Photo: Photograph of Mae Reeves and a group of women standing on stairs, Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift from Mae Reeves and her children, Donna Limerick and William Mincey, Jr.
African American women have been wearing fancy hats for generations to church. In 1940, Mae Reeves started Mae’s Millinery Shop in 1940 in Philadelphia, PA with a $500 bank loan. The shop stayed open until 1997 and helped dress some of the most famous African American women in the country, including iconic singers Marian Anderson,Ella FitzgeraldandLena Horne.
Reeves was known for making all of her customers feel welcomed and special, whether they were domestic workers, professional women, or socialites from Philadelphia’s affluent suburban Main Line. Customer’s at Mae’s would sit at her dressing table or on her settee, telling stories and sharing their troubles.
Photo: Pink mushroom hat with flowers from Mae’s Millinery Shop, Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.
In our Power of Place exhibition, we recreated a portion of Reeves’ shop to showcase this African American tradition. Our shop includes its original red-neon sign, sewing machine, antique store furniture and hats.
View artifacts from Mae’s Millinery Shop in our collection: s.si.edu/2oVlbFj
We love this history (and the word millinery) from our @nmaahc.
Philip Treacy for Alexander Mcqueen | ‘Chinese Garden’ | 2005⠀ ———⠀ Treacy’s work, for all its originality, is also rooted in his deep knowledge of the history of art, fashion, and design. This Chinese garden refers to the popularity of Chinoiserie in the eighteenth century and to the 1770s fashion for elaborate landscapes constructed in the topography of a woman’s heroically sculpted hair. For his high-style coronet, Treacy has cannibalized the decorative shadowboxes of intricately cut-worked cork purchased in Asia and rearranged them into his own Orientalist fantasy. (via The Metropolitan Museum of Art)⠀ ⠀ (@ accession no. 2007.307)⠀ ———⠀ #PhilipTreacy #AlexanderMcQueen #IsabellaBlow #GemmaWard #McQueen #headwear #hat #millinery #milliner #art #fashion #sculpture #couture #chinoiserie #style #beauty #design #dress #mode #moda ⠀
This elegant half bonnet was made by hand and is the perfect accessory to dress up an outfit! We’ve left the front very open so that you can add in flowers or a bow to your hair to dress it up further and bring together a coordinate. All bonnets have a half comb and ties that can go in front of the neck or back behind the hair.
This elegant half bonnet was made by hand and is the perfect accessory to dress up an outfit! We’ve left the front very open so that you can add in flowers or a bow to your hair to dress it up further and bring together a coordinate. All bonnets have a hair comb and ties that can go in front of the neck or back behind the hair.
This elegant half bonnet was made by hand and is the perfect accessory to dress up an outfit! We’ve left the front very open so that you can add in flowers or a bow to your hair to dress it up further and bring together a coordinate. All bonnets have a haif comb and ties that can go in front of the neck or back behind the hair.
Singer/Songwriter @voera wears our Classic Wide Brim Fedora in Grey. Natural Skin Care Founder @imeldabell of @la.bel_skincare wears our hand woven Starbright Beret in Cobalt.
Fedora, Beret and Afro Cameo Brooch available @ashakagivens
Now you know we can’t help but to give this gooooood Blackness every single day. How could the shortest month of the year ever try to hold us. ✨✨ Happy Black! Beautiful! Rich! Powerful! and Amazzzzing Her/History! Every Day.
Natural Skin Care Founder @imeldabell of @la.bel_skincare dons our hand woven Starbright Beret in Cobalt.
“Your crown has been bought and paid for. Put it on your head and wear it.” – Maya Angelou ✨ ✨
Grammy award winning Singer/ Songwriter @mzkendrafoster wears the “Fancy” Fascinator along with a cluster of Afro Cameo Brooches. All available at ASHAKAGIVENS.com
I just listed a lot of new paper millinery flowers in my Etsy shop! Have a hat or bonnet that needs a refresher for spring? Flowers are always a lovely choice!
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