It's not exactly the sunny side of West 57th Street, but it does have southern exposure. And New York's premiere hatter, Worth & Worth, is back on the main drag, even though it's on the sixth floor.

The new showroom at 45 West 57th is sunny (with a skylight), spacious, and filled with terrific hats, from the old mainstay Italian felt fedoras favored by traditional gents to the more eccentric shades and shapes worn by such radical sartorial practitioners as Tom Wolfe. Orlando Palacios is also turning out a line of cool lids that should attract such heads as Pete Doherty or his producer, Mick Jones. I think there's actually a picture of Mick in the store, and one of Johnny Lydon in a straw hat in Jamaica, taken by ace photographer Kate Simon. And speaking of straws, this is the place for Montecristi Panamas.

This is also a full-service hatter. I took my badly crushed Montecristi to Orlando a year or so ago and he shook his head when he saw it, but it came back perfectly blocked.

Here's Orlando (in the hat, natch) with art dealer Patrick Fox. You can reach Orlando at 1-800-HATSHOP, or visit www.hatshop.com.

Creme de la Boheme: Poet Gillian McCain and photographer Kate Simon, hats off, at Worth & Worth.