Everyone wears The Hat

*Written a few days ago, when I had no Internet*

Christmas time means Christmas markets. Different Christmas markets often have the same stalls. There is always a toys and wooden puzzles stall, for instance. We also saw the same honey stand numerous times, and the same foie gras stand. After all, it is the same things that make good little gifts for people, and that is what the markets are for.

C--'s mom and sister were the first to notice The Hat stand. They took their time choosing among the multicolored confections. Some had little brims, some a small square of veil (just a small accent on the side of the face), some a fabric flower. They were all made of many pieces of fabric sewn together, with thick seams that made them look like you could collapse them down into a plate shape. In the end, both C--'s mom and sister chose a Hat.

After this initial encounter, I began to notice Hat stands in other markets in our path. Then, I began to notice it on women. If it is possible for this to happen off-line, The Hat is going viral.

The Hat has a very distinctive shape. It is easily recognizable in a crowd. So I easily saw multiple women wearing The Hat this morning on the streets of Paris. And I saw women carrying The Hat with them up into the plane that took us to Rome this afternoon. Down onto the tarmac The Hats descended, into Italy. Now, I don't know if Italy has Christmas markets. But the fashion capitol of Europe will certainly soon have . . . The Hat.