Fifth Avenue Finery

Even the dogs got in the act today, as the city's annual Easter parade took to Fifth Avenue near St. Patrick's Cathedral. The annual tradition, begun in the 1870s, attracts chapeaued ladies and gentlemen in creations that are often of their own making. In its heyday, the parade drew crowds of up to a million; in recent years, it has become less a parade and more a large gathering, where participants and spectators alike clog the streets to check out the creativity on display. An estimated 30,000 people attended last year's outing. Helping to keep the spirit of hat-wearing alive is the Milliner's Guild, which seeded the crowd with women in hats that were more fashionable than comical. No word yet on this year's numbers, but those who did show up enjoyed a full dose of sunshine (despite the brisk winds) and a collection of hats that you're not likely to see in the windows of Saks or Bergdorf Goodman anytime soon. 

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