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Capping it in style

Fashion headwear for boys and girls is the latest craze. HARJEET KAUR ALLAGH finds out more

PHOTO: RAJU. V

STYLE FUNDAS Youth have a wide choice to pick `n' use

Getting a hip look with a hot selection of caps is the in thing. The youth of today would do anything to stand out in the crowd. In the past, only those who worked under the hot sun bought caps. But this is not the case anymore. Caps have become a funky accessory for the present day's feisty and fashion conscious hip brigade. Meenakshi, a management graduate, sports a stylish cap whenever she steps out of her home. "A cap gives me a different look and I match it with my outfit. It attracts the right kind of attention," she says with a mischievous smile. If girls are so trend conscious can the guys be far behind? Pavan, a budding engineer likes to sport a stylish cap with the right logo for he feels that it makes him noticeable.

Caps are the zanier and less bulky version of hats worn until the 20th century. Hats could be large, elaborate and cumbersome, with a high crown and a brim, while caps are smaller and easy to maintain and carry. Caps are made from different materials like wool, fur, felt, twill, canvas and leather.

For a zany look

They come in various shapes and sizes and are known with unusual names too-Beret, bowler hat, a girl's bonnet, skullcaps and flat caps to name a few. Mostly worn in urban areas, they are intended to be more fashionable than functional.

A beret is usually worn by men and women, especially in the military. It fits snugly around the head and the soft crown can be shaped in various ways, usually adorned with a cap badge and lined with buckram to give it a shape. Flat caps are also known as golf caps or derby caps, with a small brim in front and a slightly stiff peak in the back.

Bonnet is for bonny babies, trimmed with lace and tied under the chin with soft satin ribbon. Baby's caps are matched with the dress nowadays and they look cute on the tiny heads!

By far the most popular cap amongst the urban Indian youth is the baseball cap. It is soft cap with a long, stiffened and curved peak and is worn by guys, gals and kids alike.

The back is usually adjustable and those with ponytails pull it out through the gap near the adjuster. Popular brand names are Nike and New Era but they are now available at every flea market. Kiran, a young businessman, sports a cap mainly to keep away the sun from his eyes, but says that it makes him look more appealing to the female species. Vijay, another youngster, wears it rakishly with the peak at the back. "It makes me look cool," he says. The skullcap is usually worn to keep away the cold, but it looks really good on youngsters when topped with a colourful pompom. Gauri, studying inter, is upset with the traffic police for dampening her fetish for caps by making use of a helmet mandatory. She rues: "I used to wear a different cap each day of the week, while riding a bike. " But now I can wear them only when I am not driving".

Caps with logos of sports companies are the favourite with the boys, while girls opt for more flamboyant stuff. Young guns would do anything to lay their hands on an original Ferrari cap.

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