The ivy cap — also called a duckbill — is the lightweight, low-crowned descendant of the flat caps worn by working men across Europe from at least the seventeenth century. A soft rounded crown pulled forward over a short, stiff peak: quick to cut, cheap to make, smart to wear. American campuses of the 1950s and 60s adopted the neater versions and gave the style its collegiate name — and it remains the most quietly handsome cap in the range.
