If there’s one thing we know for sure about 2025’s headwear trends, it’s that they’re earphobic. The popularity of balaclavas, bonnets and snoods has made it clear that ears are very out of fashion — and covering them up is all the rage.
The latest example of this anti-auditory dressing can be seen in the return of the once-derided hats with flaps. For the standard British brain, these are most closely associated with Dappy, one third of late 2000s UK rap group N-Dubz.
It’s the kind of unexpected resurgence that would shock the life out of anyone who had a fully developed frontal lobe in 2009 — had they not already been inured to shock by the revival of skinny jeans, patterned tights, and skirts over jeans, all of which have dominated 2025 fashion trends.
Hats with flaps are just another piece of evidence proving that anything, truly anything, can come back from the dead. “The trapper hat will forever have a place in late-2000s British pop style,” says stylist Corina Gaffey.
“It also leans heavily into the indie-sleaze aesthetic, making a massive return. Faux fur hats were a staple of that era, usually paired with party dresses and printed tights, and their return taps into that carefree, embracing personal style, anything-goes aesthetic.”
Various forms of this headwear have been appearing on the runways and amongst the street style set since 2024. The autumn/winter 2025 catwalks saw furry Ushanka hats (well known as a Russian cold weather staple) crop up in the collection of two very different brands: Elie Saab and DSquare2.
The brands styled their hats in entirely different ways, proving the item’s versatility. At Elie Saab, a black Ushanka was paired with an office-siren-esque bodycon dress, while DSquared2 made things a little more indie sleaze, draping a naked dress over y-front styled underwear, complete with a huge khaki puffer jacket.
Gaffey notes that while trapper hats had been “bubbling under the surface” since 2024, only now are they becoming more widely worn.
“They were seen on the runways of Off-White last season and Ralph Lauren this season and are now tipping into the mainstream,” she says. “Hats in general are having a moment this season, from pillar box to cossack, and trapper hats are the perfect blend of nostalgic and directional. Their resurgence leans into the current obsession with the noughties in fashion and the indie sleaze revival. Coupled with that, there's a faux fur obsession across the runways for coats, and it's inching into hats, too, adding a textural and fun spin to any outfit.”
The furry Ushanka hat has been spotted on several celebrities, including woman-of-the-hour Rosalía, who could be seen wearing an oversized version in a photo dump posted during the creation of Lux, her latest album.
Meanwhile, more stripped-back trapper and chullo-style hats have been spotted on the likes of A$AP Rocky and Iris Law, who have both been spotted wearing Chanel creations in recent months.
And they’ve quickly filtered down from the runways to the ready-to-wear market, with JW Anderson and Vivienne Westwood both selling versions of the headwear. Haider Ackermann doubled down on the trend with his latest Snow Goose collection, in collaboration with Canadian brand Canada Goose, which heavily featured hats made out of a puffer material with attachable flaps that can be worn overhead or connected at the chin.
So, how does one don a Dappy hat without looking too, well, Dappy?
“It's always about contrast and intention when styling a nostalgic item to make it look more modern and chic,” Gaffey advises. “The best thing about the trapper hat is that the faux fur means it's going to be super cosy and keep you warm, so team it with a tailored maxi coat for a super chic ensemble, and the contrast between the hat's volume and the coat's sleekness. It's all about balancing the hat's softness and volume with clean lines - so think leather jackets, trench coats, funnel neck wool coats, or keep the palette minimal — grey, camel, olive is ideal.
“If you want to lean into its more street-style history, go with loose jeans, bomber jackets, or tech jackets; it's all about keeping the trapper hat as an accessory that adds a modern, fun edge to any outfit.”
It might all feel a little too 2010, but take our word for it: flaps are back and ears are out for 2026.
The best hats with ear flaps to buy now:
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Woollen trim striped hat, £360, jwanderson.com
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Faux fur trapper hat, £375, ralphlauren.co.uk
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Cashmere ear flap beanie, £57, uk.slipintosoft.com
Faux fur trapper hat, £59, tomfoolerylondon.co.uk
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Umbro brown trapper hat, £20, urbanoutfitters.com
