Newspaper Page Text
4A
JUNE 24. 1999
Hat generation gap?
' BExperts say, age
'may dictate whether
; t?:ss hats remain
fashion staple.
d : ‘
' By Timothy Cox
' AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
A 4 AUGUSTA
'l t’s Sunday morning. Per
’ fume scents are swirling
] throughout the house;
b cellophane pantyhose
packages are crackling
an women are donning their
. begt attire —including their fin
' est hats — in preparation for
church services.
'At one time, the preceding
| s¢enario was played many times
over in homes inhabited by Afri
cgn-American women. But when
queried on the relevance of hats
ag-a fashion statement for
taday’s black women, fashion
editors of national black women’s
magazines have differing view
points.
'‘Eunice W. Johnson founded
the Ebony Fashion Fair in 1958
and has helped dictate fashion
trends thanks to her husband’s
Johnson Publishing/Ebony
Magazine empire. She’s seen
- younger generations veer away
. from the top piece as priority.
“In the 1940 s through the
19605, women felt more respect
. ful to have something on their
heads, primarily in church. But
now, some of the younger ones
have gotten away from it. They
- don’teven carrypurses, letalone
- wear hats ‘&"""’gfoves," she said
from her Chicago offices.
' In New York City, Essence
fashion editor Darlene Gillard-
Jones, says hatsarestill en vogue
for' women in their 20s and 30s,
- but the style is more casual.
“You'll see the straw hats, but
ironically, just this year I've no
ticed younger dress hat wear
ers. But more women my
- mother’s age still enjoy their
Stinday church hats,” she said.
'ln Augusta, Nan’s Collections
' on Broad Street, is considered a
premier boutique for purchas
ing quality “Sunday” hats, ac
_ cording to owner Nan Rodriguez.
g;::all about quality. I travel to
- Néw York to purchase the mer
chandise and I try to get one-of
' a-Rind varieties,” she said.
' ; But for many women, the
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: ) : still get a “killer’ “Sunday” hat. Photos by Charles Jones
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only way to really ‘step pretty
when walking into their houses of
worship or other formal affairs —
the hat is a must. Cathy Greene,
a sales clerk at Nan’s, says many
customers request jewelry and
hats to complement their formal
and casual wear. .
In Augusta, like many Southern
cities, hats serve varying roles: for
style, comfort from the sun and
upon missing a hair-care appoint
ment, the hat is openly welcomed.
Rosa Lee LaFavor, a 79-year-oid
Burke County (Ga.) native, says
“we (black women) have always
worn hats most beautifully.”
Elizabeth Johnson and her
mother Corine Johnson, 72, aren’t
alone when considering Nan'’s as
the spot for buying hats. Recently,
they were the first of about 10
women entering the shop in a 20-
minute period on a Thursday af
ternoon. The Johnsons made the
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Then they too “... will know.”
People
45-minute trip from Batesburg,
S.C. to visit Nan’s.
“That’s right, to buy a hat from
here,” confirmed Elizabeth, a
Michelin Tire production em
ployee. “We can go to Columbia,
Aiken or the malls, but you can’t
find what they have here. I love
hats. It’s almost like an addic
tion,” she admitted.
The elder Mrs. Johnson has
enjoyed hats since shewas alittle
girl. “You'rejust not dressed with
out a hat,” said the hair salon
owner who credits Queen Eliza
beth and Princess Diana for al
ways “wearing hats well,” she said.
Sylvia Atkins, 79, moved to Au
gusta last year from Manhattan,
N.Y.and patronizes Nan’s because
hat varieties are similar to New
York styles. “It’s part of your at
tire and something I'vedone since
wearing Easter bonnets at three
years old,” reflected the Goodwill
Industries job recruiter.
Although finer hats weren’t
affordable as a youth in rural
Georgia, by the time Clara Cox,
78, had moved north to Chicago
and suburban Pittsburgh, she
was able to purchase quality
gear.“Mygrandmother, mother,
the older women always wore
hats, especially on Sundays.lt’s
a tradition that means you're
really dressed,” she said.
Cynthia Moresee is founder
and president of CharmkElle
School of Etiquette. At 40, Mrs.
Moresee says women in their
20s to early 50s, are less con
sumed with dresshats. Like Ms.
Gillard-Jones, Mrs. Moresee
also says younger women wear
hats more casually. “T'ypically,
you have the contemporary
straw hats while “mature”
women remain committed to
dress hats as seasonal acces
sory,” explained the Flint, Michi
gan-based business owner.
Ms. Johnson at Ebony, said
hats can be a pricey accessory.
At Nan’s price tags can range
anywhere from S4O to S4OO, said
Ms. Rodriguez, who says she
targets a “higher-class” clien
tele. “Some people may think
we’re too expensive, but our
main priority is to carry the best
merchandise,” she said.
‘Mayor honors Golden Bells
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R e eSR LT R
The Golden Bells. (L-R) Clinton Jones, Phillip Avery, Kenley
Beazer and Julian James. Not pictured: Raymond Scarlett.
The Golden Bells of Augusta
were recently acknowledged and
honored on May 29 at the home of
Linda C. Williams who felt an
urgent need to recognize the five
gentlemen. The Golden Bells con
sist of Julian James, baritone, of
Aruba, Netherland Antilles;
Clinton Jones, lead, of Augusta;
Kenley Beazer, first tenor, of St.
Croix, Virgin Islands; Raymond
Scarlett, second tenor, of Jamaica,
West Indies; and Phillip Avery,
baritone, of Augusta. Their mis
sion is to spread joy and cheer to
the sick and shut in.
For the past 27 years, The
Golden Bells have traveled tire
lesslyand ministered through song
to those in the hospitals of the
CSRA, nursing homes, Fort Gor
don chapels, the Youth Develop
ment Center, private homes and
Lloyd makes Burke County proud
Allison Rosa Lloyd represented
Burke County Recreation Depart
ment, Blakeney Elementary
School and McCollough Covenant
Baptist Church at the Georgia
Recreation and Park’s
Association’s Track and Field Meet
in Carrollton, Georgia on May 14
and 15, 1999. She took home
second place honors in the 50
meter with a time of 7.18 and
second place in the 100 meter
with a time of 13.37.
In Augusta, Georgia on May 22,
1999, at the Georgia District I
East Sports Festival, Allison par
ticipated in the Track and Field
competition for the age 11 and 12
category. She ran away with first
place honors in the 100 meter,
with a time of 13.13, and first
place in the 200 meter, with a
time of 26.6. She will compete in
the Georgia Games in
Waynesboro, Ga. on July 23-24,
1999.
Allison isthe daughter of George
even the prisons. The group has
made a tremendous difference in
the lives of many. " :
Among the well wishers was
Mayor Bob Young who declared,
with a proclamation, May 29, 1999
as the Golden Bells Day, and
JaQuitta Williams, former anchor"
woman of local Channel 12 whois
currently working in Knoxville,"
Tenn., sent a special video with
words of inspiration. Also present
atthe May 29 event was Mr. James:
(J.J.) Jackson of Abbeville, S.C.-
whotraveled 135 miles to Augusta
to witness the occasion. -
Mr. Scarlett is a member of the
First Augusta Seventh Day
Adventist Church and the other
four Golden Bells are all members
of The Ebenezer Seventh Day
Adventist Church.
sL i N
'H?i;‘a L : -
el B
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Allison Rosa Lloyd
and Early Saxon Lloyd of
Waynesboro, and thegranddaugh
ter of Annie Saxon and the late
Bennie Saxon of Keysville, Geor
gia and of the late George and
Rosa Lloyd Sr. of New York, N.Y.