Most caps look cheap because most caps are cheap, and the giveaways are always the same: stiff synthetic fabric that never settles, a brim that curls unevenly, embroidery that starts pulling away after three washes. Blue is the colour worth caring about here because it sits in that useful middle ground between a black cap, which can read a bit severe, and a white one, which shows every mark within a week. A well made blue cap works with a grey sweatshirt, with a summer linen shirt left open, with a waxed jacket on a cold Saturday. It does a lot without asking much back. What we have been looking for specifically are caps with structured cotton or wool blend crowns, clean minimal branding, and a fit that sits properly without needing to be cranked to its tightest setting. These are the ones that look considered rather than grabbed. That difference is worth paying attention to.