What Does the Upside-Down LA Dodgers Hat Mean?

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The popular streetwear trend explained
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Whether you’ve been to a Dodgers game recently or not, you may have seen an upside-down LA baseball cap. But why is the logo upside down? Is it disrespectful, a funky rally cap, or something else entirely? We’ll answer all of your questions and more!

What the Upside-Down LA Dodgers Hat Means

For the vast majority of people, the upside-down LA hat is likely just a fashion choice. These hats (and the upside-down logo design) have become quite trendy in recent years, especially in the subcultures of hip hop and streetwear.

Section 1 of 3:

What does the upside-down LA hat mean?

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  1. 1
    Most of the time, it’s just a fashion thing. In the vast majority of cases, the upside-down LA hat doesn’t mean anything. It’s just a fashionable clothing option, especially in the streetwear and hip hop world, where these hats tend to be especially popular.
    • The same way that baseball caps come in different colors and different styles, some of them come with different logos. The upside-down “LA” design is just a popular variation because the logo is still easily recognizable.
  2. 2
    Some people use the upside-down hat to signal distress about a game. In the US Navy, an upside-down American flag is a symbol of distress. Basically, a ship might fly the upside-down flag if their engine blows out or they run ashore and require assistance. So, an LA Dodgers fan might opt for the upside-down hat as a way of expressing the need for a big trade or luck getting back in the race after a few losing games. [1]
    • In recent years, an upside-down American flag has become a protest symbol. [2] If someone is an especially passionate Dodgers fan and they’re having an especially rough year, a fan might wear the upside-down hat as a way of expressing displeasure with the organization.
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  3. 3
    It could be used as a “rally cap” when a team is behind. In the world of baseball, an upside-down hat (literally, you flip it inside out so the brim is reversed) is called a “rally cap.” Basically, if your team is losing, you might flip the hat you’re wearing inside-out to “reverse” your fortunes. Someone who doesn’t want to ruin their hat might just swap their normal cap out for an upside-down logo variant instead. [3]
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Section 2 of 3:

Where did the upside-down LA hat come from?

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  1. The brand Kill the Hype LA is credited with inventing it. Kill the Hype LA (aka KTH) is a Los Angeles-based streetwear brand. The word on the street is that they were the first brand to invent the upside-down LA hat logo, which would partially explain why the upside-down logo hat isn’t nearly as popular in cities outside of LA.
    • The hats became especially popular after Chris Brown started wearing and promoting them.
Section 3 of 3:

Why do some people think the upside-down hat is disrespectful?

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  1. It goes back to the tradition of “flipping” in graffiti and gangs. Also known as “dropping,” “flipping” is the act of turning something upside down as a diss. A gang member might “flip” a rival gang sign by putting the logo or hand sign upside down, and a graffiti writer might write a rival’s name upside down (or backwards) as an insult. [4] As a result, some people think the upside-down LA hat is intended to be a sign of disrespect (although that’s not true).
    • As an aside, while the act of writing or displaying something upside down is disrespectful in both the gangbanging and graffiti writing subcultures, graffiti artists don’t actually have anything to do with gangs.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.newsweek.com/upside-down-flag-meaning-yosemite-federal-workers-distress-2035440
      2. ↑ https://www.npr.org/2024/06/03/nx-s1-4987590/upside-down-american-flag-protest-symbol-history
      3. ↑ https://www.rallycapclub.com/blogs/rally-cap-club/atlanta-braves-2023-season-a-quest-for-glory-and-redemption?srsltid=AfmBOoru808snkD84MzaagcIZi4v8gNlyIK_c2ArkoWUEIZyBNzf3hNF
      4. ↑ https://www.everettwa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/910/Gang-Recognition-Guide

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