Hats

Today is the first Tuesday in November - Melbourne Cup Day. The famous horse race that stops the nation. It is also a day that celebrates the hat.

In the 50s and 60s when I was a girl, hats were commonly worn by both men and women. If you look at film footage of the era, crowds of people would all be wearing hats, streams of office workers all wearing hats. Men would lift their hats as a greeting, particularly to women and I was always super chuffed if someone 'dipped their lid' to me.

My mother had a whole wardrobe of hats. She would always wear one if we went to visit friends, even if it was only for afternoon tea. And if she went into the city it was absolutely de rigueur. Gloves as well of course. Although I was only young, if we went into the city for a day's shopping I would also wear my hat, gloves and carry a handbag.

My father looked very smart in his hats. He had a small head so had trouble getting a hat he liked to fit properly so he would fold a page of newspaper into a long strip which would then be fitted into the inside rim of the hat. Even in old age he loved his hats and if he wasn't wearing a sun hat he would be wearing a cloth cap. He loved one cap in particular so I placed it in his coffin for his final journey.

I remember the delight of the hat department in such stores as David Jones, Farmer's and Mark Foy's. From simple little numbers to enormously expensive extravaganzas of tulle, flowers and feathers - gorgeous! There were tables with mirrors where you could sit and the shop assistants would bring a selection of hats to be tried on, admired and accepted or rejected. The assistant would hold up a mirror, like you do at the hairdresser's, so that you could admire the side and back view. If you did buy a hat it would be placed reverentially in a hat box for transportation. It made storing the hat in a cupboard at home easier too.

I always loved trying on hats. They suited me well, and the shop assistants never seemed to mind as long as you were careful and put them back on their stands.

At the nursing home where I am a volunteer, we are having a few games and then a fancy afternoon tea with savouries, muffins and champagne before watching THE race this afternoon. Everyone has been asked to wear a hat, just to make the occasion a little more festive. We have one lady who has to wear a helmet because of a medical problem and I'm going to stick flowers on it so she can also feel part of the spring carnival atmosphere.

My daughter, Lisa, has a lovely blog (blithemoments.blogspot.com.au) and her post this morning shows the elegant fascinator that she is wearing to the office today. She has a whole range of pretty fascinators and artificial flowers that she wears in her hair on social occasions. As she has an active social life they get quite a workout.

I thought I had better go and buy a hat to wear at the nursing home so I went to David Jones in Woden yesterday. What a shock! Not one formal hat! If you want a hat for the races, you have to go into Civic.

I bought a white sun hat at Big W for $9.87 and pinned up one side with an artificial flower. All a bit tragic really but being rather practical I thought the sun hat could come in handy and the artificial flower may be of some use further down the track.

I love watching the 'fashions in the field' on Melbourne Cup Day and really admire the stunning creations worn on people's heads. Some of those hats are worth thousands of dollars. I wonder if I could ever justify spending that sort of money. I do love looking at them though.

Off to the nursing home I go. I wonder what creations people are going to be coming up with. I'm sure it will all be fun.