By Samantha Critchell
The Associated Press

Fashion is usually all about what's new. But if an item is really on top, it seems to stay there for a while.

Newsboys are still the story when it comes to hats, even though updated versions of the sloped-front cap with a short brim have been around for years, says Casey Bush, director of the Headwear Information Bureau, a trade group in New York.

"Milliners change colors and trims to keep things fresh, but they don't change shapes as often," Bush says. "There are only so many hat shapes to choose from."

Bush says the newsboys have gotten bolder in recent years, straying from the traditional brownish plaids and tweeds to embrace bright colors such as purple and innovative fabrics like cashmere, fur felt and novelty-print silks.

The newsboy is a versatile shape that looks good in a variety of fabrics and is appropriate for many occasions, adds Siiri Dougherty, the senior buyer of women's accessories for J.C. Penney.

For example, a nubby tweed newsboy likely falls into the outerwear category, while a satin cap can be part of an outfit worn to the hottest club.

Don't be surprised, though, if you start seeing fashionistas in cowboy hats. They are the next big thing - again, according to Bush.

Bush says younger women really are driving the headwear market right now. "It used to be you were branded an older lady if you wore a hat, but younger women have taken over. Now older women will see that they'll seem younger if they wear a hat."

She adds: "Young people see hats as a way to stand out from the crowd and express themselves. It used to be that hats were a way of fitting in."

Dougherty recommends winter hats in angora wool, especially in soft pastels, which have a soft look and likely will complement the black or camel coats most women wear without "matching" them.

Outdoor sports, however, require a different approach. Most people look for the warmest hats possible that will look OK with the rest of their gear, according to Sandra Rossi, senior product developer at L.L. Bean. Women favor light blue, purple and black, while men gravitate toward red, navy and charcoal gray.

Traditional wool ski hats - with or without tassels - remain the top look, especially those with Nordic patterns, Rossi says.