They also act as conversation pieces. I like fun and classy hats. Everybody has hair, but a hat sets a woman apart, said New York milliner Jack McConnell. With a hat, you have a chance to be daring and different. Too many women follow, follow, follow, like a bunch of sheep that goes over a fence.
Nothing makes a woman more different or noticed than a hat.
McConnell recalls an era when women were not seen outside the home without a hat and gloves. In many cultures and religions, hats and other head wraps are viewed as sacred, or as a sign of authority or class distinction. It's an important accessory that expresses a woman's distinctive style. A woman in a sleek hat gets the attention of a man, McConnell said. The sale of casual and higher-priced handmade dress hats have increased, said Casey Bush, director of the Headwear Information Bureau, based in New York.