The phrase “Hats off” can mean many different things in various circles. Originally, the phrase was meant to convey congratulations. For instance, “Hats off to you for your achievements!” At graduation ceremonies, students throw off their caps hats to celebrate their accomplishments. Over the years, people have borrowed this phrase for museum displays, films, societies and organizations.
There is a “Hats Off: Salute to African Headwear” exhibit at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art in Washington DC. Adorning the body with creative crafts has been a longstanding tradition in African culture that expresses pride, individualism and cultural ideals. Some hats are meant to represent certain skills, as farmers and blacksmiths will wear different mens hats, for example. Different hats also indicate different status, as chiefs and royalty have their own special head-dresses. Materials used in hat-making are from the local landscape and additions like teeth, claws or hide are believed to give the wearer special powers. Imported shells, glass beads and buttons indicate wealth. At the exhibit, people can see Kongo hats dating back to the 15th century, 19th century Zulu tribe hats and a number of other special artifacts.
“Hats Off” is also a 2008 documentary about 93-year-old actress Mimi Weddell. According to filmmakers, Mimi has “the style and grace of Katharine Hepburn” and “the smoky wit and wisdom of Dorothy Parker.” At age 90, she was named one of New York Magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People in New York.” Upon the passing of her husband, Mimi’s acting career started at age 65. This film follows the hat wearing icon throughout her quest to redefine America’s perception of aging. She’s appeared in several movies, like Across the Universe, Dracula - Last Rites, Hitch and The Purple Rose of Cairo; TV shows like Law & Order, as well as Sex & the City; photo spreads in Vogue and Vanity Fair; and fashion print ads for Louis Vuitton, Burberry and Juicy Couture. This inspiring story looks at relationships, dreams and motivation, filmmakers say. More information can be found at www.hatsoffthemovie.com.
“Hats Off” is also a title for several non-profit organizations. For instance, Hats Off Theatre is a nonprofit children’s performing arts theatre based out of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Here kids aged 4 to 16 learn to appreciate and experience storytelling, acting, screenplay writing, improvisational comedy and puppetry. Kids dress up in accessories apparel and participate in dramatic performances. Additionally, another nonprofit group called Hats Off For Cancer donates hats to children survivors of cancer who have lost their hair from chemotherapy. Over the years, over 690,000 hats have put smiles on the faces of young children in need. So you see, the phrase “hats off” means many different things to many different people.
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