"THAT girl needs a hat!"

One day to go. I've been practicing wearing my money belt. fleece, and knapsack.

Those who know me well, are aware of how little I have traveled on my own. Always traveling with someone by my side to lead the way (I get lost very easily), speak the language (I am linquistically challenged), and to carry what my patient husband has nicknamed "The Fridge", a giant suitcase into which I stuff my material world, and then try to justify to people why I need to take it with me.

It's funny - I've created a world of my own here in the store, a place that is safely outrageous, full of fantasy, and where the rest of the world comes to visit me. I'm not used to leaving it for long.

This time I'm venturing out to follow my dream that I've had my whole life - of going to Spain. To live that dream, I am dropping my usual persona (and accessories) and paring down to a knapsack, and what I can easily carry.

And so in my new casual and practical duds...I kicked along today in the sunshine doing last-minute errands on foot, feeling lighthearted and free. I caught myself in a window reflection and thought - hey great - who is that girl... she really needs a hat!

So that led me here, back to my own hat shop, where I picked out a very cool black empire state vintage baseball cap. THAT will solve the hair-product dilemma...

An eight-piece poorboy that gives me a bit of a boyish look, and a great red cashmere 504 from Kangol that matches my fleece jacket. I decided against the fedora I really liked, as it didn't work with the fleece, and the feminine stuff I usually gravitate to looked downright silly with the backpack.

I stuffed two of them into my pack...Popped the other on my head, thinking to myself how fun it will be to forget about my hair, and headed for home - on foot...because, of course, no high heels. Just me, my backpack, and my cool new hats!