Baltimore is buzzing with anticipation for the 149th Preakness Stakes, which is as much a fashion showcase as it is a sporting event.

"You have hatinators, fascinators, you have what they call whimsical pieces that were extraordinary, over the top, you have borders, fedoras, just every type of hat you can imagine," said Margie Hicks, the owner of Marjae Hats.

Hicks is one of the Maryland millineries that emphasizes the importance of hats at the Preakness.

"The ladies needed to have been here yesterday, but, however, we have plenty of hats," Hicks said. "We'll be one of the official vendors for Preakness and Black-Eyed Susan Day. We're here for you."

Choosing the right hat can be a daunting task, with considerations ranging from size to material and even how to avoid overheating.

"Think of a hat and how large a hat can be, the only difference is it has a band. If we talk about different materials -- we have crinoline, we have cinema fascinators that let the air through as well, and also we have fascinators that are simple and only have feathers and a band," Hicks said.

The feathers used in Hicks' hats, or "crowns" as she prefers to call them, are sourced from all over the world.

"When I think about when I put a crown on one my ladies' head, first of all, I'm looking at the frame of your face and I want the hat to pop," Hicks said.

Once a hat is chosen, customers are given a quick lesson in hat etiquette.

"The etiquette is that you want to make sure it's not too far back of your head, and you want to make sure it's not over your eye, so you want to make sure it's right on top of your eye line," Hicks said.

Marjae Hats is a one-stop shop for all that needs, and men are not left out.

"We have hats that are fedoras. As we talk about the crowns, some men like their crown to be more of a fedora-type crown. We also have the zoot hat, the zoot hat has a distinguished crown on it," Hicks said.