We thought it was high time to post a hat that was designed for laughter. Commonly known as a Jester Hat, or Fools Hat, the proper name for this hat is a Cap and Bells. A Jester’s uniform is known as a Motley, this includes a parti-colored (or color blocked) tunic with bells, tight-fitting trousers, pointy shoes, and a tri-tipped hat also with bells. The bells on the hat and tunic were meant to carry a sense of levity with the Jester wherever he went, as the lightness of the sound would often bring a smile to those around. Jesters were often referred to as fools, but the job called for an intelligent well-versed human. The Jester’s job was to make jokes on current affairs, use puns, juggle, play music, and sing songs about the members of the court. They required knowledge of many aspects of life to be able to perform the job well. Also, Court Jesters were often set to the task of giving bad news to royalty, as they often could put a humorous spin on the incident. We are reminded of the “dad joke” tellers in our lives. Many of us know someone who would have done well as a Jester! The hat we are featuring today is a hat from Mr. Casaday era. In Mr. Casaday’s time working with South Bend Schools, Madrigals were very popular, and this hat is likely a costume from one such performance. This hat has two stuffed tips, adorned with bells, and is lined in felt. This Cap and Bells has a corresponding tunic for the Jester to wear. Halloween is not going to look the same this year as in years past. Many people will not be dressing up. However, if you do, consider wearing a Jester costume. Our collection includes everything you will need, and can even outfit the rest of the royal court! If you go as a Fool, you will be able to try out your dad jokes, puns, and write impromptu songs about people and current events. Plus, you just might bring a smile to other’s faces.

This past weekend the world was shocked by the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. As we mourn the loss of this feminist trailblazer, we celebrate the vast progress she made during her time fighting for equal rights. Justice Ginsburg was familiar with being the only woman in the room, and was not afraid to stand out. She manifested her belief in gender equality by wearing iconic collars over her robes instead of a men's dress shirt and tie. RBG had a collar for every occasion and chose them carefully to suit the occasion: one for majority opinions, one for dissenting opinions, etc. Her collars spoke volumes before a word was uttered by the other Supreme Court Justices. Though her reputation in the field of law is her largest legacy, her collars have a legacy of their own. The collar we are featuring today represents what she often referred to as her favorite collar. She wore her favorite collar to President Obama’s 2012 state of the union address, and to her 20th anniversary on the bench. She told Katie Couric the collar came from Cape Town, South Africa. Many articles have been written about her famous collar collection if you would like to learn more. We are forever grateful for the work Ruth Bader Ginsburg did during her impressive life. She will always serve as a reminder to carry forth in the fight for equal rights for all.

K-Pop group BTS has been all over the internet sporting some epic 70’s wear, and we are joining the BTS Army!  In their latest release, Dynamite, several members were wearing Kangol hats. Though Kangol and kangaroos are synonymous, Kangol actually refers to the process of making the hats. “K” stands for “knitting”, “ang” for “angora”, and “ol” for “wool”. The kangaroo emblem was not added until 1983, because many mistakenly referred Kangol hats as “the kangaroo hat”. BTS are not the first recording artists to wear Kangol hats. The brand has been see on members of Run-DMC, LL Cool J, The Notorious B.I.G. and Eminem. Our Kangol hat is a great vintage representative of something they might have worn in their Dynamite music video.  Dressing as BTS could make a great Halloween costume!

Inspired by Disney’s Mulan, we are featuring two of our vast collection of ethnic hats. For centuries, headwear in China has indicated specific meaning as to the wearer's educational, economic, and social status. We are uncertain of the status associated with the simple skullcap, but it is commonly found around the world and associated with Chinese culture. This one seems to be a souvenir piece. The other is a Manchurian hat whose style is traced to the Qing dynasty. It is often used with a "Tang suit" and has a wide turned up brim. The Casaday Costume Company’s namesake, James Lewis Casaday, was fascinated by asian cultures and dress, and we believe these hats to have come into the collection during his tenure. Our skullcap has been folded into a box for many years, yet it is in great condition for its age. Some of these hats including this one are intended to be stored folded. Unlike the photos of similar hats we have found online, our hat has a scroll or paper bead near the knot. We attempt to translate it as something like “One door, Great Wall of China”. The Manchurian hat may have been manufactured as a costume piece and used as fraternal regalia.

We couldn't help but notice BTS's amazing performance at the Video Music Awards last week. The K-pop sensation's smooth retro disco look inspired us to share one of our amazing collection of vintage leisure suits. If you feel moved to dress in fun 70's style, give us a call! Watch the video for Dynamite at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJCdkOpU90g

The Kentucky Derby, which is usually held in May, was rescheduled to this coming Saturday, September 5th due to COVID, so in typical Casaday fashion, we are featuring one of our favorite Derby hats! This adorable hat would look rather understated at the modern manifestation of The Kentucky Derby, but in it’s time the tall, forward-facing feather would have been quite the feature. We love the veil, velvet ribbon, and matching hat pin! This hat was purchased at Blum’s, a store located on the Magnificent Mile in downtown Chicago known for their trend-setting offerings. The Kentucky Derby has its beginnings in finery. In 1875, Col. Meriweather Lewis Clark Jr. decided that he wanted to create an American horse race which emulated the sophistication of English horse races. In the US, racing tracks were seen as a place of debauchery, and Clark wanted to change the stigma. He began marketing a racing event that was intended for the upper echelon. Clark and his wife went around to their upper-class friends inviting them to picnic at the race track. Because the Derby was marketed as a high class event, the attendees came out in their best duds. These ensembles included grandiose headwear, as was in fashion at the time. The trend of hat wearing to the derby never faded, however, the hat sizes have ebbed and flowed with the fashion of the years. Modern Derby hats are often very wide-brimmed, and often adorned with bows and feathers. Amidst this ubiquitous style, humorous hats are often seen, including a hat styled as champagne in a bucket, and one styled to include Churchill Downs' iconic twin steeples. Today celebrity attendees will often spend upwards of $1,000 on their hat alone. Have you ever been to the Derby? If so, we would love to hear about your hat choice!

This sassy 1970’s turban just screams the height of summer clothing chic. It is built of several strips of fabric sewn together to create the wrapped look. The turban also has elastic in the back to keep it snuggly in place! Turbans were worn both casually and as evening wear during the 1970’s, and were sported by the likes of Elizabeth Taylor, Joan Collins, and even the Queen of England! We highly recommend an internet search of the Queen in her yellow polka dot turban, which she wore during her Silver Jubilee tour on June 9, 1977. Though this hat has no maker’s label inside, it does have a union-made label. We have seen these union-made labels all over the costume collection, and have wanted to talk about them. The main point of a union label is to encourage the shopper to purchase items made in America under fair working conditions which were mandated by the unions. American union made clothing during nearly all of the 20th century sports a label, handbags, shoes, dresses, suits, and hats! There were many unions, this hat comes from United Hatters Cap & Millinery Wrks, who used labels in their hats from 1934-1983. As we here in South Bend face an onslaught of hot weather, we encourage each of you to pop on a turban and kaftan, while sipping a Mai Tai by the pool!

This week we are celebrating a monumental moment in American history. Tomorrow marks the 100th anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which allowed women to vote for the first time. Women began fighting for equal rights in the 1840’s with the Seneca Falls Convention, which was the first women’s rights convention. By 1890 two women’s rights groups joined to create the National American Women’s Suffrage Association, which was lead by Susan B. Anthony. Women began attempting to vote in the 1870’s, in 1872 Susan B. Anthony successfully voted, but was arrested shortly afterwards for doing so. In 1917 over 200 of the National Women’s Party members were arrested while picketing at the White House. After countless arrests, hunger strikes, marches, and picketing, on August 18, 1920 the Nineteenth Amendment was passed. This amendment states "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.” Now, on to our lovely hat. This lovely brimmed summer hat is made of horsehair braid, with silk and feather flowers as an accent. There is no maker’s label, and this hat is in excellent condition for it’s age. We absolutely love the little tuck at the back of the crown. It is so easy to imagine an empowered woman wearing this hat with head held high knowing she was one of the first American women legally allowed to vote. We here at Casaday are unendingly proud of our suffragette sisters who fought for our rights to execute our civic duty. We encourage every eligible voter to exercise their right November.

As summer comes to a close, we are beginning to think about the upcoming school year. And with new school years come new uniforms! From beanies to bonnets, many schools have included hats as part of their uniform (anyone remember Madeline's signature hat?). Although most local schools don't require headwear, a few do. This is an example of a Culver Academies Overseas Cap, which is a part of their daily uniform. Culver Academies is a military boarding school about 45 minutes south of Casaday, and we have several retired Culver uniforms in our collection. These caps fold nicely to be stored in the belt of the student when they do not need to wear them. What is the most critical item in a back-to-school wardrobe?

Sometimes Mondays come and we get wrapped up in the day instead of focusing on the important things, like HATS. Though our millinery minds were elsewhere yesterday, they are raring to go today! This hat is a staff favorite, we love the bright colors, unique feathers, and asymmetry. This straw hat makes a statement! Mr. John Pico Harberger was born in 1906 in Germany, and immigrated with his family to America in 1919. Mr. John’s mother was quite a milliner in her own right, owning a boutique in the upper east side of Manhattan. Mr. John studied under his mother and became skilled under her tutelage. Around 1948 Mr. John created his own company, Mr. John Moderne. His company was wildly successful, he styled hats for Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford, Vivian Leigh, The Duchess of Windsor, and Gloria Vanderbilt. His designs were known for being suited for both housewives, and heads of state. Mr. John retired in the 1970’s as daily hat wearing became less common. In times like these, we take comfort in being surrounded unusual and joyful pieces, and this hat is no acceptation. We see the feathers on this hat as whimsical. We encourage you to look for unexpected whimsy in your every day life.