Linda Pagan, shot by Poul Lober, Hat by Cha Cha’s House

City of Women Denizen: Linda Pagan

Bona Fides: Founder and proprietor of The Hat Shop, opened in 1995, located in NYC’s SoHo, carrying locally-made hats for women and men. Small business and women-owned business champion, and community advocate.

City of Women Induction: Linda Pagan brings “a joie de vivre” to everything she does, and sharing her love of hats has become her primary outlet. The moment she realized her life’s calling, she was tending at Temple Bar in the early 1990s and in Linda’s words, “it was as if a shaft of light hit my brain.” She realized she loved tending bar, but her greater love was for hats, so she decided to open The Hat Shop. She provides beautifully-crafted hats from about 30 milliners. Linda is a vigorous advocate for local as well as women owned business. Full disclosure: I LOVE hats and my favorites have been purchased at Linda’s.

RPO: How and when did hats become your passion?

LP: When I went to school in England from age 8 to 12, a hat was part of my school uniform so I got used to wearing something on my head—even if we didn’t think it was the most stylish thing going.

When I moved to the States, I bought a hat at “Hit or Miss” for $8.99. A fortune. Red cotton with red/blue daisy print on it and a floppy brim. I loved it. By luck of genetics I had a hat face — wide cheek bones — so most anything is complimentary.

Once I got to college I bought a bowler hat and a Jean-Claude Killy-type ski hat and I was set.

When I had my job on Wall Street, I was cold walking from the World Trade Center to my office so I bought a beret at the old Century 21 and then that was it. It was berets every day with my Brooks Brother suits. Soon people noticed I wore hats and every birthday and Christmas, I received hats.

My first major gift was a bicorne in 1983 by Kirsten Woodward gifted to me by Sir Paul Ruddock, a dear friend.

RPO: What can you tell about people by the hats they choose and wear?

LP: I can tell that they are not “fashionistas” but “stylistas.” Hats reflect the personality of the wearer and are an expression of one’s own individuality.

RPO: Your business is a very personal one—The Hat Shop is a charming, stand-alone entity in a neighborhood-y section of the City, and you work individually with your clients. What have you learned about people and human nature in your years as a super-interactive proprietor?

LP: I’ve learned that people crave knowledge—the more I know about hats, the more they trust me. It’s knowledge and honesty that is the game changer. We spend at least 30 minutes informing a customer about hats whether they buy or not. We are proud of our knowledge.

RPO: Advice for young women who have a specific passion, as you do for hats?

LP: Go for it! Work for somebody in the industry of your interest. I always wanted a mentor but worked for people who were not mentors … but I learned what NOT to do in business, which was invaluable.

RPO: Who would you invite to join our City of Women?

LP: I would invite Cha Cha because I really respect her as a milliner and as someone who contracts to other people. I would also recommend Tamron Hall—she has an incredible work/moral ethic. She rose from the ashes of being fired by NBC to create her own show and continues to champion the rights of the victims of domestic violence. In one year she got fired, got married, got pregnant and started a new show—resilience.

RPO: The question I’ve been burning to ask…favorite hat of all time, and its wearer?

LP: That is a very, very, very tough question. I will have to go to film for that one. The hat worn by the Draughtsman in The Draughtsman’s Contract, the hats worn by Marissa Berenson in Barry Lyndon, and all the hats worn by Miss Grace Jones.

Marissa Berenson in Barry Lyndon and one chic baby./Alamy — Marissa Berenson (in Barry Lyndon), and one chic baby/Alamy