The Easter bonnet is not necessarily an Easter symbol embodied with centuries of Christian significance.
It has become such a cultural tradition, though, that the new Easter outfit, which symbolizes newness and rebirth, would not be complete without an Easter hat to top off the look.
This is no time for holding back with understated elegance. Rather, having "all the frills upon it" seems to be the standard.
You can possibly thank Aretha Franklin for some of the interest in hats this year.
The big rhinestone-trimmed bow hat she wore at the inauguration of President Barack Obama has drawn raves from admirers who couldn't order them fast enough from Luke Song of Mr. Song Millinery of Detroit, where Franklin bought hers.
There are Web sites where you can electronically see what you would look like wearing the hat. There is a video spoof that shows the huge bow starting to spin as Franklin nears the end of "My Country 'Tis of Thee" and then Franklin taking flight, powered by the spinning bow.
"In the millinery business, you can go from vintage to vogue quite easily," said Earnestine Epps-Locke, owner of Chic Chapeau in Richmond, Va. The shop has the Aretha Franklin hat in various colors and fabrics for $159 to $209. Franklin's inaugural version reportedly cost $179.
Epps-Locke said a slight variation in a hat block, the wood form hats are shaped on, can change a style and make it the season's must-have. The basic form of the hat Franklin wore has been around for more than 15 years, Epps-Locke said.
"The first lady of soul so graciously endorsed a very beautiful and vintage style," said Epps-Locke. "Mr. Song did it over. . . . He just added some zing to an old style with the elaborated bow and the Swarovski rhinestone trim."
Some of the spring versions are made of parasisol, a tightly-woven straw. The winter version is made of felt.
Sales have remained brisk, said Epps-Locke, who declined to say how many she had sold.
"People will stop buying them if they know how many you're selling."
There are enough of them that there could be an occasional Aretha Franklin hat sighting or two today in a lot of places.
"Even though there may be 100 hats out there, when you are looking at 700 to 800 churches, that spreads the number of hats in the vicinity pretty thin," Epps-Locke said.
"It doesn't matter," she added. "The both of us could put on the same hat, same style. Each lady gives the hat something different — the way she places it upon her head, her attitude and sense of dignity about wearing the hat."
Contact Tammie Smith at (804) 649-6572 or TLsmith@timesdispatch.com.
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