Reiss

Likewise, while it’s not a hat for all seasons – linen versions may work for summer, but the flat cap is essentially a cold-weather style – it is a hat for almost all occasions. Unlike the baseball cap, the flat cap is as at home with tailoring as with jeans and T-shirt, flattering most faces into the bargain.

Opting for one in a neutral colour such as navy or dark grey will offer up the most versatility. Introduce one as part of a monochrome look consisting of black tailored trousers, a grey T-shirt and a navy bomber jacket, and it’ll serve you well in a casual office environment as well as the weekend.

Wear It With

Best Flat Cap Brands

Lock & Co

Unarguably one of the UK’s most esteemed hatters – its namesake’s story in hat-making can be traced back to the 1750s, and the company is said to have invented the bowler hat – this is the place to go should you ever need a hot weather flat cap. They have styles in cashmere and Escorial wool, but also linen.

Garrison Tailors

Yes, there really is an official ‘Peaky Blinders’ flat cap, not least because the TV show’s creator, Steven Knight, set up a company to make them and other clothing befitting a Brummie hoodlum at the turn of the last century. The English-made tweed style names? Arthur, Thomas and Shelby, of course.

Bailey Hats

One of the all-time great American hatmakers, it was Bailey – once better known as Bailey of Hollywood – that made hats for all the big stars of the golden era of cinema, Gary Cooper and Cary Grant among them. Grant’s best hat moment? In None But the Lonely Heart, wearing a flat cap throughout. Bailey’s also makes them in showerproof cotton.

Kangol

Better known for its bucket hats – LL Cool J might spring to mind – Kangol is the definitive headwear of US hip-hop, despite being a British brand. It adopted its marsupial logo only in 1983 to deal with American’s persistently and puzzlingly asking for ‘the Kangaroo hat’. Its cloche-like 504 flat cap is a classic.