Stickers: To keep or not to keep, that is the question. I can remember vividly when I got into the whole “fitted hat” scene and although I’m an Atlanta Braves fan, it wasn’t because of my years of watching David Justice or John Smoltz win. Neither did my fitted hat fandom start when Tom Glavine and Greg Maddox learned that chicks dig the long ball. It happened when I learned that NON Major or Minor League baseball teams–nay–non-sports teams and brands could create their own New Era caps. Say WORD!?!

Once my eyes were opened, a new lane of which to stunt on these “lames” was instantly opened to me. You see, in South Carolina–believe it or not–streetwear is not all the rage. So to rock a New Era fitted, with the golden sticker, and it NOT be from a MLB team gave me the ogling that I was looking for. But after a couple years of that I went back to wearing the official team hats because at the end of the day, you can’t go wrong with a classic Braves fitted. I mean, rocking a hat with a snappy one-liner on the front is cool and all but after a while the joke gets stale.

My transition back to official team wear was right around the time New Era started selling Authentic on-field caps (or when I became aware that said hats were available for public consumption). Now, truth be told, up until that point you could have dubbed me the South Carolina president of the “Keep the sticker on the brim” Club; it was a title I wore with pride. And the fact that these game ready caps had a huge black sticker on the brim made me salivate in ways that should be reserved for only the finest of cuisines. However, a dilemma presented itself: after a couple months of wear that big sticker starts hanging on for dear life and makes the hat look extra sloppy. So one day I gritted my teeth, squinted my eyes together, and ripped that puppy off. SSSCRRRIPPP!

Well…that wasn’t so bad. In fact, I thought that it made the hat look better. No, the omnipresent New Era flag wasn’t on the side panel of the cap and with the sticker removed there was no longer any visible branding on my cap but I doubt anyone would challenge whether or not I was rocking that real and if they did all I had to do was punch them in the face show them the inside of the cap. Done deal.

Even though I have resigned my position of the sticker on the brim club (South Carolina chapter) I don’t judge people that prefer to keep the sticker on their hat. I understand that they may not have had their proverbial “come to Jesus” moment. Plus it’s not like they’re spending my cash so far be it for me to tell another person how to spend their money. I can say though, that the need to show everyone that I’m rocking a New Era has diminished a bit over the years, especially with so many talented companies coming up and, dare I say, creating products that are as good or better than the old standard. I have opinions now. Besides, if said company embroiders their logo on the side of the cap it’s that enough corporate ad space on my head? Isn’t the sticker overdoing it just a bit?

The GREAT STICKER DEBATE at its core is a marketing issue. New Era uses it as a branding tool and it’s own it is nothing more than a creative embellishment. Sort of like holographic stickers on officially licensed college paraphernalia. But combine that with their spectacular licensing deal with Major and Minor league baseball and the same sticker becomes more than a sticker. It becomes the benchmark and as any company worth their salt knows that once you gain BENCHMARK status (Google, Kleenex, Xerox, Coca-Cola, etc.) the world becomes your oyster. A consumer’s “need” to keep the sticker on their hat deserves a tip of the cap (pun intended) to a marketing job well done.

I’ve decided to free myself from the constraints of the sticker and my life is better for it but that was my personal decision to do so. I just ask that when you debate with your friends about whether it is cool to keep it on or not, first examine yourself and your reasons for rocking it. Once you determine that, you might find that you don’t have much to talk about.

Do you?

KJ runs the website H1GHER LEARNING, which is dedicated to the proper documentation of Southern streetwear culture. More insights and opinions than product shots and release dates (if you’re into that kind of thing) so read at your own risk. You can virtually stalk him on Twitter too.