guides
Why Is Everybody Wearing Bass Pro Shops Hats? The Gen Z Hat Trend Explained
No cap, but this cap is what Gen Z wants to wear. Bass Pro Shops hats, with mesh in the back and fish in the front, are covering the scalps of some of TikTok's hottest teen stars, and of people in their twenties and thirties too. But why this hat, and why now?
Where Did Bass Pro Shop Hats Come From?
Bass Pro Shops hats come from the Bass Pro Shops company, which started in 1972 and started selling branded hats alongside fishing and sporting equipment. For some, the hats have always been fashionable. They were often associated with people who were into fishing and lived in the South, meaning they were coded as "redneck" for many.
Around 2020, that all changed: fashion influencers on YouTube and TikTok started wearing them. The caps became one of the signature looks of early 2020s fashion. If you've been to a kickback or party with Gen Z people, you've probably seen this firsthand.
Why Did People Start Wearing Them On TikTok?
Explaining trends is always hard. But it makes sense that the Bass Pro Shops hats would get popular: they're cheap, breathable, and have a visually striking fish logo on the front. For some, like comedian Kurtis Conner, who was an early adopter of the Bass Pro Shops hat trend, the appreciation began ironically but then turned sincere.
This kind of ironic adoption mirrors the earlier ironic fishing memes trend, in which people joke about being really into fish.
Do Other People Really Think The Bass Pro Shops Hat Is Cool?
There's a lot of disagreement out there. Some have argued that you should only wear Bass Pro Shops hats if you are, in fact, some kind of a bass pro who has caught fish. Others on TikTok have stated that the Bass Pro Shops hat is actually a red flag and is more than a little fratty.
For the full history of "Bass Pro Shop Hats," be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.