«Does your cap have some kind of meaning?»
10.7.2018
Translation: Jessica Johnson-Ferguson
Since starting my job at Galaxus, I’ve often been asked if my baseball cap has some kind of meaning. To put you in the picture: I’m a skinhead. Not politically but follicly speaking. That’s why I often wear caps. But to answer the question: yes and no.
Flashback to my thirties and bye-bye to my hair. This kind of thing doesn’t happen overnight. Instead, it’s the kind of farewell that take years. Long, painful years in which my once healthy head of hair fell victim to the ravages of time. Lock by lock, follicle by follicle turning to dust. And then there came a time when the naked truth could no longer be denied: I was bald.
Gress vs. Gross
What next? Compensate with a comb-over or opt for tabula rasa? Should I go for the Gilbert or the Christian look?
I go for the Gross version – yeah, not that kind of gross – and shave my now completely bald head every second day. When you first start losing your hair, it’s a pretty rotten feeling. However, you gradually get used to it and at some stage you wouldn’t change your baldness for the world. At least that’s how I feel.
Does my cap have a special meaning? Nope.
But there’s still one problem. I always look the same. Blokes blessed with hair can switch between short and long styles. They can play around with colour (dear men: stay away from blond tips), perms or whatever else there is. But if you’re bald, you’re bald. The look stays the same. The solution? Headwear. In my case this is a cap. From Packers to Phillies, football to baseball or 9FIFTY Snapback to 59FIFTY. So no, my cap doesn’t have a particular meaning but it does prevent me from looking the same day in, day out.
Do da Spyda
A baseball cap is also a beautiful pastime! I have no idea how long it takes to learn the following move:
Does my cap have a special meaning? Sure it does!
I started my baseball cap career back in the early 90s when I still had hair. Those were the last years in which Joe Montana was a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers. A man who's a household name for any fan of American Football. For everyone else: Joe Montana is one of the best quarterbacks the game ever saw. My first baseball cap? Take a wild guess. Red & Gold of course.
Since then, countless caps of other teams and sports have been added to my collection. Meanwhile, I’m particularly fascinated by the franchise logos. The Americans are great at those. The designs are generally no-frills. My current favourite:
The Green Bay Packers. NFL record-breaking champions, winners of the first Super Bowl and most iconic team of the whole league. I’m going through a green phase at the moment.
So I guess you could say my cap does have a deeper meaning to me than merely serving as headwear.
Last but not least
In 1920, the German immigrant Erhardt Koch established the «New Era Cap Company» in Buffalo, New York. The company started off by producing fashionable caps with a Gatsby look. New Era then went on to produce their first professional baseball cap in 1934. It was made for the home and away kit for the Cleveland Indians. The business has been in family hands for four generations and is the market leader when it comes to sports headwear.
So what cap is next in line? Probably this little gem from the current NBA champions:
All caps available from Galaxus range
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Patrick Bardelli
Senior Editor
Patrick.Bardelli@digitecgalaxus.chFrom radio journalist to product tester and storyteller, jogger to gravel bike novice and fitness enthusiast with barbells and dumbbells. I'm excited to see where the journey'll take me next.
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