New Era will be launching the Cockney Rhyming Slang series today online and tomorrow in their London flagship store.
If you are unfamiliar with Cockney Rhyming Slang, it is a language originating from the streets of East London whereby a common name is replaced by a rhyming phrase (or part of). Here is a brief definition:
Traditional Cockney rhyming slang works by taking two words that are related through a short phrase and using the first word to stand for a word that rhymes with the second. For instance, “boat” means “face” as “boat race” rhymes with face. Similarly “plates” means “feet” (”plates of meat”), and bread means “money” (bread and honey).
The origins of rhyming slang are disputed. It remains a matter of speculation as to whether it was a linguistic accident or whether it was developed intentionally to confuse non-locals. If deliberate, it might have simply been used to maintain a sense of community or to be used in the marketplace for vendors to talk amongst themselves without customers knowing what they were saying. Via Wikipedia.
The caps feature well known Cockney Rhyming Slang phrases on the front and an Icon of what it represents on the rear. Overall there are five caps in the series of which we present you three – Tom Foolery / Jeweller, Custard and Jelly / Telly, How D’you do? / Shoe, Plates of Meat / Feet, Apples and Pears / Stairs.
Check out more detailed pictures of the caps after the jump.
