When you say “hat” you talk about any headgear that comes with a crown and a brim. It can be of any size. It can also be of any shape. On the other hand, a cap is a type of hat. It comes with a visor. It also has an unshaped crown. The English language has a lot of words that interchange. There are synonyms here and there that add confusion. For example, a convenience store can also be a corner store. If you can call somebody a white-collar job, the same person can be somebody with an office job. There are other words, however, that people think are the same when they are actually not. They may be able to send the meaning across. But technically, the usage is wrong. Say, for example, the words cap and hat. A lot of people tend to interchange these two. The truth is, a cap is a type of hat. But a hat can never be necessarily a cap. Well, that doesn’t sound very clear. But here’s a clear explanation. A Hat A hat is a headwear in different sizes. It can protect the wearer from the harsh effects of the sun. It can also protect you from rain. Hats are always being commonly used for ceremonial purposes. It can also be for safety or even just an accessory. In the olden days, hats tell the world how wealthy you are. It was something that tells society of your status. It was your clue to the world of your social standing. In the Middle Ages, women were actually permitted to show hair. It was a sign of promiscuity. During these times, wealthy women would drape veils on their heads. Those in the lower spectrum of society wear hats. It was a practical choice, especially when working in the fields. In today’s times, hats are those that show your fashion sense. It is no longer a show of your social standing. Hats can be determined because of the shape of their crown and their brims. The Parts of a Hat There are two parts to a hat. The first part is the crown, and the other one is the brim. There are hats, however, that have small crowns. One such example is the kippah. Also, there are hats without brims like the fez. When you talk of the crown, it is the part that wraps around the head. On the other hand, the brim is that extra piece of material that circles the crown. It can be decorative, or it can serve its purpose to shield the head from the sun and the rain. Hats can be from different materials. Most of the time, these are sturdier than the caps. However, not all caps are the same. Some hats are actually knitted. But, if there is something about hats, it is that they come in sizes. They can be small, medium, or large. Some hats can be adjusted as well. The person who makes hats is called a milliner. Milliners would be able to customize a hat to make it fit the head perfectly. A Cap On the other hand, a cap is a type of hat. Caps are always known for their unshaped crowns. This means that the crown follows the shape of the head. And also, instead of a brim, caps have visors at the front. This is the most common design of a cap. Hat vs. Cap Now that we can identify a hat and a cap let’s look at their common denominators. In this part, we also look at their differences. For the reason that the hat has a brim and other parts, it is sturdier. The cap is softer compared to hats. Many hats protect the wearer from the sun. It is also something that can be used for ceremonies like a cap with a toga during graduation. At times, hats are also used for fashion. On the other hand, caps do not have brims. The visor can only block the face from the rays of the sun. Aside from that, most caps are being used for fashion purposes. Aside from fashion, caps are also common during sporting or informal activities. When to Wear a Hat vs. When to Wear a Cap It is technically correct to call a cap a hat. This is because it really is a hat. But when you call a fedora hat a cap, it is grammatically wrong. For example, a baseball player usually wears a baseball cap. Technically, you can also say that the baseball player is wearing a hat. It is correct. If you want to be specific with the baseball player, it is a cap. But when you call it a hat, you are also correct. But for example, when we see members of the Royal Family wearing a velvet hat. You can actually say that the member of the Royal Family is wearing a velvet hat. But you can never say that they are wearing a velvet cap.