Flat caps and newsboy caps look similar at a glance, and people often use the names interchangeably. They are related, but the differences change how each one looks on you. Here is how to tell them apart and pick the right one.
The quick difference
A flat cap is made from one panel (or a few), sitting low and close to the head with a small stiff brim. A newsboy cap is fuller and rounder, usually built from eight panels that meet at a button on top, with a slightly slouchy crown. Think of the newsboy as the flat cap’s roomier cousin.
Which suits you
- Flat cap: cleaner and more understated. Flatters most face shapes and dresses up easily.
- Newsboy: more volume on top, which balances a longer face and adds a vintage, characterful look.
If you have a rounder face, the flatter profile of a flat cap tends to look sharper. If your face is long or narrow, the newsboy’s fullness adds width.
Materials and season
Both come in wool and tweed for autumn and winter, and lighter cotton or linen for summer. Wool and tweed feel classic and warm; cotton versions are breathable for warmer days.
- Cooler months: winter flat caps in wool or tweed.
- Warm months: summer flat caps in cotton and linen.
Getting the fit
Both should sit snug but not tight, with the brim just above your eyebrows. Measure around your head above the ears and match it to the size guide. A flat cap can sit a touch closer; a newsboy is meant to look a little relaxed on top.
How to wear them
Both work with a casual jacket, a knit, or a shirt. For a heritage look, pair tweed with an overcoat in winter. For summer, a cotton flat cap works with a plain tee and chinos. Keep it simple and let the cap do the work.
Compare both: browse flat caps and newsboy caps at Hatloom, or see all caps.
