# What's your normal name for a Flat Cap?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-normal-name-for-a-flat-cap/749176>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [March 16, 2016, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-normal-name-for-a-flat-cap/749176 "2016-03-16T17:00:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 6

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2018, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-normal-name-for-a-flat-cap/749176/101 "2018-10-26T21:25:12Z")

</div>

[Still a cheesecutter.](https://www.hatworx.com/mens-hats/cheesecutters-flat-caps.html)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\
**Post date:** [October 27, 2018, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-normal-name-for-a-flat-cap/749176/102 "2018-10-27T05:57:48Z")

</div>

Flat cap? Oh, is that what those are called? I have wondered for decades, since they always seem to be called by some more specific name, like that of the maker.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2018, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-normal-name-for-a-flat-cap/749176/103 "2018-10-30T23:50:53Z")

</div>

> [@TruCelt](#):
>
> Channeling my Grandmother on the subject:
> 
> I had to hit the search button, and didn’t find anyone else who knows it as a “Derby.” Which I find exceedingly odd, as I thought everybody knew there were three primary types of men’s hat: Derby, Fedora, and Homborg, with there being no discernible difference between the last two.

A Homburg is easily discernible from a Fedora.

The crease in the crown of a Homburg goes straight through from back to front, creating two separate, parallel ridges.

The crease in the crown of a Fedora doesn’t crack the front or the back completely, so you can still follow the ridge all the way around. A Fedora is also pinched in the front, making dents on both sides, creating a kind of teardrop shape out of the crown when you look down on it.

A Homburg is overall very symmetrical. A Fedora is not.

The terms “Trilby” and “Fedora” are nearly interchangeable, although sometimes people use Trilby to indicate a hat with a narrower brim than a Fedora.

> [@](#):
>
> “Golf cap” is what you call a baseball cap when it’s been made out of natural fibers.

Professional baseball caps have always been woolen. What do you mean by “natural fibers”?

> [@](#):
>
> I have heard the occasional reference to a Derby as being a Tweed Cap.

A Tweed cap means the same thing as a Tweed suit or jacket or pants. It’s made with a Tweed fabric.

> [@MikeF](#):
>
> My friend’s father, now in his 80s, calls them Jeff Caps. I have no idea why. I had the impression that it was short for Jefferson. Northwest Philadelphia background, if that matters.

My guess was it had something to do with Mutt and Jeff, but that can’t be right.

> [@BobBitchin](#):
>
> We call it a Brian Johnson special.😃

Brian Johnson wears a Newsboy Cap, which is not Flat.

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-normal-name-for-a-flat-cap/749176.md?page=5)