Winter, dominated by berets and beanies, is almost over. This spring, why not learn about “watch hats”?
In the classic movie “Léon: The Professional,” the adorable Mathilda gave us the iconic look of a “choker + shorts + bomber jacket.” Today, we’re going to talk about the little round cap that hit the ears on the hitman Leon’s head, which has a special name—the watch hat.
At first glance, the watch cap looks like a flat cap without a brim—it was originally a uniform cap worn by sailors in Brittany, France, and was called “Miki Breton”.
It has no brim (to increase the possibility of being blown away by strong sea winds), and there are straps on both sides to tie it to the chin. It is mostly made of materials such as wool and leather, and is windproof, warm and practical.
Even though “Léon: The Professional” is a classic, the watch hat on Leon’s head remained relatively unknown until the last two years when it was frequently picked up by fashionistas and became a niche yet unique accessory.
There’s another harsh reason why watch hats haven’t become a huge hit: they’re quite demanding in terms of head and face shape. I once had a friend with a large head who bought a sailor hat online, only to tragically find that it didn’t fit…
The French brand Béton Ciré played a major role in the “revival” of watch hats.
This hat brand, founded in 2013 by Mario Faundez and Amélie Le Roux, features two crossed oars as its logo, and its first product was a modified Brittany watch hat.
Béton Ciré’s classic six-piece watch hat features a three-dimensional brim and adjustable leather Velcro closures. Each hat is handcrafted.
As for the most practical matching rule, since watch hats are a little similar in shape to beanies, they can be matched with most street fashion styles.
Watch hats aren’t just made of canvas. Their modified version looks like a shorter beanie, which is warmer than canvas and more suitable for wearing in spring and autumn.
To put it simply, if this outfit is paired with a beanie, then the watch hat won’t look too bad!
Ah, don’t think that watch hats are only for men. Girls can wear them in a unique style, and they’re especially suitable for mixing and matching.
Besides Béton Ciré, you can also find sailor hats from these brands.
Following Béton Ciré, the young Japanese brand The HWDog & Co has also launched a series of retro watch hats, emphasizing the craftsmanship concept of “MADE IN JAPAN,” and also offering some printed styles.
This season, Aungwinter also introduced two eye-catching velvet watch caps and they’re a true test of your styling skills.
