As an Elderly Millennial, I Was Shook by This Brooklyn Summer Fashion Trend

I’ve never felt older

Author image: jillian quint, editor-in-chief of purewow

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Published Jun 21, 2024

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Once upon a time in Brooklyn (aka: 2008), I was cool. I listened to Arcade Fire. I posted “night out” photos (typically wearing a going out top) to Facebook. I dated guys in tight pants who I met on Nerve.com. And when I needed the perfect topper to go with my skinny jeans and leather jacket, I tossed on my trucker hat.

Over the years, my style adapted. My pants got wider, my Converse turned to Cariumas, and my hats became less indie sleaze and more classic snapback or five-panel. (I’m 5’1” and have a small head, so the added height was flattering.) I thought I had found a good thing.

So imagine my surprise when I recently made a trek to the cool part of Brooklyn—aka McCarren Park—and discovered my beloved high-crown hats were way out of style. What were all the cool kids wearing? Low-profile dad caps.

Jillian Quint

What’s a dad cap, you ask? Well, it’s similar, but not identical, to your classic baseball cap, in the sense that it’s made from soft cotton or canvas with a low height that fits snug atop the head. The difference is that there is no structure to it; the brim is typically rounded, and the back adjusts with a fabric slider rather than a plastic snap. The overall look is effortless and nostalgic, and pairs well with high socks (another gen z/millennial divide) and pouchy, high-waisted shorts. (See above, for a trucker hat on the left and a dad cap on the right.)

After slinking out of the park and back to my less cool part of Brooklyn, I immediately ransacked my closet for one, and tested it out over the course of the next week. The verdict? I felt hipper and more modern, but my pea-head looked small! And so, after a solid attempt at pulling one off, I decided on a happy medium: a pink running cap that’s still low and flexible, but with a little bit of structure.