Aretha Franklin and her Church Hat. A great subject to explore learn more about.

[KittyWampus]

if for no other reason, there are some marvelous examples to be appreciated. But then there's the whole culture around them.

the first Google hit I came up with was Andrew Sullivan of all people. And as on assorted other topics, he does get the whole thing about Church Hats.

He references a book about the subject too:



From the Inside Flap:
Countless black women would rather attend church naked than hatless. For these women, a church hat, flamboyant as it may be, is no mere fashion accessory; it's a cherished African American custom, one observed with boundless passion by black women of various religious denominations. A woman's hat speaks long before its wearer utters a word. It's what Deirdre Guion calls "hattitude...there's a little more strut in your carriage when you wear a nice hat. There's something special about you." If a hat says a lot about a person, it says even more about a people-the customs they observe, the symbols they prize, and the fashions they fancy.

Photographer Michael Cunningham beautifully captures the self-expressions of women of all ages-from young glamorous women to serene but stylish grandmothers. Award-winning journalist Craig Marberry provides an intimate look at the women and their lives. Together they've captured a captivating custom, this wearing of church hats, a peculiar convergence of faith and fashion that keeps the Sabbath both holy and glamorous.


At the link, Sullivan apparently is arguing with someone about them.

http://dailydish.typepad.com/the_daily_dish/2007/02/church_hats.html