Dear debonair reader,

Unlike my grandmother, I’m not much of a shoe girl. I buy them when I need them, and I don’t generally appreciate them on an aesthetic level. But hats are another thing. I have an embarrassingly large collection, and I’m always on the look-out for new acquisitions. Because of my lifestyle, they are mostly of the felted/fleeced/woolen ski hat type. But over the years I have branched out into sun hats and even a few dress hats.

But it is a lonely endeavor.

For inspiration and emotional support, I went in search of famous hatted (not HATED, but HATTED) writers, and mostly had to go to previous generations. But weren’t they gorgeous?

Karen Blixen, pen name Isak Dinesen

F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald

Among more modern authors, men seemed to be the most likely hat wearers.

Stephen King

Chinua Achebe

Ball caps and berets are all fine and good — but I own a few already.

Looking to the poets, I hoped to find a new hat that would speak to a certain writerly style and “je ne sais quoi.”

Mary Oliver

I’m pretty sure I already have that one, Ms. Oliver.

I did find one of my very favorite authors wearing some surprising thing on her head that might be a hat. I’m not exactly sure what to make of it.

Louise Erdrich

Isn’t that a crow or raven on top of her head? Ah well. I think, for now, I’ll stick with my knitted ski hats.

Cheers!

Eowyn