I’ll be honest. I haven’t yet watched a stitch of the Royal Wedding. But it’s not rocket science to know that hats play a starring role in pageantry, pomp and circumstance. (oooh – more P words…!)

Personally, I’m not a big wearer of hats ~ even though secretly, I kind of wish I were. They have a great way of adding personality and “pizzazz”. But let’s face it, you have to be pretty confident, or bold, (or royal), to wear some of the more flamboyant pieces… and then of course you have to be aware of bumping into things at head level, or the wind knocking it off your head, or not being able to take it off because of what it’s done to your hair.

Still, hats are special. Hats tell stories. Historical stories, personal stories, love stories, work stories. Sometimes they elicit stories the wearer may “want” to tell.

They’re also special simply by virtue of longevity. I’m pretty sure they’ve been around since dinosaurs roamed the earth ~ probably the first big invention, never mind about discovering fire ~  and they show no sign of stopping.

In the old, old, (really old), days, animal skins were all the rage. Since then, hat-wearing has evolved from being all about practicality to being (almost) all about fashion. That’s not to say people don’t wear hats for protection. But styles ~ the sheer abundance! ~ allow for all kinds of dazzling personal expression.

And they do serve a purpose. Hats provide a frolicking, fun playground for designers, a usefulness for farmers, cowboys and southern belles, and a perfect way to make an impressionable appearance at things like royal weddings.

PS: If you can’t get enough of “hats” lately, I recommend New Jersey’s Morris Museum exhibit: “On The Head and In The Hand: 200 Years of Hats and Purses”. The collection is lush, rich in history and fun to wander through.