Posts Tagged ‘easter parades’

On April 3rd, the place to be is Charleston, South Carolina. Why? The annual Hat Ladies’ Easter Promenade of course!

In 2005, I met Archie Burkel, founder of The Hat Ladies (not to be confused with the Red Hat Ladies). She is a lovely lady, brimming with enthusiam for hats and wearing hats. Archie in many ways has brought hats back in fashion. With her infectious laugh and winning ways, she has converted and turned an entire city back to hat wearing again.

The annual Easter Promenade is in its 9th year. It is held the Saturday prior to Easter. I have been in the New York Easter Parade, which is great fun and of course, very New York in character (meaning cutting edge, funky and anything outside the box). I have never attended the one in Charleston because I am always so busy with spring orders, but I imagine it to be very Southern, classy, elegant and just plain fun as well.

It’s interesting to note that Archie Burkel put this group together back in 2001. It’s grown by leaps and bounds. What drew me to it most was not hats though. It is the community service and volunteer work that the Hat Ladies do. Sort of “fashion with compassion”. This is a great group of ladies.