15 April 1911: "Our Hats Are Not Freakish."

On this day in 1911, Michael Brothers ran this full-page ad in the Athens Banner:

 

(click image to enlarge)

The Michael's advertisement sounds odd to our ears, but they are using a more traditional use of the word "freakish," meaning "capricious" or "whimsical." The ad is telling Athens women that Michael Brothers' selection of Easter hats will be good for more than just this one event, this one day--they are a style statement that lasts.

Proper new outfits, and the social stumble a less than appropriate outfit would be, was the common thread in the various clothing stores and millinery shops in Athens in the weeks before Easter Sunday. Both men and women were expected to show up in style at church Easter morning.

Throughout the teens and twenties, men's clothing ads merely indicated that, as you had to have a new suit anyway, you might as well shop with the advertiser. However, an arms war of decorative headwear promises seemed to wage on the pages of the local papers for women, as each business promised to make the most impressive Easter hat, emphasizing the most striking decorations, styles, and statements that could be made by shopping at the right store.

Learn More:

• Athens Banner, Jan. 1911 - Jun. 1911 on Microfilm in the Heritage collection.
• Athens Historic Newspaper Archive (1827-1922) collection in the Digital Library of Georgia.
• The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology by Robert K. Barnhart in the Reference collection.
• Loose Cannons & Red Herrings: A Book of Lost Metaphors by Robert Claiborne in the general collection.
• The History of the English Language by Seth Lerer in the CD collection.
• Hats Off to Hats! by Sara Corbett in the children's collection.
• Women's Hats of the Twentieth Century for Designers and Collectors by Maureen E. Lynn Reilly in the general collection.
• Crowns: Portraits of Black Women in Church Hats by Michael Cunningham in the general collection.
• Hat Tricks: 80 Instant Makeovers That Transform Ordinary Hats into Fabulous Creations by Terence Terry in the general collection.
• The Decorative Egg Book: Twenty Charming Ideas for Creating Beautiful Displays by Deborah Schneebeli-Morrell in the general collection.
• How Sweet It Is (And Was): The History of Candy by Ruth Freeman Swain in the children's collection.
• A Baker's Field Guide to Holiday Candy & Confections by Dede Wilson in the general collection.
• The Proper Care of Rabbits by J. Darlene Campbell in the general collection.
• What Do You Call a Dumb Bunny? And Other Rabbit Riddles, Games, Jokes, and Cartoons by Marc Tolon Brown in the children's collection.