Easter Bonnets

In earlier times, Easter bonnets (sometimes referred to simply as spring bonnets) were commonplace. People liked to dress up in their finest clothes for the festival. Women would consider it a matter of pride to buy a new bonnet for Easter, the frillier and more luxurious the better.

This appears to be in many ways a reaction to the ending of the Christian period of Lent. During Lent, many Christians deny themselves luxuries. So when Lent ended, going out and buying an Easter bonnet was an enjoyable way to greet Easter. Spring time in general represents an end of the deprivations and restrictions of winter.

Afterwards, the bonnet would sometimes be used as a basket in which the Easter bunny could store the eggs and other treats that he brought for children.

Parades

Easter bonnets were also worn in the Easter parades that used to be more common than they are today. Some people have used the parade as an opportunity to demonstrate their imagination and creativity by making weird, wonderful and outlandish hats. These were often amazing to look at, even if highly impractical to wear!

The heyday of bonnet wearing in the US was probably the 1930s. In his song Easter Parade (composed for the 1933 revue "As Thousands Cheer") Irving Berlin includes the lines:

In your Easter bonnet
With all the frills upon it
You'll be the grandest lady in the Easter parade

The song also went on to be featured in the 1948 movie "Easter Parade".

In the latter part of the twentieth century the custom of wearing Easter bonnets rather declined. However there have been recent signs of a posssible revival with many people today buying bonnets for themselves or their children - sometimes for boys as well as girls.

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