Tea at Trianon: Hat Craze

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Monday, August 24, 2009

Hat Craze

Are hats for men coming back? If so, I hope they remember to remove their hats in church and in private residences, and in the presence of ladies. Share

3 comments:

MadMonarchist said...: Looks to be aimed at more "civilized" areas. Around here hats never went anywhere to come back from. Your brains would cook in the summer and freeze in the winter without one and the proper rules are still largely observed. The slight tip toward passing ladies is not as familiar as it used to be, but I was raised by the old fashioned sort. Never saw anyone wear a hat in Church though I've seen far too many t-shirts, shorts and hip-huggers for my liking. Not always conducive to the thinking of pious thoughts.; August 24, 2009 at 3:39:00 AM EDT
Baron Korf said...: I don't know why the 'stingy' brims are so popular. I personally like the wider brims. But it is nice to see hats making a come back in dress fashion.; August 24, 2009 at 8:10:00 AM EDT
Julygirl said...: I find the current trend of men wearing baseball caps everywhere, even in a restaurant somewhat intriguing. They would sooner remove their shirt than take off that hat. It appears to be considered part of their clothing.; August 24, 2009 at 4:21:00 PM EDT