By Sherri from sewbettyanddot
“In your Easter bonnet, with all the frills upon it/You’ll be the grandest lady in the Easter parade.”
These lyrics are from the title song by Irving Berlin from the 1948 film
Easter Parade (starring Judy Garland and Fred Astaire). How did the tradition of wearing elaborate hats at Easter come about? Easter, symbolic of rebirth, is celebrated in springtime, when the flowers begin to unfurl and animals give birth to their young, and it's believed that in premodern times people wore garlands of flowers and leaves to celebrate the end of winter and the arrival of the longer, lighter days of spring. At the end of a cold dark winter, women often gladly switched out of heavier, darker, more practical clothing and celebrated spring with pastel colors, lighter fabrics, and more frivolous hats. Manhattan's Easter parade began in the 1880s and continues today (today's hats are often over-the-top themed hats rather than the elegant chapeaux of the past)--there's still time for you to make your bonnet and book a ticket to New York!
Let's take a look at some hat patterns from the Pattern Patter team...and while we're at it, how about picking a frock to go with your lovely bonnet (interestingly, a "bonnet" is traditionally defined as a hat or cap with strings that tie under the chin, definitely NOT what we think of today as an "Easter bonnet"). And let's not forget the little ones...or the guys...or the dogs!
As always, please click on the image to enlarge it.
Top row, left to right: Anne Adams 4926: FriskyScissors
There is a style for everyone--and that's the beauty of sewing with vintage patterns, don't you agree? Which style suits your fancy? Tell us in the comments!
