WHAT IS THE HOT CAP TREND? CAP-IT-als

In fashion it is either in or it is out. After my recent around the world trip I can say that the fedora trend is out and the baseball cap trend is in. N.B. I am not saying that fedoras are dead but that the fedora trend which we have witnessed over the past 10 years has faded.

                 MAKE WAY FOR THE RETURN OF THE LOGOED BASEBALL CAP

We used to say that the baseball wearing boy had grown up and embraced the fedora as a more manly hat. The hipster sartorial trend also helped to make the fedora the hat of choice.
Well, fashion's pendulum never stops moving and it is now landed on a 1970's look. Young guys are wearing their hair longer and girls are wearing flower wreaths in their hair.

Whereas before I would see shelves of fedoras in hipster stores, I now see shelves of caps. Not the classic "gap" pre-curved cap but a very 1970's flap peaked, short crown cap.

So here is what is in the stores from San Francisco, to NYC, to Paris to Cork and surely coming to a store on your street also.

MACYS MENS SELECTION

WELCOME STRANGER S.F.

ACME SELECTION SF.

 NEEDLEWORK CAP ANTHRO

VERY RETRO CAP AT ANTHROPOLGIE

MUSTACHES ARE STILL POPULAR

UNIONMADE  RETRO CAP,  3751 24TH STREET SF.

Toyo with net overlay.

Nordsrum ladies 

Le Bonne Marche

TEAM LOGOS

COLOR BLOCKING

Callanan felt cap style lv249 available at Lord and Taylor winter 2014.

ACCESSORIES MAGAZINE MAY 2013

DEATH OF THE FASINATOR

Interesting story on the death of the fascinator by JULIA NEEL for WWD.
The masses may embrace a feather glued to a headband but the millinery cognoscenti look on in horror.

MAD HATS: The death of the fascinator means more adventurous clients and a return to the hat for London milliners.

The annual summer spate of weddings, garden parties and races is sure to bring on many more toppers. Of course, there’s a class system attached to headwear, with fascinators — a spray of feathers or netting or a flower stuck onto a headband — coming embarrassingly at the bottom of the hierarchy. To wear a fascinator these days is to invite sneers and harsh judgment from fashion cognoscenti.

“Fascinators are (or can be) cheap and easy to make. They are a hat but without the hat bit, and so are great for the high street to [sell] in bulk and for craftspeople and budding milliners to make at home,” explained milliner Piers Atkinson. “But I think the market became flooded with the cheapest and most unattractive designs, and this gave the fascinator a terrible reputation.”

So much so, that Royal Ascot issued a ban on wearing them in the Royal Enclosure, arguably the most formal area of any sports venue. “In 2012 we decided that fascinators weren’t quite the right fit for the Royal Enclosure,” said Nick Smith, head of communications at Royal Ascot. “If anything, it seemed to make visitors more keen than ever to be adventurous with their hats.”

London milliners concur there’s a new sense of experimentation in headwear.

“People are becoming a little more adventurous with hats,” added Atkinson, crediting the likes of Lady Gaga, the Duchess of Cambridge, Anna Dello Russo and the catwalk as trend influencers. “I think a hat is less shocking than it was even five years ago.”

“We have definitely seen a return to the hat,” confirmed Helen David, head of women’s wear at Harrods, citing growing interest in pillbox shapes. “There has been positive growth over the past 12 months across the millinery department. We have seen a greater interest from customers in wearing hats, and they seem less afraid of trying new shapes and taking a risk. This season customers are not afraid to go big, with the large, side-sweeping designs performing extremely well.”

By JULIA NEEL

So, as a reminder to all you ladies.

This is a hair clip with feathers.

This is a headband with flowers and feathers.

This is a fascinator made from sinamy.

And this is a piece de resistance.

Around the world in 28 days

April 26th 9pm and I am on the airport express to HK International airport. I had looked at my ticket 100 times and was convinced I was departing Sat. Night at 12.30. TG I rechecked tonight and finally saw my error. The flight is on Sat. April 27 at 0030! So my first around the world trip begins.

HK has the most efficient airport in the World. I was able to catch a cab from my apartment in midlevels and be through security in 45 mins flat. You check your luggage and get your boarding pass in either central or Kowloon and then take a leisurely airport express train to the airport in under 20 mins.

Cathay Pacific is my airline of choice. Their economy class is better than most American Airlines premier service. Their lounges are just perfect. No nasty coupons to get a drink. Food made to order and the best champagne flows freely.

So departed HK Friday night and arrived in SF on Friday night after a 12 hour flight. The magic of being a time traveler.

Initial observations on landing at SFO, DIVERSITY. In Asia diversity does not exist. It was thrilling to see Asian, Latino, Black and white airport security. Diversity is taken for granted until you do not have it. I though that this is the core strength do the USA. It's diversely beautiful people.
Looked like a full moon over SF Bay as the taxi headed downtown.
Low buildings and I can see the night sky. There are no low buildings HK and the sky is seldom to be seen. It's good to be home.
Man those SF skies are just so blue.

 I cannot remember ever seeing such blue skies in HK and the air; it is like sipping spring water through a straw. Just so pure compared to HK's polluted air.
I had the luck of living in SF many years ago and frequently revisit but the city views never cease to wow me. There is just pure magic in is city. If SF did not exist someone would have to create it.

A hike on the Marin headlands was magical and the air was so pure.

Blue skies shining above me, nothing but blue skies do I see...

I look at life from both sides now, up and down.

getting down was a little precarious 

but it was so worth it.

1 week down and 3 to go. I got clobbered with allergies last week. Maybe I over did it on the hike! Even my trusted netti pot did not keep them at bay. I am so tired of popping sudefed and musinix. In any event it was a very productive week. Callanan and Scala spring/summer collections are put to bed and I got to see all my sweet and wonderful colleagues at headquarters in Stockton CA. Off to NYC today for a week of back to back appointments.

Flying to NYC always sounds so exciting and middle America looks so beautiful from above.

NYC, my home away from home. It really is the best city in the world. Best for bagels, dining, fashion. Got to catch up with lots of old friends. Went to 5 yoga classes at YOGAWORKS. Yes, NYC even has the best yoga with great teachers like Chrissy Carter, Lippy, Paula Lynch. Carrie was MIA once again.
Had a very productive work week. Sold lots of hats and learned what's got in hats right now. Stay tuned for what hot in the fashion CAPITals in another blog.

May 13, arrived in Paris today. Quite chilly here for mid May. France may be in the middle of an economic storm but the capital still graciously shines. Update on May 15 France officially fell back into recession. Looks like the Chinese are keeping the couture houses open. I remember when it was the Japanese who were the top shoppers. I though that the Chinese only lined up for purchases in Hong Kong but they were long lines of Asians at all luxury shops in Gallerie Lafayette and Printemps. For such a world traveler, I am a creature of habit. I have breakfast at Au Rocher De Cancale, Rue Montorgueil, each morning.

Yesterday had lunch at La Chaise aux Plafond, Rue du Tresor,  another favorite haunt.

WWW.CAFEINE.COM

May 14. Rented one of the public bikes today and it was a great way to see Paris on wheels. Headed to La Bon Marche store and Conrans before biking to Passage Panorama for lunch at L'Arbre A Canelle, another favorite lunch spot. It is such a great place to people watch.

PASSAGE PANORMA

wall detail

Ceiling detail

www.arbre-a-cannelle.fr

Tile work at L'arbre a Cannelle

Passage Vivienne

I just never get tired of being a tourist in Paris.

May 15, arrived in Cork my birth home city. Typical Irish weather. Rain followed by gorgeous sun shine followed by more showers; no wonder Ireland is so green. If you visit Cork City for the first time, I guess it is kind of nice, Queen Elizabeth seems to like it when she visited, but if you ran away from there 30 years ago, than it is a whole other experience. For me, going to Cock is an obligatory pilgrimage. It is of course nice to see my friends and family but below the city service lie dark corners and monsters that I have never been able to conquer.

May 21 and back in Paris;-)). Staying with some buds on Rue du temple. They have a great apartment over looking the square.

Staircase to the apartment dates from the 1600's.

Weather is unseasonably cold and rainy but having fun biking around the city.

May 26 back in Hong Kong. Oh well, it was good while it lasted........Raining here but warm and muggy.....Seems like it is raining all over the world.