If the cap fits: The English We Speak

Feifei: Welcome to The English We Speak.
Hello, I’m Feifei…
Rob: …and hello, I’m Rob. Feifei, why the
sad face?
Feifei: It’s not a sad face, it’s an angry
face.
Rob: Oh no, has someone upset you?
Feifei: They sure have. I’ve just overheard
Neil saying I have no fashion sense – he
says I dress like I’m living in the 1980s!
Rob: Ouch!
Feifei: And he says my clothes are
uncoordinated and dated!
Rob: Well, Feifei. I hate to say it, but if
the cap fits…
Feifei: What cap? I don’t wear hats.
Rob: No, Feifei. I mean, the criticism is
probably true and you should accept it. In
other words, he’s probably right.
Feifei: Hmm! Rob, I can’t believe you agree
with Neil!
Rob: Let’s hear some examples, shall we?
A: My boyfriend calls me messy and
untidy – what a cheek!
B: Well, if the cap fits.
You say your teacher thinks you’re lazy
because you never do your homework?
Well, if the cap fits!
A: They think I ate all the biscuits because
I was the only one in the kitchen last
night.
B: Well, if the cap fits!
Rob: This is The English We Speak from
BBC Learning English and we’re finding
out about the phrase ‘if the cap fits’, which
means you agree with someone’s
criticism or an opinion about someone else –
and they should accept it. But Feifei,
you’re claiming you can’t accept what Neil
said about your fashion sense?
So you’re sayingthe cap doesn’t fit?
Feifei: Exactly. But Neil is rude, unkind
and tactless.
Rob: Absolutely!
Feifei: And you are the same for agreeing
with him. So Rob, ‘if the cap fits’…
Rob: I know… I should wear it! Actually,
Feifei, your clothes aren’t that bad. You
look very fashionable in fact.
Feifei: You’re a hypocrite too. Rob, keep
wearing that cap!
Rob: Fair enough. See ya.
Feifei: Bye.