I remember my grandmother NEVER left the house on Sunday without her church hat. She had style... well, most women and men of her generation had style and a sense of dignity about their appearance.So browsing the L.A. Times today, I found this great article that put those grandma memories back in my mind: A Congregation of Splendid Hats. Great story and a great photo essay accompanies the story.
A few years back, Michael Cunningham and Craig Marberry put together a great photography book featuring black women in their hats, Crowns: Portraits of Black Women in Church Hats. It always makes a great gift.
A few months ago, a few of my colleagues who didn't have the cultural capital to know about church hats and black women were making fun of the Aretha Franklin hat at Barack Obama's inauguration. They thought it was excessive. I had to school some people on why it wasn't funny and that hats are an important part of black community fashion history.
Anyway, hope you see some fabulous crowns this weekend during your family or holiday gatherings.
fs
3 comments:
I found myself having to put people in their place when Aretha wore her hat as well. As soon as I saw it, I was reminded of all the ladies in our church who had serious hat game. You know it is going to be on tomorrow. Easter Sunday is a big day for church hats.
Having grown up in the black church I'm well aware of the hat culture but I too found Aretha's hat funny and excessive. ReRe was representing though ... I ain't mad.
Sorry previous poster, I must disagree. In the African American church hat game, there is no such thing as excessive! The bigger, bolder, and brighter the better!
Thanks for this nice entry.
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