I tell them that we don't 'do' rules. But, of course, you don't forsake good manners by wearing a big hat to a theater where people can't see over you, for example. A hat makes one stand out from the crowd, and an insecure woman cannot deal with being the center of attention. I chalk it up to social repression, and sometimes gently chide this phenomenon. Dial realized the popularity of hats while exhibiting her handmade jewelry at the Atlanta Apparel Market.
Most women prefer to choose their own style.
Customers tend to buy year-round, although some locales and artists have their heavier sales rushes at different times. Sales at Hats in the Belfry are best in the summer, as its location on Philadelphia's touristy South Street brings people out of the woodwork in warm weather. At Wilmington's Blue Streak Gallery sales are higher in the winter, and the work of several different hat makers is featured during that time. Mary Trice at The T Room in Richmond says that sales are at their best before events like the city's horse races and Easter Parade. My plan is to head up the East Coast, which should help add to the winter line next year.