The Gentlemen's return to Netflix has put two shapes back into circulation: the flat cap and the baker boy. They're often mistaken for interchangeable, worn without much thought to fit or occasion. They're not the same hat, and wearing either well comes down to a handful of details most people get wrong. Christys' has been making both since long before either was fashionable again — here's how to choose and wear them.
Flat cap vs. baker boy: what's the actual difference
The flat cap is cut from a single or minimal panel, sitting close to the head with a stiffened peak — traditionally a countryman's hat, built for practicality over statement. The baker boy (also called a newsboy) is panelled and gathered into a button at the crown, giving it more volume and a softer, rounder silhouette. Both share the same tweed-and-wool-felt material world; the difference is entirely in the construction.
Choose a flat cap if: you want a closer, lower-profile fit and a more formal, tailored line. Choose a baker boy if: you want more presence and a slightly softer, more casual silhouette.
How to size and fit a flat cap correctly
The most common mistake is sizing too large, in the belief a looser cap looks more "worn in." A flat cap should sit snugly at the brow without pinching — enough structure to hold its shape in wind, not so tight it leaves a mark. Our sizing guide covers exact head measurements before you buy.
Shop the collection: Flat Caps →
How to style a baker boy without it reading costume-y
The baker boy carries more visual weight than a flat cap, so the rest of the outfit needs to stay restrained — a single strong texture (tweed, herringbone, brushed wool) rather than pattern-on-pattern. Pair with tailoring for a Halstead Estate-adjacent look, or with a simple knit and outerwear for something less formal.
Shop the collection: Baker Boy Hats →
Where the fedora fits into the same wardrobe
For evenings and more formal register than either cap allows, the fedora is the natural next step — a shape with its own long history in Christys' archive, hand-blocked in fur felt with a pinched crown and structured brim.
Shop the collection: Fedora Hats →
253 years of getting this right
Christys' has been making hats since 1773 — flat caps and baker boys included, long before either had anything to do with television. Every piece is still hand-finished at our workshop in Hertfordshire, using the same construction principles regardless of what's currently trending. That's the difference between a hat that looks right for a season and one that looks right for years.
Explore the full collection: Shop Christys' London →
