The history of Easter Bonnets – When celebrating Easter, many Christians don their best apparel to attend church services and family gatherings. On Easter Sunday, gentlemen often put on their best suits and women their fanciest dresses. Children, too, wear formal clothing on Easter Sunday. Girls in particular tend to wear an item of interest that seems to only appear once per year.
The history of Easter Bonnets
Bonnets are part of the Easter attire for many girls, and even some women. Bonnets are part of long tradition of wearing new clothes on Easter that originated in parts of Europe, such as Great Britain. In fact, the tradition even dates back to Shakespearean times, as an “Easter suit” is referenced in “Romeo and Juliet.”
According to some historians, there was a notion that ill-luck would affect a person who did not have something new to wear on Easter, and the bonnet is an element of newness that fits the bill for many young girls and women.
It wasn’t until the 19th century that the Easter bonnet gained popularity in the Americas. Women and children participating in Easter parades, notably the New York City Easter Parade, could be seen in their finest clothes with intricate bonnets – often wreathed in flowers – on their heads. Because Easter coincides with spring, lilies, daffodils, azaleas, hyacinths, and other blooms would adorn hats and hair.
Even though the Easter bonnet may not be as popular as it once was, many people still embrace this tradition. In areas of the United Kingdom, for example, children and women design elaborate and ostentatious bonnets. In the United States, some hat-decorating contests still coincide with Easter festivities. Children in primary grades also may design Easter- or spring-themed hats that they can wear during holiday celebrations.
Easter bonnets have a storied history. From European beginnings to parade staples, they’re often a hallmark of the spring season.
Easter Blog Posts
Below is a list of blog posts that relate to Easter. Be sure to check them all out!
- 1 Cross, 3 Nails, 4 Given Church Sign
- 8 Things Jesus Accomplished on the Cross
- 20th anniversary of the powerful film, “The Passion of the Christ.”
- A-Z of Easter, The
- Amber Alert: Jesus Christ is Missing
- Arise My Love by Newsong
- Ascension
- Ash Wednesday, Day of Ashes
- Body of Christ
- Breakfast Pizza
- Broken Egg
- CEO Christians Church Sign
- Colors of Easter
- Cracking the Tradition of Hiding Easter Eggs
- Create and Hide Unbreakable Easter Eggs
- Cross Acronym
- Cross of Jesus
- Cross Tree
- Dogwood Tree
- Drive-Thru Easter Egg Hunt
- Dye Eggs with All Natural Ingredients
- Easter celebrations in the era of social distancing
- Easter Egg Trunk Hunt
- Easter Finger Puzzle Printable
- Easter is Canceled
- Easter Lilies Can Kill A Cat?
- Easter Monday
- Easter Story Snack Mix Printable
- Easter Sweet Treats Makes Easter Special
- Easter Symbols
- Easter Trees
- Easter Word Search Printable
- Egg Rolling
- Emoji Easter Story Printable
- Empty Egg
- Finished An Easter Spoken Word Videos by KB
- Forgiveness
- Free Easter Printables
- Good Friday
- Happy Easter “Resurrection Day”
- He is Risen Display
- Hiding Easter Eggs
- History of Easter Bonnets
- Holy Monday
- Holy Saturday
- Holy Thursday
- Holy Tuesday
- Holy Wednesday
- Hot Cross Buns
- If Jesus Had An Obituary
- Importance of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ
- It’s Not About the Bunny Church Sign
- Jelly Bean Prayer Printable
- Jesus Shows His Scars
- KSBJ’s Cross Stops in Houston!
- Lazarus Saturday
- Legend of the Donkey’s Cross
- Legend of the Sand Dollar Printable
- Legend of the Three Trees
- Lent
- Let kites soar: A Lenten tradition takes flight
- Life Savers
- Make Easter Eggs Last
- Maundy Thursday
- Meaning Behind Easter Lilies
- No Bones About It – Jesus Is Alive!
- Palm Sunday
- Passover
- Resurrection Bracelet
- Resurrection Rolls
- Searching for Christ
- Shrove Tuesday
- Silly Rabbit, Easter is for Jesus
- Son of God Movie Review
- Spy Wednesday
- Stay-At-Home Spring Printables for Kids
- Stitching Easter delights with Sewing
- Sweating Blood Prayer
- Telelestai
- That’s My King Dr. S.M. Lockridge
- The Rock at UT Painted for Easter (2024)
- The University of Tennessee Rock painted with an Easter Messages (2022)
- Trail to the Empty Tomb
- Truth About Easter Bunny & Easter Eggs
- That Tomb Is Still Empty, Easter Story Told by Two Kids
- Unique Easter Traditions from Around the Globe
- University of Tennessee Rock painted with an Easter Message, The
- What if the Resurrection Happened Today
- What’s So Good About Good Friday?
- Why Did Jesus Fold the Napkin?
- Words of Forgiveness by Saving Darkness
- You, Sin, Christ – A Simple Illustration
- You’ve Been Egged Printable
Article compliments of Metro Creative. TF194845 First published April 3, 2019. Last update or republished March 23, 2021.
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