What Happened To The Church Hat?

A Fading Tradition

There was a time when no church-going woman would ever consider going to church without a hat on her head.  In many of today's congregations, you might see a hat here and there, or not at all.  

Nowadays, hats are worn mainly by the preacher's wife and older women who were raised by hat-wearing mothers and grandmothers.

For some, the wardrobe is not complete without several church hats and other types of hats.  The church hat should not be worn for self-adornment, but rather as a tribute to God and part of worship itself, although in a customary manner.  Wearing a hat to church is custom not command.

If a woman has guts, she can make quite an impression outside of church by wearing a hat.  Although it is rarely done, hats can be worn in almost any setting.  Hats from extremely casual to extremely dressy are available to those who want them.  The right classy hat worn on a dinner date to a classy restaurant could put some added mystery and spice into the evening.

Like most things that have been around for years, wearing hats to church is dying out.  The few remaining women who do practice this custom might very well be the last of that breed.   

 

 

Berthinia Burgs is the First Lady of Alief Baptist Church in Houston, Texas.

About hats, she says "A woman isn't completely dressed for church without
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