Hats Off

You can imagine my delight when I discovered that I am not the only fan of Mr. Brock, the autocrat of all things millinery (“Crowning Glory,” by Patt Morrison, March 2). I still own and wear some of the “sculpture” he talked me into buying in the 1970s. One rivals anything Queen Elizabeth might own, with its dyed peacock feathers and helmet shape. Like Patt Morrison, Mr. Brock and I realized that without a hat, a woman can hardly be considered “dressed.”

Ruth Kramer Ziony

Los Feliz

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Patt Morrison’s charming ode to hats left out one interesting fact: During much of European history, only men wore hats. Their hats were big and wide-brimmed and gave them dash and, by shading the eyes, the ability to see farther. Women wore bonnets, which tied under the chin, restricting both movement and peripheral vision. I suggest you look for the Vermeer painting “The Glass of Wine” to confirm this.

Tamar Singer

Los Angeles