In the North, people wear hats for warmth and for sports during the winter. In Florida you might see a hat or two pulled over someone's ears when there are a few cold days.
We use hats in many of our idioms, "at the drop of a hat," "pass the hat," "take one's hat off to," "talk through one's hat," "toss one's hat in the ring," but the majority of Americans seem to prefer going hatless.
I stopped wearing hats regularly when our church lifted the requirement that women cover their heads when attending services. Recently I have noticed an interest in hats among the fashion-conscious.
Some women have never given up hats. Hats have been the trademark of the queen of England. Her hats have been seen worldwide; an exhibition of 98 of her finest opened in May in Kensington Palace and will be on display until April 18. The queen's hats are by no means wispy. They are designed to make her stand out in a crowd, along with her polka-dotted or brightly colored outfits.
For many other women, hats have not worked out as well. Remember Hillary Clinton's hat at her husband's first inaugural? It was dowdy and ugly. She fared better at the second inaugural because no one remembers the hat.
During the first part of the 20th century, hats were pieces of art. They were usually large and decorated with flowers, fancy bows and streamers. Later, they grew smaller, with names such as the Empress Eugenie and the pillbox, which was made famous by first lady Jacqueline Kennedy.
Two occasions in my life were made memorable by hats. For the first anniversary that my husband and I were able to celebrate together, we drove to Chicago for dinner. I wore a hat with a short veil. A photographer stopped at our table and took our picture. I still have that picture; it's a wonderful reminder of a special evening and, of course, that hat.
I also remember an Easter we spent in New York City. On Sunday we attended services at St. Patrick's Cathedral. After the services we had a wonderful feast at the home of a friend who lived within walking distance of Central Park. We later went to the park, took pictures and went for a stroll down Fifth Avenue. I was reminded of the scene in the movie Easter Parade starring Judy Garland and Fred Astaire.
I had purchased my hat the day before, and my husband whispered to me that I was the prettiest girl in the "Easter parade." He said he was honored to have me on his arm. It is strangely wonderful, but when you love someone they can make you "feel" beautiful - that afternoon I did. I wore that New York hat only once, but it was worth it. I sold it to a vintage dealer a few years ago.
I can't recall ever seeing my husband in a civilian hat. In the winter he wore a knit cap or ear muffs when he shoveled snow and a golf hat in the summer when he played. I still have the naval hat he wore during World War II.
As the demand for hats has waned, small hat shops have gradually disappeared. Hats have always been offered in department stores and in some boutiques for die-hard hat lovers, but the specialized hat shop is rare.
Perhaps that will change. If there is a hat revival in our future, maybe it could stimulate the economy by bringing back an art, as well as putting a spark in milady's wardrobe. And for those of us with "silver threads among the gold," an intriguing hat may be just the thing to put some zest in our lives.
- LaVerne Hammond, who divides her time between Wisconsin and Florida, is at work on her memoirs. Write her in care of Seniority, St. Petersburg Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731.
