Sexy Antara Mali steams up the screen no matter what she is wearing, but for the movie Gayab, she will be remembered for her caps. Right from her first shot in the film, she can be seen in a variety of headgear.

And if Mali can hold her hatted head up high, Calcutta’s young, restless and trendy will be damned if they don’t.

Mainly brought in from south-east Asia, caps for both guys and gals are the latest accessory to take over everything from discotheques to Saturday night dinners, with the city’s fashion conscious happily patronising this fad.

“There are at least five different types of caps available in the market now. Of these, golf and skull caps are unisex and most popular among the youth,” says Kishore Punjabi of V2, a shop at New Market, Old Complex.

“Reversible skull caps are very popular with denims and T-shirts, and can work both for morning and evening outings,” adds Kushal Sonthalia of Cash, a garments and accessories shop with branches in Metro Plaza and Sreeram Arcade.

While labels like Adidas, Nike and Reebok have been stocking sporty gear for the head for some time, there are a wide range of options that are trendy and easier on the pocket as well. Here is a quick run-through the kinds of caps you can pick up to complete the cool look:

Skullcaps

These are just right for a casual and relaxed touch, available in colours ranging from the basic black, white and cream to the more exciting fluorescent pinks, blues and greens. They are usually reversible, so you can invest in one piece that can be teamed with a variety of outfits. A shocking pink cap will do well at the disco, and can be flipped and transformed into a more sober cream for the next morning when one is off to college or a shopping mall.

While girls are bound to turn heads with the cute pinks and blues, men are more likely to stick to either black, cream or army green options commonly available. Some are jazzed up with more abstract prints which can be worn by both guys and gals.

Price: Rs 225 upwards.

Available at: V2 (New Market), Cash (Sreeram Arcade and Metro Plaza), Exclusive (Sreeram Arcade), Desi Boyz (Metro Plaza). While the first three shops sell caps in mostly basic colours, the more girlie colours can be found at Exclusive in Sreeram Arcade.

Golf caps

These are for more classy effect. Available in either cotton or blended fabrics, they come in single colours and usually in muted shades. These are normally unisex and go best with conservative, smart western semi-formals. You may be able to find a few in corduroy, though most are in cotton.

Price: Rs 285 to Rs 395.

Available at: V2, Cash, Desi Boyz, Exclusive. V2 has some lovely coudroy-look cotton golf caps going for as little as Rs 200.

Baseball caps

This may seem to most as a more manly accompaniment, but not so. These snug hats with wide visors have been around for a while. Most of them are in solid colours with a central trendy emblem. Currently, emblems of rock stars like Eminem and 50 Cent are the coolest things going.

Price: Rs 250 onwards.

Available at: V2, Cash, Desi Boyz, Exclusive. Both Exclusive and V2 have a range of bright colours in this section. Pick up a golden yellow or a bright red if you wish.

While Antara Mali has been seen donning various kinds of caps in her latest flick Gayab, many Hollywood entertainers — Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, Christina Aguilera (above), Beyonce Knowles, Paris Hilton and Gwen Stefani just to name a few — have made quite a statement out of this headgear

Round caps

Made out of denim, these are perfect for a hip-hop style. You could carry one off with extremely casual clothes and loads of junk jewellery. They are found in combinations of red and black or two shades of blue. While they can be worn by both men and women, they look much better on the guys.

Price: Rs 285 onwards.

Available at: Cash, Desi Boyz.

Knitted hats

These are especially for girls going for a girly look. The feminine, round hats with a distinct rim all around are perfect for the prim and propah look. Bead embellishments dress them up for a semi-formal occasion.

Knitted hats are available mainly in whites and creams with an occasional brighter shade also peeking out from hat racks. For the always-adorable straw-hat look, head for V2. Though not actually straw, cotton will have to do.

Price: Rs 250 to RS 345.

Available at: V2 and Exclusive.