GB cyclists head and shoulders above the rest in Olympic headgear contest

In the velodrome, anyone worth their fashion credentials was yelling: 'McQueen visor! Chris Hoy's wearing a McQueen visor!'

For avid watchers of style as well as sport, the Olympic velodrome is the place to be. The glamorous cycling stadium has provided London 2012's equivalent of a catwalk show.

On Thursday it was in full swing as the sprint teams took to their wheels clad in next-level-fabulous sports-couture headgear.

Anyone worth their fashion credentials inside the venue was shouting (along with words of sporting encouragement, obviously): "McQueen visor! Chris Hoy is wearing a McQueen visor! And so is Victoria Pendleton!"

Sarah Burton, McQueen designer, sent out every model in her autumn/winter catwalk show in silver sci-fi mirrored visors. But instead of cycling helmets, the models sported slicks of blond hair.

Sci-fi is the perennial coolest of cool fashion reference and something about the velodrome says Tron to me, albeit minus the lasers.

But while nail art has led the way in terms of headline women's Olympic trends, headgear and hats have without doubt been the unifying accessory of the Games thus far.

It all started back at the opening ceremony when the fancy styling of headgear was rife. Team USA stormed in wearing berets. The Bulgarians wandered out in gingham flat caps and the Cook Islands sported marvellous floral garlands.

Peter Wilson, shooting gold medallist on Thursday, delivered his sporting glory while rocking a red baseball cap that was cleverly colour blocked with cobalt blue ear protectors.

It is not just Wilson who has taken the baseball cap to his head this week either. A certain Duke of Cambridge has been spotted alternating between a similar red style and a pair of dodgy aviator sunglasses.

But then perhaps both chaps got this season's memo from Dior Homme which, like Burton with her visors, sent out its entire male fashion army in baseball caps for autumn.

Some of the rowing team are also on board with the cap look, though other members have been racier and taken up the Rihanna-approved sun visor. Team GB's naturally come in the same red as Wilson's cap and are quite jolly.

And last but by no means least, the vision of Jennet Saryyeva of Turkmenistan in a googly eyed pink swimming cap complete with a mini fin was more than a tad memorable, and more than a tad Marc by Marc Jacobs too.

Contributor

Simon Chilvers

The GuardianTramp

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