The lace mantillas (or chaplets, that were about the size & shape of a crocheted doily, and yes kleenex in some cases) were only needed for a few years. By the mid-sixties, VaticanII & the associated freedoms had freed women from the obligation to cover their heads in Catholic churches (except in the most extremely conservative congregations). When I finished 8th grade, we still covered our heads; by the time I graduated from high school, nobody did. By the time I went to Italy in '72, everybody was shocked when they told us we had to cover our head to go into St Peter's.

When I first saw Aretha, I was surprised by the hat, because the bow was a little large, but it is winter, so I hadn't expected her to be bare-headed. The more I see it, the better I like it.

Maryanne