Anyone who knows me knows that I wear hats 12 months of the year. Many things that I saw her do are still in me. For this sophisticated entrepreneur, who used to be a buyer for a ladies specialty chain store, no ordinary hat will do. Cole-Jones hunts for hats in New York City's Trim District, a section of the Garment District that sells fabrics and accessories. Her eclectic collection features mostly small-brimmed types.
Colors range from kelly green to African mud cloth to paisley print.
Each hat escorts Cole-Jones in a stylish matching outfit on Sunday mornings to First Presbyterian Church in Teaneck. Donning headgear for worship isn't entirely a black thing, especially in North Jersey. For Orthodox Jews, the practice is sacred. Grace Park, owner of My Fair Lady, an accessory store in Teaneck, gets the majority of her hat sales from Orthodox Jewish women who adhere to the biblical admonition that a woman should cover her head. Caya Ruth Rosen happily participates in the tradition.