Hatfishing is when someone wears a hat, cap or beanie in every single photo on their dating profile. The usual reason is to hide thinning hair, a receding hairline or baldness. The surprise comes on the first date, when the hat comes off.
It is a mild, mostly harmless cousin of catfishing. Nobody is pretending to be a different person, but the profile is quietly hiding something the other person will find out about fairly quickly.
Where the term comes from
Hatfishing is a play on catfishing and its many spin-offs, such as kittenfishing. It started appearing in dating articles, memes and app culture in the late 2010s, as people on dating apps began noticing how many profiles never showed the person without a hat.
It is mostly used about men, since hair loss is more common among them, but anyone can do it.
What hatfishing looks like
- A hat in every photo, including indoor shots, nights out and formal events.
- Photos where a hat would be odd (a wedding, a dinner) but there it is anyway.
- A mix of caps, beanies and bucket hats, but never bare hair.
- Group photos where they are the only one wearing a hat.
- Profile prompts that mention being “a hat guy” or hats being part of their style.
One or two hat photos is just a style choice. Every single one is what makes people notice.
An example
You match with Tom. Good smile, funny prompts, six photos: a beanie on a hike, a baseball cap at a festival, a flat cap at a pub, and a trilby at a wedding. You meet for a drink, and he arrives without a hat. He is completely bald.
You do not mind at all, but you are a bit thrown that every photo seemed designed to avoid showing it. The baldness is fine. The hiding is what makes it a bit awkward.
Why people do it
- Insecurity. Hair loss can be a real knock to confidence, especially in your twenties or thirties.
- Fear of being swiped left. Some people worry that showing their hairline will mean fewer matches.
- Habit. People who wear hats a lot in daily life may not have many photos without one.
- Style. For some, hats really are part of how they dress, and they do not see it as hiding anything.
It is rarely meant as deception. It is mostly someone trying to put their best foot forward and overdoing it.
Hatfishing vs catfishing vs kittenfishing
Catfishing means using a fake identity or someone else’s photos entirely. That is a serious deception. Kittenfishing is the milder version: heavily filtered or very old photos, a fudged height or age. Hatfishing is a specific type of kittenfishing, where one feature is hidden rather than faked.
It sits in similar territory to height on a profile. If you are unsure whether to be upfront about that, see should you put your height in your dating profile.
What to do about it
If you are the one wearing the hat
The honest truth is that hiding it usually does more harm than showing it. Plenty of people find bald or shaved heads attractive, and confidence about it goes a long way. A first date that starts with “oh, I didn’t expect that” is harder than one that starts with no surprises.
- Keep one or two hat photos if you like how you look in them.
- Add at least one clear, well-lit photo without a hat.
- If you are going bald, consider owning it with a clean shave or a short cut.
- Lead with your best features, like your smile, your hobbies and your sense of humour.
Our guides on what photos work best on dating apps and how to choose your best dating profile photos cover the mix of shots that tend to get the best response.
If you have matched with a hatfisher
It is usually not a big deal. If you are curious, a light-hearted question works fine:
Okay, I have to ask: are the hats a style thing or are you secretly a superhero hiding your identity?
Nice hat collection. Do you ever take them off, or is it a full commitment?
Most people will laugh and tell you. If it genuinely matters to you, it is better to find out before meeting than to feel caught out on the night.
Are you doing it?
Scroll through your own profile. If you cannot find a photo where your full head is visible, you might be hatfishing, even unintentionally. Swap one photo for a clear, natural shot and see how it goes.
FAQs
What does hatfishing mean?
Hatfishing means wearing a hat in all your dating profile photos, usually to hide hair loss or a receding hairline. The term is a play on catfishing.
Is hatfishing the same as catfishing?
No. Catfishing involves a fake identity. Hatfishing is a small, specific omission. It is closer to kittenfishing, where someone shows a slightly flattering version of themselves.
Is it bad to wear a hat in dating profile photos?
Not at all. One or two hat photos are fine. It only becomes hatfishing when every photo has a hat and you never get a clear view of the person’s head.
Do people mind if their date is bald?
Most people care far less than you might think. What tends to bother people is feeling misled, not the hair loss itself. Being upfront in your photos avoids that completely.