Baseball cap or no (suggestions requested)?

I live in Europe and wear a baseball cap every time I go out in the sun, as does my husband and two kids. Ours say TCU, Carolina and Yankees. Never felt weird to me and, honestly, I don’t really care what others think.

Baseball caps are becoming more and more common worldwide, it seems. Surprisingly, in Marrakech, Morocco this January, a local young man was wearing an NBA licensed Denver Nuggets cap - not sure if he was a fan, or how that came about for a team that’s not in the spotlight so much. And while caps are sometimes practical, even if you’re not playing shortstop, they’re pretty informal, even if they’re clean and tidy.

REI (www.rei.com) sells some hats with an all-around brim, which offer better overall shade, and are arguably more distinguished than a visored cap. Some have extra ventilation, a chin strap for windy situations, and a terry headband for wicking a sweaty brow. Less cowboyish than a stockman’s or rancher’s Stetson, but also not quite like the thing so many teenagers wear sideways or backwards, either.

If you’re not a fashionista, it might not matter that much, but since you brought it up, there are options to shade your eyes and protect your scalp.

Lee, no worries.

A friend wanted a "B" for Boston baseball cap. He is born and bred Italian. He wears his native sports emblem on the ball cap.

An added thought, do they sell "mesh style" baseball caps? Maybe that might help with air circulation.

As a suggestion, carry a few individual wipes - designed for face - to cool down the top of your head. I don't know if a reaction would occur on your head if you used a hand wipe.

• Added suggestions.
  

Take a look at each attraction - https://www.skylinewebcams.com/en/webcam/italia.html You will see a lot of peeps with hats on - all different ones. Some guys wear the Fedora straw hat.

And, look at this guide https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKVOoixNkrs Sean can be seen wearing a ball cap in a few videos. He has been in Rome for over 10 years. (Now, I believe he splits his time between USA and Rome.)

Will it protect your head from the sun (surely the most important consideration)? Yes.

Will it prevent you from sweating? I don't wear hats of any sort but I did resort to buying a baseball cap in Washington the other year during a heatwave and I found I sweated more, I suppose it depends on the individual.

What would you normally wear? If you do wear a particular style of headgear then continue with that.

Will you likely stand out as an American if you wore a baseball cap? Possibly? Will anyone care? No. Should you care? No.

Rome is constantly full of tourists from all around the world. No-one is paying any attention to anyone else (unless they're particularly attractive) or what they're wearing, they're too busy absorbing all the sights. I've seen many American's in Rome, did I care about what they were wearing? Absolutely not, why on Earth would I? Honestly, it's a complete non issue. Those nay sayers are probably still stuck in the era of National Lampoon's European Vacation.

I am possibly one of the most stubborn people when it comes to clothing, if it's 16c+ then it's shorts weather (I just don't like long trousers/jeans). If that means I'm in shorts in Sorrento in February when it was 18c+ whilst all the locals were still wrapped up in winter coats, hats and scarves then inevitably I'll receive some odd looks but so what? It didn't bother me, it had no bearing on my holiday and I did not know these people. I was comfortable in shorts, they were comfortable in winter clothes, each to their own.

Only place you can't wear it is in church; otherwise, fill your boots.
Personally, I find a looser, brimmed hat to be cooler. Think Panama hat or Tilley.

My husband buys straw panama-style hats everywhere we travel. Invariably they get crushed coming home and we start the search over again on the next sunny trip. You could start with a mesh bb cap but switch to something you see and buy locally along the way.

I would go with the ball cap, and one that has an internationally recognized sports symbol sounds like a good choice. Just remember to take the hat off indoors, especially in churches and restaurants.

Last year I forgot to take a hat with me. There were so many different color baseball hats for sale outside Mercato Centrale in Florence, it took me ten minutes to decide.

Wear the ball cap and be comfortable :) We have worn ball caps often in our travels. The only exceptions would be: churches, nicer indoor meals, and riding in a boat (where winds could pull it off) when we wear hats with chin straps.

Lots of ball caps on locals, we noticed.

It's your vacation so wear what you want. Anyone shallow enough to throw derision your way simply for wearing a cap isn't worth it, anyway.

We just returned from 4 weeks in Europe, Spain to the Netherlands, wore my Nike cap everyday.

Wow! Thanks everyone for your quick and considered opinions and suggestions. My wife has been raving about this forum. Now,I see why. Molte Grazie

NY Yankees ballcaps were popular among some young Italian men when we were in Italy last month. The same should be true of a Nike cap. Just don't wear one with an American political slogan, if you know what I mean.

I don't normally wear hats, but I'm balding (52) and sweat in high heat.

I hope you have a great trip!

Have you been to a dermatologist? I encourage you to wear a hat if you are in your 50s and balding. Melanoma is no joke.

I think a baseball hat will be fine. Just remember to remove it when entering a church, as you would at home. My personal preference is more along the line of an English tweed cap. I wanted to get a beret in France and a tam in Scotland, but I was outvoted.

How tanned and how bald is your head? Not joking here, but if you don't get outdoors a lot and you have no tan on your head, a hat is necessary if you plan on doing most of the touristy things in Europe which require you to be outdoors. It is no fun to be treating a sunburn on your head!

I would suggest a hat or cap that does not have a mesh. But pick something you like.

Depending on how much time you will be out in the sun, I will second the suggestion to start with a cap and buy something along the way with a brim.

My DH severely sunburned his tender ears wearing a baseball cap, and wished that he had been wearing his Tilley hat.

Lee, I'm with you as far as needing to wear a hat, not just wanting to be fashionable. I have a couple of plain, non-logo baseball caps and some cheap scrunchable brimmed hats. But I want to point out one shortcoming to baseball caps is they don't protect the top of the ears from the sun, which is a very common place for skin cancer to start. So take that into account.

In the past, I would plan to get a local sports team cap wherever we were going. But it was pointed out to me that picking the wrong team could be a problem (hmmm, Lazio or Roma?)

I'm not much of a baseball hat fan as they tend to make me hotter, even the mesh trucker style

If I have to wear a hat, I like a crushable, ventilated, brimmed hat - I bought a Duluth Trading Co crusher hat and like it a lot. Its well ventilated and claims to have a UPF of 50 - best of all is that I can crush it up and fit it in my suitcase/bag. Coolibar has a pretty good line of crushable, ventilated hats but at two - three times the price. If you are worried about fashion, you can't go wrong with that style. Me, I like it because its functional.

And we did see quite a few people wearing ball caps when we visited a couple of months ago so wear whatever you like......

I don't see a problem. Every single major European Soccer team sells their own official "baseball" style cap:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074XC8FQR/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_Tt-cDbV01D4AN

I've got a baseball cap with the old 1970's logo by Roger Dean for the rock band "Yes". It's surprising how conversations it prompts with people old and young around the world.

If you like it for sun protection, wear it. I think it’s like shorts - once considered a faux pas, now fine. Of course take it off in churches and indoor restaurants (feel free to wear it if dining outdoors in the sun).

A baseball cap is ok but won’t meet the fashionista requirements at the Vatican.

I would go for something more formal but very cool with a large opening for ventilation, like this one

The same hat also works if you want to carry lunch, as shown here

We were in Naples/Salerno/Pompeii in April/May.
I had the same Q. I'm 63 and losing my hair :-)
I only wore my Tilly style hat at places like Pompeii - one it was on my head 1) I never thought about it and 2) no one looked at me funny :-)
I wanted a brim all-the-way-around to protect my ears and neck. It worked.

You'll be there when there's more direct sun.

My daughter's Swiss boyfriend wears a (backward) baseball cap ALL THE TIME. And yes, when he travelled with us in Italy last month. No one blinked. Just don't wear anything garish or political.

I'll chime in: of course you can wear a baseball cap.

I always carry one since I am balding (well maybe bald is more precise) too (64).

But be aware of the problem with sun on the ears as mentioned above.

In rain a baseball cap is superior to other hats because you can put your hood over the cap, which will prevent the hood from covering your eyes.

If it is very warm I will sometimes put a handkerchief under the cap and if it is VERY warm I use a wet handkerchief. I have no idea how it looks and I don't care. It cools the head most wonderful. I "invented" this when I was still a runner. I don't run anymore, but I can still get too hot headed (pun intended).

You may go with Roberto's suggestion, but in that case you should be prepared for some raised eyebrows.

I'm really curious, why do you think that anyone should be interested in how a complete stranger dresses? Who spreads these rumors? Borsalino's CEO? Suntans producers?

You'll be only one stranger among the daily crowd of other complete strangers.
I may add that:

• everybody will know you are a tourist doing tourists' things. Just like Italians on vacation abroad that ask for bread even in South East Asia ...

• the 90% of movies and TV series Italians see are shot in US, show US citizens and the US way of life, neither you nor your baseball cap will be a shocking novelty.

• there isn't an Italian translation for dress code. As long as your clothes are clean, restaurants can't refuse service because of people's fashion choices. They can pick the right table for those wrongly dressed, but they must let everyone in and feed everyone.

Hi Lee -

The search for my hair was called off many years ago and although English I sport a baseball cap every time I’m out in the sun for any length of time, home and abroad. My current favourite is a denim look ‘Imperial’ (Costa Rican beer!) one, but I have a nice new one acquired from an Alaskan hunting lodge which I plan to wear on an upcoming hiking trip through the UK, if only to confuse the hell out of a few people!

Wear what’s sensible and what you like. Only thing to remember is to doff your cap when the situation requires it, visiting churches and the like.

Oh, as an afterthought, I was hiking last week in Scotland and my baseball cap was soaked - dripping off the brim soaked - with sweat and when it dried out there were salt stains in it (of course I washed them out eventually). So yes, I get sweaty too, but all considered it’s better than the alternative.

Have a great trip!

Ian

Female here, and to my husband's chagrin, I wear a baseball hat a lot - both for shading my eyes and keeping my long hair out of my face.

Last year in July we went to Provence and I took both my baseball cap and a bucket type hat (but with a smaller, stiff brim). Both were exceedingly hot on my head, and started feeling quite damp before the mornings were out, which was pretty uncomfortable. I picked up a woven straw style hat, that had a bit of a baseball cap look to it (with a brim) but it also had a little brim over my ears, but no brim on the back of the hat. And because it was an open weave (but not big holes) it was SO much cooler as it let the air flow thru to cool my head. I know this is more for women, but you could probably find similar in a man's style while on holiday. The worst part was packing it, as it isn't crushable like my baseball/bucket hat.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Seagrass-Men%C2%B4s-Straw-men%C2%B4s-summer/dp/B01D3LAC0A Similar weave to this one, but in a woman's look. Offers protection but will keep your head cool.

I too need to wear head covering of some kind as my hair has thinned and I am prone to Basal cell cancers on the body. Yes, my ears can be a concern but they never have had an issue. My hat of choice is always a baseball cap (except on our trip to Oaxaca last year, where we all bought full hats. Not only are there no issues, but there is a great plus to this:

I am 5"10"+, my wife under 5'2". My hat is a bright red Phillies cap. In a crowd, I may not immediately see her, but she can always find me!

I'm really curious, why do you think that anyone should be interested in how a complete stranger dresses?

Dario,
I think it is probably a generational thing.

The first time I was in Italy was August 1966. We were on a high school tour of Europe. We were required to bring a sports jacket and tie. When we were in Nice, Paris and London eating at nicer restaurants, we wore our coat and tie. The rest of the time we were expected to change into nicer clothes for dinner.

Old habits die hard. Actually, I think it would be fun to travel on a posh train where you had to wear formal wear to dinner. I tend to dress more conservatively day to day, befitting someone of my age. I don't expect my 20 year old grandson to be so concerned about his dress. It's been my observation that young people, no matter their country of origin, tend to dress similarly.

Sadly though, I see too many Americans in Europe whose dressed would be better suited for here.

My spouse always wears a baseball hat in Europe. Sometimes they have been lost and replaced a European sports team logo such as Barca.

Sadly though, I see too many Americans in Europe whose dressed would be better suited for here.

Too funny! For sure, a store like Walmart attracts many different peeps.

I've been to Europe many times, and I always wear a baseball style cap and put a little sunscreen on the tops of my ears. I also try to walk on the shady side of the street.

I see lots of people over there wearing baseball style caps. I don't know if they're tourists or not.

If you are really concerned about looking like a tourist, pick a cap with a worldwide logo, like Nike. But use a little sunscreen, too. Otherwise, you look like one of those pro golfers who take off their hat at the end of the round to shake hands, and the top of their head is pure white and everything below the top of their head is dark tan.

Lee,
I'm also one of those with perfect head that does not need to be hidden with hair. Two years ago when we went to Italy I purposely bought a cheap mesh hat with a brim to protect my head and ears. There are many vendors who will sell you one anywhere from 10-20 euros. If you prefer caps then by all means wear one. You don't want to sour your vacation by having a sunburn. Enjoy.

I wear a baseball cap when touring to protect my head and face from the sun.

Just take it off when you eat in a restaurant. My Mom always taught me it was crude and rude to wear a hat while dining.

I don't travel much in summer but always take a baseball cap with me on spring and fall trips, for sun protection, glare reduction (I mean glare from the sun, not from other people), and to keep my parka hood off my face (and my face dryer) in case of rain. It's light, can be stuffed into a suitcase or pocket, and inexpensive. For summer I'd suggest a light color, and maybe some mesh for ventilation if it also protects your perfect head from sun damage.

But I'm rethinking after Roberto's suggestion. Just not sure I could pull off the total look. The robe would defeat the summer-cooling purpose. And would people want to kiss my ring? ;-)

I feel your pain, Lee. Re: sweating, age, and hair status.

My wife and I will be making our third trip to Florence in November. The first time I went with a straw fedora, the second with a flat cap. It was near the end of the trip that I realized: no matter how I dress, I'm still going to look like a tourist. So this next time, I'm going strictly for comfort and ease.

Fedoras don't pack well and I didn't like the flat cap. So a baseball hat it will be.

My husband has picked up baseball-style caps in Sorrento (says "Italia") and in Mürren (red cap with white cross, says "Switzerland" on the back) -- when you need a hat, you need a hat.

I wore a baseball cap from my college, California State University Fullerton, during my 19 days in Italy. I was really surprised how many people came up to me and and either said “go Fullerton/Titans” or “go Florida”. I think if you have a hat from one of your favorite teams, it will actually bring some fun into your trip.

Two trips overseas this spring / summer and wore a baseball cap on both. I like the brim for supporting the hood on my rain jacket should it rain. I pack a Buff neck gaiter for sun protection.

I don't think there's anything wrong about a baseball cap with respect to being polite or respectful in another country, however if you're concerned about sun exposure (and sweat) you may want to try a different style.......one that has a back brim as well as a front brim to protect your neck from the sun as well. You don't want to be called a redneck (and I mean that in the literal, word-origin sense -- baseball caps will leave the back of your neck ripe for sunburn).

If you're bald(ing) and going somewhere when you'll be in the sun a lot, I seriously recommend a hat with SPF (otherwise you can burn right through the hat) and a back brim. While many travel-specific hats with secret pockets etc are > $100-$150, you should be able to find one in the $40-$50 range. More than a ball cap, but I think the extra benefits of sun protection would be worth it.

Are you going to leave it on in restaurants and museums? I personally think that is déclassé. Yesterday, before the lights went down, I saw a 50’ish hipster man in a Brooklyn drama theater with his lifestyle-fedora still on, and people seated behind him. What a lout!

Look at the date folks. Lee has been and returned. Necroposted by a 'seller'.

Nice catch, MariaF!

Any hat is fine, but to Michael.. I'll wear my MAGA hat before a Nike hat anytime Ha ha.

I always wear a baseball hat. In the Frankfurt airport, the security guy looked at me and said "Go Sox". Walking down the street, in Italy, some random person said the same thing. I was the only person at the top of the Tower in Pisa wearing a vintage San Diego Padres hat. Go with what works for you and remove it in churches.

Lisalu, believe me, wearing a baseball cap will NOT make you stick out as Americans. You will be pleasantly surprised that the whole world wears baseball caps, jeans, white sneakers, messenger bags, and t-shirts. What they don't wear is parachute pants, safari vests with a 100 pockets, or tilley hats.

In recent months it seems like it's better to come off as a Canadian than an American....wear a Leafs or Habs hat and you'll get to meet all sorts of Canadians. Leafs fans are always looking for an opportunity to commiserate and the Habs fans are always looking for a chance to rub it in to the Leafs fans. :)
A ball cap is fine...but one that is logo free is what I wear. I have a nice waxed cotton hat that is very waterproof and it never looks out of place. Remove the lid indoors....(churches, museums, crypts, you can do it). That's were the ball cap translates to boorish. When you dine with a hat on you sort of brand yourself as a bit clueless.

What they don't wear is parachute pants, safari vests with a 100
pockets, or tilley hats.

Hmmm, where we travel, plenty of Tilley hats! Just Google all the retail companies that sell Tilley hats for both men and women - travel, outdoor adventure, leisure, beaches, outdoor festivals! They have been popular for over 30 years, just as ball caps have been.