St. Catherine’s Day

Bespoke Hat Made for Cynthia Hopkins when I was, but didn’t realize I was a Catherinette.

St. Catherine’s Day is a day to celebrate the young milliners who are of the “marrying age” of 25, but not yet married. In a way a coming out party - traditionally as a parade in Paris. However, it is systemically continued taught and learned that women are different and moreover need to achieve a marital status 5 years before men of the age of men is 30 (how are also “celebrated” on this day in couture houses in Paris. The men who are “eligible bachelors’ also wear a special cap for the day and have lunch with the younger Catherinettes, who also have their hats made for them - so everyone in in a group and not at all showing off individuality. Of course we can all say, oh, it’s just a little day keeping with a tradition. But we can see in the video it’s not only rooted in the ageism that women encounter today, it’s also racist.

We can start by noting that we can’t have a parade with black face. I think this goes without saying, but these days, seems much still needs to be spelled out. The age needs to be equal, shall we agree on 30(!?) so that we can start to make these reparations, and if it is to show off the specific character of a women’s qualities, the houses these days simply make all the women the same hat, and the men get another. It has become a publicity stunt in the name of tradition that has been as twisted about as old period underwear. Let’s make it a fun day - why not have workshop where single people, of ALL AGES can hand craft a hat with the houses left-overs?

Am I bitter about this? Yup. Sure, and I don’t even mind saying so. I’m more than 2 decades past this generic prime age I am - even though no one would say to my face these days, I’m an old maid. I assure you if you walked in my shoes to the mail box, you would not feel this way, nor judge me for the “choices” I’ve made with my circumstances, but here we are. Not sure why others have decided to hang up their hat on this, but I am glad the trend has started to stop.

As much of a color maven that I am, I didn’t know yellow represented Faith, at least here in France. I’ve not green in my most recent hat, shown below….maybe I’m hiding my wisdom inside.