Recently
I read an article about CHURCH HATS & it reminded me of my younger
years. When I was a little girl my
mother sewed most of my clothes, and each year I looked forward to the Easter
dress she would make for me. But….my
favorite thing about Easter was that I usually got a HAT to go with my new
dress😊 Hats for church aren’t so popular these days
(at least in my neck of the woods), but when I was growing up all the ladies in
my church wore a hat almost every Sunday.
I remember one lady who wore the biggest hats, to the chagrin of anyone
sitting behind her….and she somehow always sat in front of me! I also remember
my mother wearing small hats with a veil that covered just the top half of her
face. I always wanted one of those, but
Mama said I was too young for a veil.
The
article got me to thinking about HATS & so (being the life-long learner I
try to be) I did a little research. It’s
not really known how long hats have been in existence, but they probably began
as a way to protect a person’s head & face from the elements. Wearing hats became mandatory for women in
the Middle Ages when they were required to wear one when attending church. During the Edwardian Age in the early 1900s, hats became a fashion accessory, rather than a necessity. Most were rather small
& sat on top of a pile of hair.
From
1910 until WWI hats grew in size and were adorned with feathers & flowers.
When
the war began hats again decreased in size.
It was considered unpatriotic to think too much about how you looked or
that you had spent a lot of money on a hat!
And in the 1920s the cloche, a close-fitting hat, became popular. I am the very proud owner of one of these
that belonged to my Aunt Katy who died when she was quite young.
Through
the decades hats changed with the times and the styles. During WWII they were even taxed at 33% as a
luxury item! Then the 1960s showed a
real decline in the wearing of hats for any occasion. Of course, none of us will forget the
beautiful Jackie Kennedy with her pillbox hat during this time.
Although hats are not popular in all sections of society, one area where they are still
very popular is with African American women and their beautiful CHURCH HATS. During the days of slavery, Sunday was the
one day black women could shed their drab working clothes & show their
individuality & creativity by wearing hats adorned with ribbons, flowers, or
other decorations. They also saw their hats as a way to honor Bible scripture dealing with the belief that women
should cover their heads when in church.
One article I read said that these ladies designed their hats to “catch
God’s eye” in hopes He would answer their prayers. (bglh marketplace.com)Another article said it was their way to
honor God. “The harder women worked to
create the perfect hat, the harder they were working to show God just how
seriously they took their Sunday church service. After all, if you're going to worship God the
right way, you need to look your most elegant!” (samuelshats.com/church-hats-history) This tradition of wearing beautiful CHURCH HATS continues today as a cherished
part of African American women’s culture, at least here in the South…and I am
totally envious. Such creations; such
beauty!
A
few years back a beautiful book entitled CROWNS: PORTRAITS OF BLACK WOMEN IN CHURCH HATS was written by Michael Cunningham and Craig Marberry.
It has wonderful photographs and also some of
the “rules” for the wearing of your CHURCH HAT.
I’m not sure all women abide by these rules, but they are interesting
and fun to think about….
“Don’t
wear a CHURCH HAT that’s wider than your shoulders.”
“Never
let your feathers get ruffled. If your
feathers get bent or broken, it can be seen as disrespectful.”
“While
the hat should be the focal point, it must not compete with the matching
outfit, jewelry or accessories, such as pocketbooks and gloves.”
“Don't
borrow CHURCH HATS. If you want the
respect and honor that these hats were built on, make sure yours comes from
your very own closet.”
“Always
have the right attitude. Never forget
the history behind these hats. Wear your CHURCH HAT with pride and walk with your head held high.”
It’s
what Deirdre Guion calls "hattitude…there’s a little more strut in your
carriage when you wear a nice hat. There’s something special about you."
Of
course, another American tradition that dates from 1875 & calls for a hat is the KENTUCKY DERBY. If I understand
correctly, it’s a real fashion faux pas if you don’t wear a hat to this annual
event.
I
probably will never attend the Kentucky Derby, but if CHURCH HATS ever come
back in style, maybe I’ll wear one of these….
I bought this at an antique store years ago...love that veil!
This belonged to my mother-in-law; I'm wearing it backwards! Looks cuter that way:)
But definitely NOT one like this....
There
are a lot of things from the “old days” that I don’t miss, but I would love to
see CHURCH HATS come back into vogue….even if the lady in front of me wears one
that is so big I have to peak around her to see the preacher😊
The lovely pictures are courtesy of Pinterest & the internet.
