I am thinking about hats today . . .

 

When Father goes to town with me to buy my Sunday hat, 

We can't afford to waste much time in doing things like that; 

We walk into the nearest shop, and Father tells them then, 

“Just bring a hat you think will fit a little girl of ten!” 

 It may be plain, it may be fine with lace and flowers too; 

If it just “feels right” on my head we think that it will do; 

It may be red or brown or blue, with ribbons light or dark; 

We put it on—and take the car that goes to Central Park. 

 When Mother buys a hat for me, we choose the shape with care; 

We ask if it's the best they have, and if they're sure 'twill wear; 

And when the trimming's rather fine, why, Mother shakes her head 

And says, “Please take the feathers off—we'd like a bow instead!” 

 But oh, when Sister buys my hats, you really do not know 

The hurry and the worry that we have to undergo! 

How many times I've heard her say—and shivered where I sat— 

“I think I'll go to town to-day, and buy that child a hat!” 

 They bring great hats with curving brims, but I'm too tall for those; 

And hats that have no brim at all, which do not suit my nose; 

I walk about, and turn around, and struggle not to frown: 

I wish I had long curly hair like Angelina Brown. 

 Till when at last the daylight goes, and I'm so tired then, 

I hope I'll never, never need another hat again, 

And when I've quite made up my mind that shopping is the worst 

Of all my tasks—then Sister buys the hat that we saw first 

 And so we take it home with us as quickly as we may, 

And Sister lifts it from the box and wonders what they'll say; 

And I—I peep into the glass, and (promise not to tell!) 

I smile, because I really think it suits me very well. 

 Then slip into the library as quiet as can be, 

And this is what my Brother says when first he looks at me: 

“Upon—my—word! I never saw a queerer sight than that! 

Don't tell me this outrageous thing is Polly's Sunday hat!”

~E. Hill, When Polly Buys a Hat 

I have always held a certain fascination for hats.  I quite love them actually, although I have not the head nor the penchant for wearing them.  My head is too big and too round, my face too  . . .  to be able to sport a pretty hat with any kind of class whatsoever.  And so I don't.  Wear hats.  At all. They just do not suite me. But that doesn't stop me from liking and admiring them, and I admire any woman who can wear one and look wonderful in it. I envy her that quality.

There was a time when a woman would not have considered herself to be completely dressed if she stepped out the door without a hat on her head. They were the very epitome of class.  And every era had their own signature hat fashions. 

A hat is a shameless flatterer, 

calling attention to an escaping curl,

a tawny braid a sprinkling of freckles

over a pert nose, directing the eye

to what is most unique about a face.

Its curves emphasize a shining pair of eyes,

a lofty forehead; its deep brim accentuates

the pale tint of a cheek, creates an aura

of prettiness, suggests a mystery

that awakens curiosity in the onlooker.

~Jeanine Larmoth 

 

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The right hat can portray our personality in a way nothing else can I suppose. It can also help us to capture in our imaginations glimpses of the past. Although we would certainly not prance around the streets in a dress with a bustle of the 1900's, a classic cloche, a felt beret, or a trilby hat might help to give us the feeling that we were living in another, more romantic era of the past. 

When I was a girl we always wore a hat to church, and I had several. I remember one in particular which was like a very wide head band. It was so tight that it hurt my head. It was covered with flowers.  I had a fat round head even then, which makes sense I suppose. Head shapes rarely change.

My personality is a not hat personality. If I were to wear any covering at all, it might perhaps be a scarf. 

 

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One of the things I love most about occasions such as a Royal Wedding or the Queens Birthday Parade is seeing all the ladies in their fancy hats.  Fascinators are quite the fad at the moment.  Like a thin head band with something pretty attached. 

In Chester city on Race Days (and there were several throughout the year) you would see the women walking down the cobbled streets in their high heels and finery on their way to the race course. There would be all manner of beautiful fascinators sitting on top of their heads.  And the hats the ladies wear at Ascot are always a great matter for great discussion.  A great deal of thought goes into picking just the right one I am sure.

When I was cheff-ing I had to wear a hat. Although these days, except for in the very hoitiest toitiest of establishments it will be a small cap and not the full blown chef's hat, which always kind of made me think, what is the purpose of it. Most of your hair is still exposed.  I hardly think they prevent any hair from falling in the food actually. Only a hair net will properly do that.

 

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Here are some fun facts about hats, that I found fascinating! 

• London black taxies are made tall so that a gentleman can ride in them without taking off a top hat. 
• In the middle of 19th century baseball umpires wore top hats during the game. 
• White tall chef hats traditionally have 100 pleats to represent hundreds of ways an egg can be prepared. They were invented by cuisine inventors Marie-Antoine Carème and Auguste Escoffier as a method of establishing hierarchy in the kitchen. 
• Elisabeth I had a law according to which every person older than 7 years had to wear a cap on Sundays and holydays.
• It is said that when John Hetherington wore one of the first top hats in 1797 in the streets, he was arrested for scaring the people. He ended up in court and paid 50 pounds sterling. 
• Trilby, a variant of fedora, was named after heroine Trilby O'Ferral of a George du Maurier novel. Process of making felt involved use of mercury which is toxic and prolonged exposure use can cause damage in nervous system, tremors and dementia. From that originates phrase “Mad as a hatter”. Fedora was first a women’s hat than men’s. Now it is both. 
• In 1920s there was an odd custom in America that it was common that if people wore straw hats after the 15 September they were beaten up. 
• First “Dunce” hat was introduced by medieval theologian John Duns Scotus (1265-1308). HIs idea was that a conical hat funneled knowledge from God into a head of the... dunce. 
• Panama hat was never made in Panama. It is made in Equador. 
• Those who supply men’s hats are called hatters while those who supply women’s hats are called milliners. 
• Vikings never wore horned helmets. 
• French Magician Louis Comte was first to pull out a rabbit from a top hat in 1814.  
• There is a law in Wyoming that prohibits wearing of a hat that obstructs a view in a theatre or some other place of amusement. 
• In Fargo, North Dakota, There is a law that forbids dancing while wearing a hat under the penalty of jail.
• There is still a law in Kentucky that forbids a ma to buy a ten gallon hat if his wife is not present to assist in choosing a model. 
• The smallest hat worn by men was from 18th century and it was a small tricorn hat with dimensions of two inches by four inches and it was worn on the top of the wig. 
• Fedora was named after the Princess Fedora Romanoff from play Fédora by the French author Victorien Sardou. 
• Colors of hard hats can have meaning and are used to distinguish roles on the construction sites and for safety. White hard hats wear supervisors or engineers, blue - technical advisers. Safety inspectors wear green hard hats. Yellow hard hats wear laborers while orange or pink is reserved for new workers or visitors.

Whew!  That's quite a list,  but I learned something new.  Did you?

 

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Hats were invented mainly as a protection against the elements.  Rain. Sun. Wind, etc. Somehow they evolved into a statement about a person's position in society and status. They went from being mere sun-shades into ever-evolving fashion accessories.   

For women in the 18th century, the hat was an icon of wealth. The begére, or ‘Shepherdess Hat’, was wide-brimmed and made of straw. Serving as a stylish shade to protect the fair skin of even fairer ladies, the hat was inspired by the countryside and could be embellished with various accoutrements to more directly convey one’s pecuniary prestige. No symbols last forever, though, even in the history of hats; the begére eventually became a symbol of romance. 

The donning of the English bonnet, or ‘Bonnet du Jour’, did not depend upon a woman’s class; rather, it was enjoyed by everyone from milkmaids to maidens. The large brim framed the woman’s face but protected her profile from unwanted onlookers and lecherous men. The classic bonnet can often be seen in period works such as Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. 

Miss Matty of Cranford fame always held in her heart a secret desire to wear a turban.  She got her wish at the end of the second series where she sports an especially elegant sea green turban at the Christmas event in the newly refurbished hall.  

I wonder do each of us harbor a secret desire, such as Miss Matty's??? Not to wear a turban as such, but to be able to sport something fashionable . . .  something  we cannot bring ourselves to wear because of some restriction we put on ourselves, such as my head is too fat, or round, my thighs too big, my belly too wrinkled, my ankles too thick, etc.  

Sigh  . . .  I do wish that I could pull off a hat, but alas I know that I cannot. I would feel rather foolish and a spectacle in one.  Even a turban. But there is a secret part of me that wishes that I could.

 

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There is a special weather advisory in effect here for today with heavy rains expected. We haven't had a lot of rain this summer so it is needed, but the problem is that the ground is so dry it will hardly be absorbed and will likely all run off.  It is drizzling now.

I was out on the front porch refilling my hummingbird feeder at 6 this morning. It was almost empty and there were six hummers fighting over it. I thought I needed to take immediate action and I was most relieved that I had thought to make some new juice for it last night!  They have been emptying it in 2 or 3 days at this point. I only put in 1 cup of juice at a time so that it is fresh and clean.

Cindy and I are both having our second booster shots this afternoon and then we are both going out for supper with dad and his friends. It will be nice to have Cindy there with us for a change! I am quite looking forward to that! The dinner, not the shot!

Doug's whole family, including himself have now tested positive for Covid.  Thankfully so far it only seems to be a mild version. Let's hope that it stays that way. I am praying.

And with that I will leave you with a thought for today . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

•。★★ 。* 。

° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚

˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛

˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★

*Do you know, Peter asked,

Why swallows build in the

eaves of houses? Its to listen

to the stories.

~J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

•。★★ 。* 。•。★★ 。* 。 

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  easy to make Mini Chicago Deep Dish Pizzas.  These were fabulously tasty! 

I hope you have a wonderful day filled with lots of the things that you love.  Be happy and don't forget! 

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And I do too!