👒 👒 👒 Hats began as functional accessories and evolved into status symbols, often reflecting world events. As fashion accents, they look a backseat to the coats and gowns whose lines they enhanced. In the 1960s when Andy Warhol was moving full speed ahead with the pop art influence in fashion, hats also became palettes for social commentary. This was most evident in Britain among the elite and at Ascot, but the trends were also featured in Vogue and on the runways in Paris and Milan. Today hats as wearable art are still the rage in some circles. The annual Easter Parade on New York City's Fifth Avenue has become an ever-popular showcase for wacky creations and statement pieces as has the Kentucky Derby. Harlem milliner, Mr. Bunn, sums it up perfectly. " Buy the hat first, and the outfit to go with it is merely an accessory."
