Action Bronson’s Hat Game Is Flawless

“I’ll leave it on for a little bit more,” said Action Bronson, from behind NPR’s famed Tiny Desk. “It’s a look. For this first song, this is a look.” The Queens rapper was referring to the hat on his head, an outdoorsy Carhartt fishing cap with a neck flap draping down to his broad, sturdy shoulders. The offbeat accessory didn't make it past the first verse before he chucked it, but the sartorial choice crystallizes a truth about the beloved musician, chef, and TV host: Action Bronson has a hat for every occasion.

Bronson’s personal style skews ultra-casual with a streetwise New York City edge. You’ll usually find him in a T-shirt, shorts, and sneakers—the type of simple clothes ideal for walking around the city’s most obscure neighborhoods in search of a great bite. When the temperature drops, he’ll add in a hoodie or a trench if he’s feeling fancy. (Hell, he even wore shorts when he was photographed for Aimé Leon Dore's Fall-Winter ‘22 lookbook.) He pulls the laidback look off damn well, but Bronson's ensembles are taken to another level entirely via his elite headwear collection, which includes obscure vintage caps, covetable streetwear joints, and a couple of delightfully eccentric options for good measure.

In recent months, Bronson has donned a slew of throwback grails: There was a forest green Land Rover hat, a promotional Jurassic Park cap from 1993, a sturdy USPS hat, and a snapback repping the '90s pro-wrestling promotion Extreme Championship Wrestling. Alongside those vintage numbers, he’s worn new-school joints from Brooklyn-based An Honest Living (like this since sold-out Off-Track Betting bootleg) and the aforementioned Aimé Leon Dore. And then there are the wild cards, like a logo cap from cymbal company Zildjian, a fluorescent yellow nylon running cap, and an “LSD Worldpeace” black denim cap from artist Joe Roberts. (When the moment calls for it, he can even turn a bra into stylish headwear.)

While showing off his footwear collection to GQ earlier this year, Bronson explained his approach to picking sneakers: “I don’t care about the traditional way of design. I just see it, and I do it.” He brings a similar thinking to his headwear: Trust your gut. It’s a little bit of this and a little bit of that. When Bronson sees something he likes, he seems to add it to his collection without a second thought. It’s a fantastic rule of thumb for adding some deeply personal touches to your closet. See a vintage hat that sparks an old memory? An artist you love released a cap? Buy it, wear it, and don’t overthink it. It’s what Action Bronson would want you to do.