In 1882, a stage play with the main character, Princess Fedora Romazova, wore a unique and distinctive hat that came to be known as the fedora hat. During the 20th century, the hat was worn mostly by women, but in 1919 it began to be recognized as a man's middle-class clothing accessory.

The fedora hat is typically a soft felt hat, creased lengthwise down the crown and pinched in the front and on both sides. The brim circles all the way around, and can be found with or without a hat band.

In the 1920's the fedora became a popular male fashion that protected the wearer's head from wind and rain, while giving a stylish and sophisticated look. It later became greatly associated with cinematic characters who portrayed detectives and gangsters during the 1940's. Perhaps the greatest association of the fedora hat to iconic Hollywood characters are to *Humphrey Bogart*'s character in Casablanca and Gene Kelly in Singing in the Rain.

By the early 1970s, the fedora was seen as a traditional hat typically only worn by older men. In later years, the fedora made a big screen comeback, becoming part of the signature look for legendary characters such as Freddy Kruger and Indiana Jones.

In recent years, the fedora hat has been seen as a fashion must-have worn by many of young Hollywood's trendsetters. Celebrities such as Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears and Lindsey Lohan have all been photographed with the traditional hat that has been revamped in modernized colors and patterns. Popular colors for the fedora remain neutrals and highly acclaimed patterns are plaids and pinstripes. Besides felt, fedoras today can be found in an assortment of fabrics such as cotton and straw, like the Brixton Castor straw fedora hat that has both a contemporary and classic look.

For those of us who were watching the presidential inauguration as keenly for the fashion as the politics, there were other reasons besides history to get excited. Not to minimize the enormity of the event, but as a fashion commentator who happens to be a hat lover, I was hoping Michelle Obama would opt for a fabulous, wide-brimmed hat.

Not that I blame her for her slightly more conservative but elegant choice of a bare head paired with a cutout lace dress and coat. It was still refreshing due to its color, which leant a hint of spring to the mid-winter proceedings. Because of her Ivy League education she has this perception of elitism to overcome, and for the First Lady, there are no fashion choices that are not fraught with political meaning. As much as I personally would have enjoyed it, she couldn't go into Inauguration Day dressed like a queen. Fortunately, there was a real queen on hand with no such constraints*—Aretha Franklin*, the Queen of Soul.

Ms. Franklin was on hand to sing "My Country 'Tis of Thee" on this extraordinary day in history, and while she did it she wore an extraordinary hat. Though it was not wide-brimmed (that might have made singing with gusto difficult), it was a stunning gray wool felt topped with an enormous bow and featuring rhinestone accents with contrast stitching. There's no doubt that there's a clamor for this hat in stores and online today, and I'm hoping fervently that it's only the beginning of an epic movement to return hats to their prominent place in fashion that's been a long time coming. Thank you, Queen Aretha, and maybe the next time you're in Mrs. Obama's company, you can put a bee in her bonnet about wide brims!