Hat Collection at Smithsonian

An eclectic collection of hats at the Smithsonian

There is a sampling of hats worn by Americans over the years on the website of the Smithsonian (National Museum of American History). The sample includes women’s and men’s hats drawn from the Museum’s vast collections.

"A hat is much more than a practical device for keeping one’s head warm. As a symbol of identity, it also reveals much about the wearer’s occupation, social class, cultural heritage, and personal style" states the introduction to the sample on the web.

The sampling is very eclectic. The women’s hats include

Bridal Cap 1929
Girl Scout Beret 1956–1958
Nurses Cap 1945
Quaker woman’s bonnet 1850

A particularly whimsical hat is one of the hats worn by “Minnie Pearl” in the 1970s. Minnie was the well known country comedian on the Grand Ole Opry cast in Nashville. Part of her act was wearing an outlandish flowery straw hat with a dangling price tag of $1.98. She appeared on the well known television program Hee Haw many of you will remember the popular show. Minnie Pearl’s real name was Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon. She passed away at the age of 83 in 1996 after being active in show business for over 50 years. She was an American icon. See her biography at http://www.answers.com/topic/minnie-pearl

The eclectic sample can be viewed at
http://americanhistory.si.edu/exhibitions/small_exhibition.cfm?key=1267&exkey=143&pagekey=262