Photo courtesy of Reuters


I love Aretha's hat!

And I'm not the only one. Blogs have been abuzz over her captivating chapeau ever since the inauguration. There is a group devoted to loving it on Facebook and now, The Smithsonian in D.C. has asked Aretha Franklin if she would part with her (in)famous Luke Song hat to be part of President Obama’s Inaugural display. The display will also include Michelle Obama's ball gown.

Can she, will she, part with it? She says, "I am considering it. It would be hard to part with my chapeau since it was such a crowning moment in history. I would like to smile every time I look back at it and remember what a great moment it was in American and African-American history."

I would have a hard time giving it up too. I would want to pass it down to my daughter and keep it in the family. Maybe she can allow it to be on loan to The Smithsonian?


Wearing Aretha's hat

                                           Copyright AMH                                         

Want to try on Aretha's hat? Go to BuzzFeed: Aretha's hat is everywhere.

Aretha Franklin:

• Fifteen Grammys, more than any other female performer in history.
• The youngest individual ever to receive the coveted Kennedy Center Honor.
• The first female inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
• The woman who sang at the funerals of Martin and Mahalia.
• The woman whose inaugural hat has brought unparalleled attention to the church hat.

Related links:

NPR reports on a play based on a photo anthology that celebrates the festive tradition of church hats.
The nifty book that the play is based on: Crowns: Portraits of Black Women in Church Hats.
Learn hat etiquette from Villagehatshop.com.
Here's how to eat your hat.