I used to wear a red fedora. Aside from keeping my head dry and complementing my gray raincoat, it seemed to draw a lot of attention, some of it unwanted. What began as a fashion statement became an issue of personal safety.

»Hi, little lady,« the stranger cooed on the subway.

Ignoring him didn't seem to help. »Hey, mama, want to go for a walk?«

Eventually I got off one stop early and, when he and his friends followed suit, hailed a cab.

An expensive millinery lesson.