Cap it up with style
Neerja Bahadur
This is that time of the year when you have to brace yourself for the cold gusts of wind. Warm clothes, mittens, woollen socks and leather boots, you need layers to keep yourself snug in the season. At the same time, winter also gives you a chance to update your wardrobe and experiment with accessories that you can’t flaunt in summer. Caps are one such winter essential that also up your style quotient. Though these first came into prominence solely as a shield against cold, over the years the cap has became a must-have fashion accessory.
On the trend-o-meter
Popularity of caps has never dimmed in the West. These have seldom gone out of fashion. In the cold months, designers and fashion labels around the world suggest people to don their hats before venturing out for a party or work. Earlier confined to sportspersons, wearing caps now is as much about functionality as it is about making a style statement. It is as important an accessory as a pair of sunglasses, trendy shoes or a scarf.
Smelling business in this segment, leading designers and fashions houses are offering an array of smart headgear for all occasions, ranging from caps worn with a pair of casual jeans and T-shirts to those that are ideal for formal social dos and night-outs with friends.
Caps can be made from a variety of materials, including leather and lace, cotton, polyester, silk and slick vinyls in primary colours. It also explains why caps are trending from the fashion runways of Paris, Milan and New York to the streets of Mumbai and Delhi. From time to time, Models and Bollywood stars have made style statements with their chic caps.
An all-season accessory
Interestingly, over the years, cap has become an all-season accessory. If there are woollen beanies and knit caps for winter, for summer, the list includes those made from cotton and other lightweight material. Though it is a unisex accessory, labels are coming up with exclusive designs for men and women.
Women can make a great style statement in an iconic Burberry striped cap or a Gucci knit cashmere check or even a Miu Miu two-tone cap. For casual chic, nothing beats a sporty Ralph Lauren pony cap or a DKNY XCara beanie. Any of these when paired with smart outfits like blue jeans, sweatshirt, athletic shoes and dark glasses can instantly up the style quotient of the wearer.
Even for men, a cap is a safe fashion bet. Flat caps, baseball caps or even newsboy caps are very popular with youngsters. The trend may have something to do with Bollywood movies, where actors spell the trends for the season.
Starting with top heroes of the sixties and seventies like Dev Anand, Shammi Kapoor and Rajesh Khanna to the current crop of stars like Hrithik Roshan, Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Salman Khan and Aamir Khan all have worn caps, hats, beanies in some or the other Bollywood flick.
Rise in popularity
Once available only at local markets, caps are now a part of the retail merchandise at online and physical clothes’ outlets across the country. A measure of rising popularity of caps in India can be gauged from the fact that all leading online stores like Flipkart, Myntra, Jabong, Snapdeal, Amazon and a host of others virtual stores have complete segments devoted to headgear.
The highest sales are still clocked by sportswear brands like Nike, Puma, Adidas, Reebok, Levi’s, Proline and others. The prices of caps from designer labels can vary a lot. While many caps and beanies can come for under Rs 200, the ones sold by top-sportswear labels usually range between Rs 800 and Rs 2,000. However, if you have money to splurge, you can buy a Gucci baseball cap for Rs 34,000 or a Mark Jacobs leather and pin cap for Rs 33,000.
Follow your own style
Intestingly, over the years a lot has changed as far as designs of caps are concerned. Some of the most popular ones include the baseball caps followed by flat caps, newsboy caps, peaked caps and beanies. Each has its own distinct style and should be teamed up keeping in mind the complete look or the occasion. In a nutshell, a cap has to complement what all you wear.
ON THE HIT LIST
Baseball cap is among the most popular casual headwears. It traces its popularity to American baseball players who wore the cap while playing the sport. It is distinguished by a stiff peak and a soft top. As far as the size goes, there’s usually a velcro strap at the back for a better fit.
Newsboy cap is named so as it was worn by journalists in the early years of the last century. Though it initially started off as an accessory for men, it soon became a unisex design. The rounded cap is soft but has a stiff brim. It is panelled with a button on the top and sometimes also on the brim.
Flat cap is virtually the same as a newsboy cap except that its brim is a bit shorter. It has a soft top and is mostly made of wool for winter or cotton for summer. However, in the last few decades the flat cap made of tweed has caught the imagination of the fashionable people who also wear it formally now.
Peaked cap was originally designed for police. In the late eighties it caught the attention of designers who lent it a cool edge. The cap has a crown, a band and a shiny visor usually made of patent leather or plastic.
Beanie is a very popular and unisex knitted slip-on cap meant for winters. It is a seamed cap made from wool and can be adjusted with a button on the top.
