Village Hat Shop, San Diego

The brim of a giant bowler hat shades the entry to the Village Hat Shop in San Diego’s Hillcrest district, a nod to the store’s decades in the headwear business. A tall display case full of ethnic headdresses just inside the door might give the impression that you’ve stepped into a museum, but the space beyond is filled with current fashions, each one for sale. There are shelves of bejeweled Arturo Rios’ designs with towering tropical feathers, or slip into a Stetson, a newsboy cap or peruse the shelves crammed with costume and knit caps, each rich in color and pattern. One corner caters to Steampunk style, another to historic recreations from years past. Informed and helpful assistants know intuitively which styles best flatter every face, and the sheer lack of headwear diversity has led Hollywood films, musicals and fashion shows to turn to the Village Hat Shop.