Devil in the details: Mad Hatter
Michael Karlo Lim
Pornografeed
EVER the optimist, I’ve always been into exploring possibilities. Limitations only came by the reality of the physical self and singularity all bound by time. Still, I’ve managed to touch on a lot of this’ and thats. I’ve always loved the thought of the Multihyphenate and to go by Trade Jack would be quite an understatement at this point. And, yes, I take some pride in embodying the idiom: wears many hats.
As a country beat weary by weather extremes, we really should get into the habit of headgear. Most often, sporting such is pushed by Western pop culture as in the woolen, knit beanie worn with muchhats-misappropriated panache in this humid, tropical heat. More points off Slytherin if it comes with the name of our Summer Capital worked into the knitting.
I have a modest collection of hats and have grown quite fond of Panamas with their growing popularity and local availability. Rain or shine functionality, too. I get a lot of Bruno Mars ribbings, yes, never mind that he’s more into fedoras. I also have a few of the latter with one favorite in twisted paper straw. Quite easier to pull off are the ultimate security blanket — the more ubiquitous baseball cap.
The cap has evolved from just-baseball and has become widely identified with other sports, sports merchandising and permutations pertaining to professions such as the infamous Trucker. Natural flat visor shape has gone through the cycle of the coveted curve and back to what is now known as the flat bill. From snapbacks to elasticized to cinched to the trendy fitted of today, it has become a subculture of its own.
New Era Caps, “an international lifestyle brand with an authentic sports heritage that dates back over 90 years,” opened at SM Seaside City earlier this year. Boasting of a dizzying assortment of caps, mainly in US regional and sporting team themes, they also carry statement caps, movie tie-ins and iconic character features. Featured during my first visit was a flashy, metallic ode to Voltez-V.
Beyond the not-quite-basics, they offer an update on the 90’s bucket with a more contemporary silhouette and in an assortment of prints. Ranger hats in all-weather material were available in solid brights and same prints as the buckets. There’s also their field cap with a high drum panel. Fedoras came in options of fiber weave and solid felt. I picked up a fitted cap in red and in the no-fail black. I chose a flatcap in the beige to add easy sartorial elegance to the otherwise regular pique polo and chino day or a stylish cover for bad hair ones.
The brand carries shirts in similar design themes as the caps to extend the line of casual cool. Completing the lifestyle circle is a series of bags: pouches, drawstring slings, messengers and specialized backpacks. They even have some specific for storage of caps.
Different strokes for different folks. New Era Caps offers walls upon walls and shelves of choices of hats to match each personal requirement and personality. For my particular case of schizophrenia: multiple choices to match all of mine.
New Era Caps – Cebu is located at SM Seaside City.
