The Kimes Ranch Trucker Hat: A Classic Yet Modern Accessory To Add To Your Wardrobe

When it comes to Western wear and fashion designs, there's a distinct style that's often associated with it. After all, it's difficult to modernize and recreate that classic Western or cowboy look without including specific elements that are often associated with classic Western style.

Thankfully, it's that clash between the modern and the classic that the Kimes Ranch brand sought to engage with, resulting in the kind of designs that infuse both styles with both originality and timelessness.

The Kimes trucker hats are but one example of how the brand was able to take something classic, put a modern spin on it, and reintroduce it to younger generations as a trendy fashion piece and statement. In fact, a quick look through our online store's catalog showcases just how timeless and trendy Kimes trucker hats are.

But why, exactly, should you choose to add a trucker hat to your repertoire? In this post we'll talk about what makes a trucker hat a trucker hat, why they're still popular, and why a Kimes Ranch trucker hat might fit your choice of style.

What Are Trucker Hats?

The thing that distinguishes a trucker hat from most other hats is that its design includes a foam front section, directly above the brim or bill, that make the hat stand taller than other caps.

Another signature feature of the trucker hat is the snapback. Compared with other caps that are either fitted, or have a strapback, the snapback is distinct to both trucker hats and baseball caps.

Lastly, while the two front panels of a trucker cap are made with foam, the back panels are often a plastic mesh. This mesh makes the cap much cooler on warm and sunny days, giving the wearer a lot more breathability than a cap made from cotton.

Take note that not all snapbacks are trucker caps. In the same way, some of today's trucker hats also omit the foam front. But as long as the hat has that classic breathable mesh and snapback, it can still be counted as a trucker hat.

History Of The Trucker Hat

Before there were trucker caps, the only other caps with a similar design were baseball caps. However, wearing a baseball cap outside of sports was not socially acceptable at the time.

Trucker hat origins are usually traced back to the early 1980s, where feed stores and farming supply companies would give away these caps to farmers, truck drivers, and other rural workers as promotional material.

They were cheaper to produce than baseball caps, which at the time were made from straw or wool. Because of their cheap and promotional nature, they were also known as "feed hats" or "gimme hats" at the time.

Trucker Hat VS Baseball Cap: Which One's For You?

So how do you figure out which style best fits you? A trucker hat or a baseball cap?

Keep in mind that the main characteristics of a trucker hat are the broader front, the breathable mesh at the back, and the snapback. If you're going for that broader front and also want to keep a cooler head, then a trucker hat might be more your style.

Baseball caps, on the other hand, are triangular in shape, have a slightly curved bill. They have a button at the top, called a squatchee, and either fabric eyelets or metal grommets all around for ventilation. In other words, compared to trucker hats, baseball caps are usually made with the same material all around.

So if the baseball cap's triangular construction fits your head better, then a baseball cap might be more suited to your style and look.

What Makes Kimes Ranch Trucker Hats So Popular?

Given the very cheap and promotional history of trucker hats, what makes Kimes Ranch trucker hats so special?

In the past, because most trucker hats were given away as promotional materials, their designs had that very rural and blue collar look and feel to them. What the Kimes Ranch brand does with their hats, on the other hand, is infuse a more modern design and take on the trucker hat.

Simple yet iconic, Kimes Ranch trucker hats pair very classic color palettes and combinations with sleek and modern patterns, textures, and imagery, making them appeal to both the modern and the classic American West enthusiasts.

Who Wears Trucker Hats These Days?

One of the biggest benefits to wearing a trucker hat is, of course, its comfortability. Their breathable meshes allow you to keep cool and shaded even under the hottest weather, while their broad front panels allow you to make all kinds of statements. Whether with an embroidered patch or a bold logo, trucker hats are the perfect head wear to make a statement.

Trucker hats aren't just for guys either. A lot of women find them fashionable and trendy. In fact, a lot of celebrities that have been considered trendsetters like Kylie Jenner, Gigi Hadid, Rihanna, Dua Lipa, and Hailey Bieber, have been seen wearing trucker caps.

And as polarizing as trucker hats may be for some, you have to add to that the fact that other celebrities like Ashton Kutcher, Gwen Stefani, and Lindsay Lohan have all worn trucker hats to the red carpet.

In general, it's Gen Z that has fallen in love and brought back this vintage look. Of course, Gen Z has been known to like bringing back a lot of looks from the past, setting new trends with old accessories and styles. And when it comes to the trucker hat, we definitely hope that the look is here to stay. After all, nothing beats its cool, rugged, and classic look.

Check Out Our Selection of Kimes Ranch Trucker Hats

Now that you've been more acquainted with the history and construction of the iconic trucker hat, feel free to browse through our selection of trucker hats on our website. As a brand that has specialized in western apparel since 1969, we pride ourselves in our excellent customer service and quality products.