Beyond Baseball: 59FIFTY Hats are a Staple in Streetwear and Hip Hop Culture

Streetwear culture is not a new thing and the streets have long been an inspiration for designers and artists. Something that started as a way to describe comfortable clothing worn by people following the surf and skateboarding culture in LA, soon became popular with youth culture scenes, especially within the hip hop and skateboarding circles in New York.

You must have heard Jay-Z’s Empire State of Mind, where he famously proclaims “I made the Yankee hat more famous than a Yankee can”. It’s the New Era 5950 hat, which may seem like a simple accessory to some, but the truth is, it’s much more than that. Also known as the Brooklyn style hat, it’s an iconic staple with a rich history and contemporary appeal.

The History of 59FIFTY Hats

New Era started making caps for the Cleveland Indians in 1934 and since then it’s been making hats for Major League Baseball. The 59 FIFTY, the originator of the true fitted baseball cap made its debut in 1954, but it became available to the public more than 20 years later, in 1978. Today, you can find a wide selection of 5950 hats and choose one, or more, whether it be for fashion or sport.

Many people are wondering what does 59FIFTY stand for, however, there is not a big story behind it. In 1954, the owner of New Era, Harold Koch, son of Ehrhardt, the founder, named the cap after the roll of fabric used in producing the original design, so it was basically a model number that kind of stuck.

New Era was founded in the 1920s by Ehrhardt Koch and little did he know that it would start a revolution in the hat and fashion industry. The company had only 14 employees and was located in Buffalo, New York.

In 1932, New Era made its first version of a baseball cap and what began as the creators of the Cleveland Indians baseball caps turned into the official cap supplier for Major League Baseball. Over time the brand has become synonymous with caps worn for fashion, too. They have released both men’s, women’s and kids’ ranges that boast the same details and quality.

From 1954 the design remained almost unchanged until the 1980s, when the teams got the option to have other colours on the under-visor of their hats rather than green, which was believed could help with the sun’s glare, causing less stress on the players’ eyes. The design supports the shape of the cap and keeps its front from bending or wearing.

The New York Yankees have long associated people, in the USA and overseas, with superior US athletes. A baseball team with cultural impact, and if there is one symbolic relic of that impact, it’s definitely the Yankee fitted caps. It has had a monumental involvement in baseball as well as in many facets of style, fashion and culture for many years now.

Despite its simplicity of design, a great amount of work goes into the crafting of every single cap. It’s a process that involves more than 20 steps and the dedication and effort of more than 20 employees, which can make you appreciate a 59FIFTY even more the next time you see it.

Today, the 59 FIFTY fitted hats are worn by athletes, including the MLB, NBA, NHL, NFL, as well as hip hop artists, but also, they are part of the street culture fashion around the world. The crown of the 59FIFTY hat is a structured high crown that best fits a head shape that’s more squared off or like a high crown look and the visor of every 59FIFTY is flat.

But if the high crown is not the best choice for your head shape, then you can opt for the 59FIFTY Low Profile fitted hat. It has all the features just like the original 59FIFTY, only in a low-profile design, with a low sloping crown and a slight curve in the visor.

How to Choose Your 59FIFTY

The regular 59FIFTY is the style of fitted that professional MLB baseball players wear on the field. And what began as a uniform for baseball, later became a symbol for self-expression. A 59FIFTY cap is a great choice if you are looking for something authentic, but since it is a fitted hat, you will have to know your size for a proper fit.

To determine your hat size, take a measuring tape and measure around your head where the cap will sit, right above your eyebrows and ears. For a perfect fit, keep in mind that the cap should not be too tight, instead there should be a little room to spare between your head and your hat to avoid an uncomfortable feel. A hat that is loose-fitting, on the other hand, will fall off easily.

But you don’t need to worry too much if the hat is too small or too big. There is a simple trick to ensure you get the proper fit, so if it’s too small, just wet the interior sweatband and put the hat on while it’s still damp as it may help it stretch a bit. If it’s too big, do the same thing, but instead of putting your hat on, blow dry it to shrink the size down a little bit.