Newsboy Caps

About Newsboy Caps

The newsboy cap has roots in working-class Britain and America in the late 1800s, when it was standard street wear for young paperboys and market workers. The rounded, panelled crown gave it more volume than a flat cap, making it a practical and distinctive shape that stood out from the crowd. By the early twentieth century it had crossed class lines and become everyday wear for men across both sides of the Atlantic.

At HatsXCaps, we stock newsboy caps in the materials that suit the style best. Wool and tweed are the natural fits, warm and textured with a classic look that works with everything from a heavy overcoat to a simple shirt. Cotton and linen versions carry the same silhouette into warmer months with a lighter, more relaxed feel. Leather newsboy caps have a harder edge and pair well with more urban or modern outfits. The style works for men and women and has enough versatility to sit comfortably in a casual wardrobe or a smarter one.

If you like the low-crown look, our Flat Caps sit in similar territory with a less voluminous profile, and our Fiddler Caps offer another short-brim option worth considering.

FAQs

What is a newsboy cap actually called?

The newsboy cap goes by several names depending on where you are. In the UK it is most commonly called a baker boy cap or paperboy cap. Gatsby cap is another widely used name, drawn from the 1920s aesthetic the style is associated with. You will also see it listed as a newsboy hat, a newsboy flat cap, or simply a newsie. All of these names refer to the same hat: a rounded, multi-panel crown with a short forward-facing brim and a button at the top center.

What is the Peaky Blinders cap called?

The cap worn by the Shelby family in Peaky Blinders is a newsboy cap. The show is set in early twentieth-century Birmingham, where the style was standard working-class street wear, and the costume department leaned into that authenticity throughout the series. The rounded, multi-panel crown and short stiff brim you see on Tommy and the rest of the gang is exactly the newsboy silhouette, typically rendered in wool or tweed in dark, muted tones. If you want to recreate the look, a structured wool or tweed newsboy cap in charcoal, grey, or dark brown is the closest match.

Who should wear a newsboy cap?

Anyone who likes the look. The newsboy cap suits a wide range of face shapes, and the fuller crown actually makes it one of the more forgiving hat styles to wear. It tends to work particularly well on oval and oblong face shapes, where the added volume balances out longer features. For rounder faces, a structured cap in a slightly smaller size keeps the proportions in check. The style has no age ceiling and works for men and women equally well.

Are newsboy caps in style in 2026?

Yes. The newsboy cap never really left, and it is currently in a strong position. The broader revival of heritage menswear, workwear-influenced styling, and early twentieth-century aesthetics has kept the baker boy and newsboy silhouette relevant across both casual and more considered wardrobes. It also benefits from being genuinely useful in colder months, which means it earns its place without relying entirely on trend cycles.