Everyone knows that song about the Easter bonnet with all the frills upon it.
But, tell the truth, was there ever really an Easter bonnet tradition?
Yes and no, observers say.
We have to say yes because Christian women wore hats for church (and Easter) for centuries. And people did tend to buy new clothes (and hats) for Easter.
The tradition of women covering their heads in the church mainly disappeared in the west in the 1960s, as culture became casual and churches relaxed expectations.
But there are remnants of the tradition. In Spain, during Holy Week, some women still drape long, lovely, black lace mantillas over elaborate combs called peinetas. On the other end of the spectrum, plain dressing Hutterites and Amish women wear simple head coverings all the time.
In England, the tradition of hats remains — but mainly for royal weddings and race tracks. Ladies of the realm don elaborate hats with sweeping brims. Sometimes they sport quirky 'fascinators,' feathers or bows attached to the forehead or side of the head.
But the Easter bonnet in particular probably arose out of the tradition of wearing finery for Easter. In the 1870s, when everyone attempted to dress in their best clothes for church, the ladies and gentlemen parishioners emerged from St. Patrick's Cathedral and spontaneously decided to go for a stroll along Fifth Avenue. The New York City Easter Bonnet Parade was born.
Up until about 1930, the Easter parade was about finery. But by the 1940s, it was also about fun and humor. People started making elaborate hats with baskets, eggs, and bunnies.
In New Orleans, LA, where every holiday is cause for a parade, in 1983 The Chris Owens Easter Bonnet Parade was launched, emphasizing exotic finery and plenty of fascinators.
There are still scouts, schools, and clubs that make Easter bonnets for fun, but are they a mainstream tradition? Probably not, according to the hat company The Headonist.
Still, nothing is finer — or more fun — than dressing up a straw hat with flowers and lace. That still happens, but probably only for a parade.
