RARE, vintage Moriarty wool, Vermont ski hat unisex

“ There’s one character in “The Official Preppy Handbook” who could be singled out for derision, it’s the skier. Wearing mirrored sunglasses and a cocky sneer, he looks like the kind of guy you’d hate everything about. Everything, that is, except his ski cap from Moriarty of Stowe, Vermont. For five decades the Moriarty cap and the Stowe ski industry grew in tandem. Anabel Moriarty founded a cottage industry and outfitted American Winter Olympians, including her son, from 1956-2006. I wish I could tell you that Moriarty is still a dominant force in ski hats. But there is no longer a store on Main Street. But there were still hats available in 2010. The museum had a few caps left emblazoned with Stowe, and now Moriarty hats and sweaters appear on eBay and other resale sites from time to time. The optimist in me believes the Moriarty hat is simply dormant. I’d also like to think there are some Vermont knitters just waiting for someone to appreciate their work again. As the old advisement used to say, “The People of Vermont make great maple syrup, great cheddar, and the best ski hats in the world.” — CHRISTOPHER SHARP “