Obama's swearing-in upstaged by Aretha's hat.

[panader0]

Just kidding of course, but wow! what a hat. She is one of the few who could do it and have it be right for her. I'm still high on the whole thing.
Damn! tried to paste a picture a couldn't. I'm a 'puter moran.

[Fran Kubelik]

1. I don't get all the uproar about the hat.

It just looked like a church hat to me.

Hell - you should see what British women wear to weddings!!!

[SoxFan]

6. I'm with you

I've got a friend who is an older AA woman, and she's got a closet full of these church hats.

[Fran Kubelik]

11. oops - wrong space

[mnhtnbb]

2. I loved her hat. Proud, dramatic, fun!

[Karenina]

14. Now THAT was a church hat!!!

[NJmaverick]

3. Where is the picture?

:shrug:

[mnhtnbb]

7. Not only picture, video, too

http://www.bittenandbound.com/2009/01/20/aretha-franklin-inauguration-video/

[NJmaverick]

8. Thanks, that hat works for her and that outfit

[patrice]

4. I liked the hat. Wish I could wear a hat like that!

:hi:

[marylanddem]

5. Aretha is continually amazing.

[johnfunk]

9. Women's hats are a long-standing tradition in black churches...

And Aretha brought that style and tradition to the inauguration -- critics and fans may categorize her as R&B, but her roots are in the gospel tradition.

I loved that huge bow. Yesterday was Christmas for progressives, and Aretha looked like the gift she is -- the one that keeps on giving!

[TahitiNut]

16. Few people in Detroit would be unaware of Aretha's roots.

Her late father, Reverend Clarence LaVaughn Franklin, is the former head of the New Bethel Baptist Church here in Detroit and an ally and friend of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Rev. Franklin was a staunch activist in the civil rights and labor movements. New Bethel is a major community center in Detroit and Ms. Franklin remains actively involved.

[Auggie]

10. I loved it

[alcibiades_mystery]

12. That was an old school church crown

No mistake. :-)

[Fran Kubelik]

13. Ellen is wearing it on her show today!!

[TahitiNut]

15. Detroit's citizen representative did us proud!

:applause: