These puffed-up caps have the advantage of making the wearer's face look smaller. (JASMIC) COZY CAPS KEEP OUT THE COLD: Introducing This Winter's Must-Have Item November 2, 2001 As the chill of autumn sets in, those skin-baring summer fashions have gone into hiding, and fall clothing is back on the streets again, accompanied by attention-grabbing hats and caps. The latest headwear this fall and winter is the "casket," a visored cap with a somewhat retro, boyish rounded dome that fully covers the head. Even people who have never heard the word "casket" used in a fashion context before will probably become well-accustomed to it before the season is out. Designer-Brand "Caskets" Too Hats were a conspicuous element of the European and American women's fashion collections this year, and the casket in particular stood out as a trademark of this year's looks for women. Wool or leather caskets made repeated appearances at the Celine fashion show that evoked the mood of harbor towns in fall. The hats are casual, yet they go well with the chic styles and military looks being shown for this fall and winter. Most caskets are made of black or blue denim, but as the season progresses, hats that are knitted or made of tweed or synthetic leather are becoming popular, too. The caps come in a surprisingly wide variety of colors and materials, and the designs vary too, from small-brimmed berets to puffed-up versions with all-around brims. Wearers like to personalize them with the currently popular pins and badges, which add to the fun and ease of coordinating caskets with other fashion items. Generally, the caps sell for a few thousand yen, though cotton ones priced at just a few hundred yen have been spotted at discount shops in Tokyo's old downtown areas. Designer-brand caskets sell for around ¥20,000 ($167 at ¥120 to the dollar), and the wide range of styles and prices available make it easy to select hats to go with a variety of fashions. Caskets Keep Hair Intact   Your Name What did you think of this article? It was interesting. It was boring. Send this article to a friend The casket-topped women you see striding jauntily down city streets are mainly trend-sensitive twenty-somethings--the same ones who were sporting casual, retro sun visors this past summer while women a little older than them were fueling the craze for black parasols. Trend-watchers have offered several possible explanations for the popularity of the casket. According to some, "caskets" became a hot item when young women transferred their affections from the sun visor, a summer accessory, to this new fall hat. According to others, women like the "casket" because it does not fit the head closely and therefore does not flatten the hair as other caps do; and because it makes their faces look smaller. Another factor in the popularity of the casket is a general fondness for "retro" that has taken hold among a much broader segment of the population than the casket fad. To young people in their late twenties and thirties, the casket is reminiscent of the caps worn by the heroes of cartoons they watched as kids. And the fad can be traced even further back in time, to their parents' generation, for whom it recalls one of the props used by a comedian on a popular TV variety show of their youth. Fashions change with the times, reflecting the mood of each passing period. Right now, the chic, versatile "casket" is the most stylish fashion accessory around. Copyright (c) 2001 Japan Information Network. Edited by Japan Echo Inc. based on domestic Japanese news sources. Articles presented here are offered for reference purposes and do not necessarily represent the policy or views of the Japanese Government.