Aretha Franklin and the “HAT”
January 21, 2009 by Chloe Findlay-Harder
Filed under Accessories
There has been a whole lot of flack over Aretha Franklin’s choice of hat at the inauguration. Not sure what I’m talking about? Here you go…
I’m going to go out on a limb and defend her choice 
First of all, she’s a diva and can wear whatever she darn well pleases! I think she’s got the charisma and style to pull it off – in fact, I think she rocked it!
And let’s not forget how cold it was too…
Hats can make a great style statement – so maybe you should go out on a limb and try one too?
True Stephanie … I think this is just another case of cultural “envy”. For decades, Black women were mocked and ridiculed for having big behinds, big lips, caramel skin and ample bustlines. Now, our Caucasian sistahs are paying top dollar to have collagen-enhanced parts that God gives naturally to a sistah.
If history and past behavior is any indication, White women all across America will be sporting their ‘Retha hat by next summer.
Wear it with our blessings!
Thought Aretha Franklin’s hat was fabulous. Looked good on her.
This is a woman’s thing. Men could care less about hats, dresses, purses, hairdo’s and makeup. And only a woman would notice that someone else was wearing the same item. You don’t dress for men, you dress for other women because men don’t care.
I thought Ms. Franklin looked quite beautiful. She did an excellent job singing the song and the hat was worn very well on her! We should all learn to appreciate each other and our diverse styles- Always remain OPEN people- YES YOU CAN
I thought the hat was the bomb. I want one. You haters that hate, you just don’t understand. That is the best I have seen the Queen of Soul. She rocked the hat!!!
Aretha’s hat was simply gorgeous! Beautiful hats have always been a fashion for African American women. Soul was added to this inauguration, in so many ways. The hat was appropriate for this special occasion.
Let’s face it, Aretha is over the top, so that hat was perfect. Wish I could be that bold in my fashion choices and still look that good. Keep on wearin’ em Aretha.
Remember for a black woman, her hat is her crown. She wore it well.
Very well stated. Why is it that we feel as though we can ridicule people for the what they wear and/or believe in. Once again I think she looked great and what others think she took away, from wearing her hat she surely enough made up for it with her beautiful voice! We must also remember that Aretha was raised in a certain fashion and I think that she is sticking to it!!! Go Aretha, do it girl!!!
I love Aretha Franklin, but, does that hat belong to such an event, YOU BET IT DOES. She doesn`t sound quite like she used to but she still steels the show. WOW, WHAT A GAL….
Hey, my Mom and all the ladies wore a hat to chuch every Sunday years ago but they have gone out of style in the last 40 or 50 years. I like it and thought it looked good. Maybe more of the ladies should get it going again.Way to go Aretha maybe you’ll start a trend. It looked great.
I think Aretha looked wonderful and appropriate. She usually goes for really flashy with bright colors but she didn’t want to upstage the real stars of the show the Obama family. Good choice. I like that hat. I would wear it if I could pull it off too.
I am a wwwg. Western Wyoming White Girl. And I loved the hat!! Wouldn’t be great to start wearing hats again. Our mothers looked so elegant and feminine.
Loved the hat. She really rocked it! What a fashion statement.
Don’t you people have other things to ‘dis’ other than Aretha Franklin’s hat? She looked fabulous
and, most importantly, it is very proper for a woman to wear at hat during the day.
Not only could Aretha carry off that look with aplomb, but she was smart enough to wrap up warmly on a cold day and look fabulous doing it. Where was Michelle’s hat and scarf or anyone else’s? You can be warm and gorgeous at the same time. You don’t have to freeze to look good and Aretha, God bless her, ALWAYS looks good.
I LOVED THE HAT! I want one sooooo bad. I hear they are selling like hotcakes! Hopefully hats are making a come back.
I love hats!!!!!,I make tham and wear them… I am known as “The Hat Lady” to some here in the Dallas area…Aretha Franklin rocked that hat..I think I make one like that for Sunday…..You go AF!!!!!!, you r still the QUEEN OF SOUL to me.
Sue
Aretha could have shown up stark naked with a bag on her head and STILL been beautiful! She was stunning in her outfit and church hat
I thought Aretha looked very classy just like the lady that she is, and her singing to Obama was her highest honor, we all need to give her a little
“RESPECT”..!
A lot of people commenting here, obviously, are not familiar with the black church. In many black churches, women STILL wear hats just like Aretha’s EVERY Sunday. I live in Metro Atlanta and hats like that are very common in church and at any daytime special event. As soon as my husband and I saw Aretha on TV, we said at the same time “Church Hat”. Ms. Franklin wore that hat VERY WELL.
I’m surprised anybody has a negative opinion of her style that day. The colors were understated, and what’s wrong with a highly accomplished woman standing out a bit? So the bow was enormous. I liked it.
Dear Vagabond, wwwg!! now that is the diverity that I like. we can be different but appreciate each other. btw (black family) we lived in el paso tx and my daughters were into horse showing western and english!! they wore western hats and chaps!! I am originally from nyc so this wasnt in my plan
) diversity is a wonderful thing. as an army family one of my treasures is the many people I have known and loved who are soo different but so like me — Aretha is a big woman in size and personality = BIG hat — she did NOT upstage anybody — all perfect.
WHAT A GREAT HAT!!!
I would love to be able to rock it – great hat!!
I’d would not wear that hat, but it suits her.
Also, she got a LOT of press because of that hat.
That hat is a PR dream because it’s all over the place.
Indeed, she’s a diva and she can get away with it!
Miss Gisele B.
Aretha Looked beautiful and the hat was suitable for cold weather, I thought the bow was cute, Not everyone can wear a hat like that one,Aretha would look nice with any hat choice I think.