They used to say that a truly dignified person would only wear shoes made by Neiliansheng, silk made by Ruifuxiang and hats made by Sheng Xi Fu. First established in the city of Qingdao in 1911, this is China's most famous hat producer, warming the noggins of Chinese people for over a century.
Chairman Mao used to get his famous berets from here, and you can pick up the same colour and style for ¥68. There are thick winter caps (from ¥170) – perfect for mid-January Beijing – as well as Russian-style fur hats, some of which will set you back thousands of yuan. This Wangfujing Dajie branch is one of several. A branch further north has a small, free-to-enter hat museum.
