How to do the skull cap trend
Film the four beats, or skip the props and start from one photo.
Updated October 27, 2026
People have been posting that they want to try it (one of those posts) and that the trend pushed them to buy a cap (October 26, 2026). Here is the shoot, then the edit. What the skull cap trend is if you want the format first.
1. What you need
You need a plain black knit skull cap, a black hoodie, and a phone on a stand. A room you can make dark helps. Glasses or a plaid shirt make the before shot read faster. They are optional.
2. Shot 1 — the before
Bright light, an awkward smile, hold the cap up, then pull it down. Keep the phone still. The dorky half only works if the after shot is the same person, in the same spot.
3. Shot 2 — the after
Lights off, or one dim lamp. Hood up over the cap, glasses off, hands on the hood, a cold stare. Don't change the camera angle between the two shots if you can help it. The hard cut does the work.
Load these from TikTok when you want a reference. @notfromco and @antoniopieterss. We do not re-host their videos.
4. Edit on the beat drop
Hard-cut between the two shots on the beat drop of TikTok's "original sound - SoulReligion." Keep the whole thing about 10 seconds. The skull cap trend song is that SoulReligion sound: Bryson Tiller's verse from "Wild Thoughts."
5. Caption and tags
Use "How dudes act 0.01 seconds after putting on a skull cap," or your own spin. Tags people use are #skullcap and #skullcaptrend. If the video is AI-made, use the platform's AI label.
6. Variations
You can vary who is in frame: a girls' version (the comment you will see is often "masc potential"), two people, a pet, or a fan edit of something you performed yourself. A dog photo has its own page. K-pop idols doing it is a commentary page, not an invitation to upload an idol's picture.
7. No cap, or no time?
Make it from one photo in the studio. You still get the bright before, the cut, and the hood-up stare, as a silent 10-second 9:16 MP4, from $4.99. How to make the skull cap trend AI video.
FAQ
What do I need to film the skull cap trend?
A plain black knit skull cap, a black hoodie, a phone on a stand, and a room you can make dark. Glasses or a plaid shirt help the before shot. They are optional.
What song should I use?
TikTok's "original sound - SoulReligion," Bryson Tiller's verse from DJ Khaled's "Wild Thoughts." Cut on the beat drop. How to find the sound.
What caption should I use?
"How dudes act 0.01 seconds after putting on a skull cap," or your own spin. Tags people use are #skullcap and #skullcaptrend.
Can I do the skull cap trend without a cap?
Yes. Skull Cap AI makes a 10-second 9:16 video from one photo, from $4.99. The download is silent, so you still add the sound on TikTok.