Once a fashion it-girl's staple, the wide-brimmed floppy hat has fallen out of favor for being too shapeless and casual — now replaced by more structured, sleek silhouettes," Stolch tells Glam exclusively.

While rocking a floppy winter hat can still look fashionable, a floppy, wide-brimmed summer hat isn't on trend this year. However, if you're someone who couldn't care less whether a hat is trendy or not (which is totally fine), there are great ways to style a floppy sun hat for everyday wear and not just vacation. After all, fashion is all about personal preference, and if floppy hats are your thing, don't let anyone's opinion change that. 

While a wide-brimmed floppy hat isn't the most fashionable choice right now, a side-brimmed structured hat absolutely is, especially if it's a straw one. "Offering both sun protection and a touch of glamor, these classic straw hats are popular this season for their versatility and ease in pairing with a wide variety of summer wardrobe essentials," Jordan Stolch explains exclusively to Glam.

A structured hat adds the same amount of sun protection as a floppy one without any of the annoyance that can come with wearing the former — anyone who spent a few hours in it knows that the floppy part can quickly become annoying. If you're in the market for a structured hat this summer, the FURTALK Beach Sun Straw Hat is a great option. It comes in eight different colors, and it's just under $30. At the time of writing, it has a 4.5-star rating on Amazon, with reviewers loving how fashionable it looks and how the brim has a perfect angle for sun protection. "I love this hat! It can be smushed but it's fairly easy to get out any bends with water and some hand-shaping. ... Covers my whole face, neck, and chest. Perfect for summer skin protection," one happy buyer wrote. Consider us intrigued!

If you're a fan of trucker hats, you won't be happy to hear that the style isn't fashionable at the moment, according to our stylist. "With their close association to peak-2000s style, the trucker hat is considered outdated, as most women associate it with an era no longer aligning with their current fashion preferences," Jordan Stolch shares exclusively with us. This hat style is giving Adam Sandler, but not in the best way.

Now, before you go and throw out all of your trucker hats, keep in mind that it's only this specific style that isn't super trendy anymore. Trucker hats are usually more square at the top, compared to baseball hats, and they often have mesh detailing in the back. And even though they give off a very specific Y2K aesthetic, it seems as if the trends are slowly moving on from this specific fashion revival.

If rocking a classic trucker hat is something you like, a more fashionable hat with a similar aesthetic is a baseball cap. Generally, it has a more rounded top — sometimes even less structured — and doesn't have mesh in the back. Moreover, a baseball cap can provide just as much sun protection and warmth as a trucker hat.

While any baseball cap that you like can be a great accessory for a casual look, the Polo Ralph Lauren Cotton Chino Baseball Cap is particularly trendy this year. "If you don't already have a Polo Ralph Lauren cap, you're going to need one," Gab Waller, an expert shopper and fashion source, explained to Vogue. "The easiest add to cart moment I have personally had of late. Kendall Jenner recently stepped out in this cap and cemented it as a key style to have. As it's produced in a multitude of different colorways, your options are endless." 

The style's color range from bold and bright to neutral and minimalist. With a price point of $64.99 for the pink one, it's on the more expensive side, but if you're looking for a similar style with a more affordable price, the U.S. Polo Assn. Small Polo Pony Logo Baseball Hat is a great alternative. It also comes in a variety of colors, and it's priced at just $20. Now, if you're not ready to say goodbye to hair clips while rocking a hat like this one, make sure you learn the viral hack that shows how to clip your hair up while wearing a baseball cap.

From the best Y2K outfits Paris Hilton rocked in the 2000s to the most iconic Y2K hairstyles, the early aughts were a bold and colorful period for beauty and fashion, so it's not surprising that certain trends from the era experienced major comebacks in recent years. But some of them also fizzled out quickly. For example, crochet beanies had a brief resurgence, but the trend isn't as popular anymore in 2025. "Crochet beanies in summer months, reminiscent of early 2000s fashion, made a brief comeback but are once again being reconsidered as an outdated style," Jordan Stolch tells us exclusively.

Of course, just because crochet beanies aren't super trendy right now doesn't mean that they won't hold the spotlight again at some point. Besides, there are so many good reasons to take up crocheting, and if making a hat seems like a fun project, we encourage you to do it. When the trend inevitably comes back, you can have a collection of poignant hats ready to rock day in and day out.

If you love making a statement with your accessories, a pillbox hat might just be the perfect option for you. "Inspired by the Jackie O. era, pillbox hats have been reimagined for contemporary fashion," Jordan Stolch explains exclusively to Glam. "These hats offer a polished, vintage-inspired aesthetic that adds sophistication to both day and evening ensembles."

You can rock a pillbox hat with a vintage-inspired outfit, or you can mix it in with a more modern look for a surprising flair of old-school style. Skinny sunglasses and a structured, oversized blazer pair particularly well with this style of hat; however, the options are endless when building an outfit around this accessory. The Lawliet Circle Wool Felt Pillbox Beret Hat is a great option for anyone who wants to expand their hat collection with this style. It comes in a variety of colors and retails for just $22. It also comes with an elastic that helps it stay in place. "It goes around the back of your head, just lift up the hair on the back of the crown, place the elastic in there, and drop the hair over it. The hat is worn slightly over the forehead — no bobby pins needed," one satisfied buyer wrote. With such ease of wear, this hat can be thrown on quickly and easily to complement all of your outfits.

If you happen to have a wool Panama hat in your closet, you might not want to wear it this year, according to our stylist. "The heavy texture of wool versions of this hat is now seen as bulky and less aligned with a modern emphasis on comfort and versatility," Jordan Stolch shares with Glam exclusively. "Instead, lighter materials are preferred once again for this warm-weather staple hat."

Luckily, you can find a similar style in a lighter material, so if you're a diehard fan of Panama hats, simply replace your wool one with a lighter straw version. The FURTALK Wide Brim Straw Panama Hat is a great option with a price tag of $25.99. "It's an adorable hat, [I] like that it has an adjustable strap for when working in the yard or on the boat. Wide enough brim to keep the sun off the face. I have it in two different colors," a happy customer gushed in their Amazon review.

At Glam, we adore beret hats — in fact, we called berets and braids the most polished pairing for a cool girl hairstyle two summers ago. So, when Jordan Stolch explained that berets are once again having a moment this year, we instantly knew that fashion was headed in the right direction. "Berets are evolving in 2025 from classic French chic into bold, sculptural pieces," Stolch tells us exclusively. "This updated take on the ever-popular style, bridges minimalism and maximalism, making it a versatile choice for both fashion-forward street style and elevated evening looks."

While you can opt for any beret that you like, we're particularly fond of the WETOO Women's PU Leather Beret Hat, as it adds some edginess thanks to its unexpected material. With a price tag of just under $15, it's an affordable addition to your style this summer and fall. "Over a year and still like new! I bought this beret over a year ago, and I'm amazed at how well it has held up despite the humidity in my country and all the places I've traveled to. ... It's super comfortable and effortlessly elevates any outfit, whether I'm going for a chic or a cute, casual look. Definitely one of my best purchases," a happy reviewer gushed.

Felt fedora hats were a popular accessory in the early aughts, and stars like Britney Spears and Paris Hilton simply couldn't get enough of the trend. While fashion from the 2000s has had its comeback since, felt fedora hats have failed to make a splash, and it doesn't seem likely that they will anytime soon.

Perhaps it's the fact that they were over-worn at the time (seriously, anyone who lived through the Y2K era remembers seeing them everywhere) or that they never really fit a particular style of fashion. After all, people wore them with every type of outfit back in the day, whether it was casual or refined. Regardless, rocking a fedora in 2025 isn't stylish at all, and the popular millennial trend is a testament to the fact that some fashion moments are best kept in the past.

When it comes to hats, Jordan Stolch tells us that sustainability and tech play a major role in what a customer is looking for. "Eco-conscious [consuming] continues to influence fashion in 2025," the stylist explains exclusively to us. "Consumers are increasingly drawn to caps made from organic cotton, recycled fabrics and biodegradable components, as well as those brands prioritizing transparency in sourcing and ethical production processes," Stolch says, adding, "Additionally, the fusion of fashion and technology is evident in hats featuring things like UV-sensing materials and temperature-regulating fabrics."

As far as sustainability goes, looking for a hat at your local thrift shop is always a great option, as it gives the accessory a second life. Besides, thrifting for a hat that's in good condition allows you to rock an accessory that nobody else around you will have. Now, when it comes to technology — in particular, sun and water protection — we recommend the MISSION Cooling UPF Sun Defender with Sweat & Water Activated Technology. With a price tag just under $40, the hat is great for any outdoor adventure with unpredictable weather conditions. "Very well made. Great design. Covers head, neck and ears. SPF 50 and cooling features are a plus. Florida sun doesn't stand a chance. Wonderful that it is machine washable," a satisfied buyer wrote in their review.

Bucket hats have been one of the more popular Y2K trends that have had their moment in the early 2020s. However, as comfortable and convenient as they might be, this hat is no longer as trendy. When talking to us about the outdated hat trends to ditch for summer 2025, Amy Ekren, a stylist and the owner of Inherit Clothing, explains exclusively that bucket hats are not the it-hat anymore. "Bucket hats, though full of fun and nostalgia, have been overdone to a point where the fashion-conscious crowd is seeking something new and more structured," she told us exclusively.

Thanks to their fun patterns and vibrant colors, bucket hats provided an easy way to add some pizzazz to any outfit, but as with most trends that reign for a couple of years, the bucket hat has been seen way too many times. Now, it's time to let it go. 

If you want a similar silhouette to the bucket hat, a classic cloche hat might just be your best option. As a hat that emerged toward the end of the 19th century, the cloche is best known as a fashion accessory that was largely popular in the 1920s. Still, while the style will always have a vintage aesthetic to it, there are modern ways to incorporate it into your look.

Opting for a cloche hat is an easy way to add an unexpected hat to your everyday look. The Sun Straw Cloche Hat by POUDAY offers a structured silhouette that will give you just as much protection from the weather as a bucket hat. "Love this hat. It is really cute on. I am normally not a hat wearer, but [I] will probably wear this one this summer," one buyer wrote in their review. While a straw cloche hat is a great option for the warmer days, if you're looking for a more winter-appropriate version, consider one made out of wool or leather. Finally, make sure you know how to clean straw hats without damaging them so yours can last as long as possible.

To find the best recommendation for each category of hat that you should wear, we've taken into account what our expert, Jordan Stolch, tells us, as well as what customers seem to gravitate toward. After researching popular styles of hats sold on Amazon, we included specific recommendations based on what reviewers have generally liked. At the time of writing, none of the hats we suggested have a rating below 4 out of 5 stars on the platform. In addition to considering reviews and styles, we ensured the prices provide a good balance between affordability and quality.

Now, if you're ready for more stylish accessories, make sure you also check out the handbag trends you'll see everywhere in summer 2025.