Aretha Franklin’s inaugural hat trick

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Maybe it’s ‘Mad Men’ or all the stingy-brim wearing hipsters in L.A., but hats are back. You only had to scan the crowd of berets and fur trapper caps at the inauguration today to figure that out. Ted Kennedy broke out a fedora and Aretha Franklin -- who has rocked her fair share of amazing headgear over the years -- wrapped her head in a crystal studded bow. The $179 hat, customized with Swarovski crystals, came from Mr. Song Millinery in Detroit where Luke Song has been making ladies dress hats for 25 years. (He wholesales his designs at many locations throughout the U.S., including Brasseur, Donna Vinci, Maxi, PJ’s, Hat Library, Jean Nobles and Pam Imports in the L.A. area.) What did you think of Franklin’s hat? Did you love it or hate it?

-- Booth Moore

Photo: Ron Edmonds/ AP