Tony can't wear the green hat that goes with the sweater.

I hate to tell my mom this but the great hat she knitted for Tony, that goes with the sweater you see in the above photo, cannot be worn in China. A green hat is worn by a cuckold, that is by some husband whose wife is having lots of trouble with the cable or plumbing and needs repairmen coming constantly to the apartment to fix the problem. I told my wife that Tony was only 14 months and that surely such a thing could not be imputed to him if he wore a green toque. But my wife insisted that the taboo against the green hat was so strong, no one, not matter how old, could wear one, even a woman.

Asking my wife about the woman wearing a hat, she said in no uncertain words: "No one in China can wear a green hat. It is stupid!"

When I told one Wuxi Expat about this taboo, he said he would wear one, because he didn't want anyone to think he was a loyal husband.