"Becoming Head-gear Is of the Utmost Importance": Gender Performance, Social Differentiation, and the Codes of Hat Etiquette in Dombey and Son.

A literary criticism of the book "Dombey and Son" by Charles Dickens is presented which focuses on significance of hat wearing, hat etiquette, and its role in gender performance and social differentiation. It explores how hats symbolize identity, class, and gender, examining their implications in Victorian society through detailed analysis of various characters' headgear.