Hooray for Hats

by Roberta Beach Jacobson


Little girls of the 1950s  (young ladies, we were called) wore hats more often than just for special occasions. We wore them often. 

In fact, most winter coats came with matching hats. For coats sold alone, mothers  would march their “young ladies” to the hat department of the local department store or to a haberdasher's – a hat maker. 

Color and material could  be debated at great length, as well as price. With a properly matched hat, the ensemble would be complete.

Even though they couldn't be tossed into the washer, you had to care  for your hats - such as brushing them off after wearing. 

Each of our  closets had a row of square hat boxes, usually showing the name of a shop. Proper storage was essential so hats wouldn't be crushed. 

When warmer weather hit the Midwest, I remember the joy of switching to lighter hats - straw or other woven materials. I loved hats with wide  brims!

We always dressed up on Sundays, even when church wasn't on the agenda.  We'd don our best to drive to out-of-town friends or dine in fine city restaurants.

I'd have to classify Easter bonnets as a special category. We were able to have a little fun and add imaginative touches, such as sprigs of green or collected flowers (no matter if real or fake). 

It was practically a contest who could come up with the best colors and decorations. 

I remember one year Mom bought me an orange hat made of straw and laden down with dried flowers of all types. 

For many families in our small community, Easter Sunday was the only day all year they'd show up at church. The pews would be packed and bonnets were proudly on display for all to notice. 

We girls didn't wear veils, but older women often had them added to  their favorite hats. They were for slightly more dressy occasions, not something worn to the grocery store. 

Mom let me try on her hats and I always thought it was fun to peek through the veils, a grown-up perspective for a curious “young lady” growing up in the 1950s. 


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