Go Niche

WHERE DID ALL the interest in shoes come from? Possibly Sex and the City. Much more rewarding would be a resurgence of interest in hats. Look back at any old movie reel and you’ll see nobody was anybody without one, and everybody looked better with one. What’s more, with the exception of helmet hair, they put an end to bad hair days. And they don’t give you bunions.

Hats come to mind every November with the approach of St Catherine’s Day. Catherine is the patron saint of milliners. (And lacemakers. And unmarried women). Her feast day was traditionally a big deal in fashion-conscious France, where spinsters (ouch) over the age of 25 (double ouch) were referred to as Catherinettes, and where colourful hat parades were held in her honour.

In recent years, the New York Milliners Guild has resurrected the tradition, providing Manhattanites with an opportunity to take to the streets in their most flamboyant headgear. The parade takes place through Midtown Manhattan on November 15th and is open to anyone, as long as you have a hat on your head. Contrary to goings-on at Royal Ascot, even fascinators are welcome here.

The parade trend is making a comeback in New Orleans too, which is holding its third St Catherine’s Day parade – cleverly themed a love/hat relationship – on November 18th.

Meanwhile, if you want to get ahead with your headgear, the cheap but chic New York Manhattan Hotel, which sits at a jaunty angle in Midtown, is offering stays in November from $225 (€175) per night, including breakfast. thenewyorkmanhattanhotel.co.uk