Ah, spring is here—Bridgerton has returned for season two, and we’ll have bonnets (don’t you love the blue velvet hop hat worn by the heroine, Kate Sharma?) to renew the year. Or so goes the tradition.

The origins of the tradition are lost in time, but springtime has always been the season of renewal, plus in spring the flowers start to bloom, bringing in ideas of decorating the house—and ourselves. While flowers in the hair is a charming idea, going to church meant a head covering. In the most ancient of traditions (flaunt it if you got it), time to put on the new clothes to show you can afford such things.

Of course, if you can’t afford entirely new, you refurbish (as did Samuel Pepys who wrote about ‘having my old black suit new furbished’ for Easter). New ribbons and flowers, and presto—a new bonnet. The Morris dancers—not to be outdone—would also trim their hats with spring flowers for Easter. The ladies also insisted that new clothes, and a new bonnet, would bring good luck (and look good).

With Lent over, Easter is also a good time to put on the bright, spring clothes, decorate a hat with silk or real flowers, and head off to a place where one can see and be seen. While the height of popularity for Easter bonnets would actually come in the 1870s, the Regency was still a time when bonnets were the crowning glory for many a woman.

You can help revive this wonderful tradition by making your own Regency Easter bonnet (or you can also buy a knockoff of the Kate Sharma blue hat, and decorate it as you wish).

Links to help you make a Regency Easter Bonnet
https://www.betterdressesvintage.com/blogs/from-my-closet/making-a-regency-bonnet-1
https://decortoadore.net/2015/10/create-a-regency-era-bonnet-from-mode.html
https://teainateacup.wordpress.com/2011/08/01/how-to-make-a-regency-poke-bonnet-in-ten-steps/
https://itsallfrosting.wordpress.com/2016/05/10/regency-bonnet/

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Article by Shannon Donnelly for The Quizzing Glass blog and The Regency Reader.