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Community Center Class: The Wearing of Hats! // Tuesday Evening

"Welcome to 'The Wearing of Hats!'" Ghanima said cheerfully once everyone had arrived. "I am Lady Ghanima Atreides, and I am a resident," or Empress, whatever, "of the Imperium, otherwise called the Known Universe, in a time long-distant from now."

"In both the culture of the Imperium, and that of my homeworld, Dune, hats are extremely important. If you go out under the sun of Dune bareheaded, you are asking to die from exposure and water-loss. If you appear in public at any sort of Imperial or social function, well, you are also asking for a death, but this one is political and social," she stated, smiling impishly.

"In fashion terms, hats are a very noticeable accessory because the onlooker’s attention is first drawn to the face. A hat is the most noticeable fashion item anyone can wear. The old saying goes 'if you want to get ahead and get noticed, then get a hat'. Indeed the word 'ahead' means just that one head further forward."

"Etiquette and formality have played their part in hat wearing. At the turn of the 20th century in 1900, both men and women changed their hats dependent on their activity, but for many ladies of some social standing it would be several times a day. Etiquette articles suggest that it would be A disgraceful act to venture out of the house without a hat or even gloves. One record tells of a young lady venturing out to post a letter without her hat and gloves and being severely reprimanded for not being appropriately dressed. The post box was situated a few yards from her front garden gate," Ghanima said. "In the Edwardian age it did not matter if you were poor or rich, old or a child, whatever the status a person wore a hat, only beggars went bareheaded. Even militant suffragettes did not campaign without a hat. The hat would be fairly functional in style and form, but a hat was still worn."

"Then when the Second World War 1939-45 started, hats became less practical as people had to rush to air raid shelters and they would literally drop everything. Barriers of etiquette became broken down and although hats were not rationed in order to boost morale their wearing decreased. Hats that were worn were generally practical and often homemade knitted warm hats, berets and hoods. Fast hats were formed as women tied headscarves into an instant hat such as a turban. Designers produced various new styles, but many only became universally popular after the war finished."

"Since their invention," she continued, "hats have come and gone as status symbols, uniforms and fashion statements as well as being functional sports and protective headgear. There are still, and presumably always will be, two basic styles - brimmed and brimless - and two basic forms - caps and hats. Milliners take these shapes and with the aid of many trims and details, create a never-ending range of hats for men and women."

"Today, I'd like you to flip through a few different books of hats, to get a feel for what you think you would want to create," Ghanima said. "And I would also like to hear why you decided to take this class."

[OOC: OCD up!]

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Stylishly!

Jane Porter

Dani Davis

Vida Boheme

Alice Liddell

Pinkie Pie

Captain Shunsui Kyōraku

Deadpool (and Jan)

Take notes, pass notes, etc!

Jane was quite excited to see there was a course on the importance of a hat at the community center this summer and though much of what Lady Atreides was saying was not news to her (except perhaps the details of the twentieth century that was after her time, after all), she was taking very interested notes, with just a few reaches up toward her head to make sure her own hat was well perched on her head.

How utterly fascinating to know that a place so far removed from her own could still understand both reasons why hats were so important.

Dani did not take notes, but she found the short history of hats to be fascinating. She was also regretting that she hadn't worn a hat today.

Tell Ghanima why you are interested in the class, and/or flip through some of the books to get a feel for what kind of hat you might want to make.

"Oh," said Jane with a bubbling little smile, glad to just talk about hats since she already knew precisely the sort she'd like to attempt to make, "I just couldn't resist ducking into a class about wearing hats! It's just the sort of thing I remember having to learn about when I'm a girl, because, you're absolutely right, a hat is incredibly important, especially for a young woman, and especially for a young woman who is about to go traipsing about through either an actual jungle or the much more metaphorical jungle of proper society! It should be most interesting to see what others' opinions on hats may be, and it's absolutely intriguing how the importance of hats can sometimes transcend time and space!"

"What better way to make an entrance than with a hat?" Ghanima agreed. "In society, it gives you a matter on which to make decent small-talk, and it can be a manner of self-expression which is totally unique. The angle at which you wear a hat, for instance, can say a great deal about your personality."

"Then I fear no one will ever know quite what to think of me," Jane said with a laugh, but her hands finally stopped moving to adjust the hat on her head. "I'm afraid my hats never seem to enjoy staying in one position or another for too long!"

"Ladies always wear hats to the top horse racing events, and the competition for best hat is nearly as fierce as the competition on the track," explained Dani. "When I make my triumphant return to Churchill Downs, I want to be prepared with the best hat I can find."

"We should be able to come up with something between all of us," Ghanima agreed. "The line between fabulous and monstrous can be a tricky one, but if you keep your own personality in mind, you should be able to design a hat that will suit you."

"Yes, it's a fine line between cool and crazy," said Dani. "Last year, there was a girl who recreated the winner's circle on her hat -- complete with a miniature horse wearing a miniature blanket of roses."

"It's a shame how the younger generation has abandoned the wearing of hats," Vida sighed, fanning herself. "Perhaps we can provide them with a little inspiration here."

"Do you think that the fabulous hats we saw at the royal wedding might start a new trend of wearing hats?" asked Dani. "After all, it seems that everyone keeps grabbing whatever Kate Middleton wore earlier in the day."

"A hat show, once the class is over?" Ghanima suggested. "Perhaps some of the clothing stores would like to participate, showing off their goods and services as well."

"I adore hats," Alice said. "Especially outlandish ones that would make my mother lecture me and say they were quite improper. I received a hat from a voodoo zombie priest once. It's quite dear to me."

"You should perhaps bring it to class and show it off," Ghanima suggested impishly. "Perhaps we all ought to do a show-and-tell of our collections."

"Oh, do let's," Alice said, clapping her hands together excitedly. "Perhaps we could all bring hats, and exchange them for an evening. Wear one another's hats and see if we feel like different people for a night."

"Hats can be super fun!" Pinkie said. "Party hats and themed hats and fancy hats and work hats. . . ."

There was a surprising amount of hat wearing in the Ponyville community, really.

"PONY!" Pink ponies and small girls. It was a match made in heaven.

And Lisa Frank folders.

"WHERE?" asked Pinkie, looking back and forth. "Oh, you mean me!"

The squeal of joy probably helped drive the point of pony-ness home for everyone in the room as Jan flung herself over to cling to the pony.

"You're mine now."

Having spent a fair amount of time with the Cutie Mark Crusaders over the years, Pinkie had an idea or two of how to react to younger generations.

"Okay!" she said cheerfully. "But what will you do with me?"

The small child might be terribly disappointed that she wasn't actually going to get to take Pinkie home with her.

"Braid your hair," Jan replied solemnly. Because what else did you do with a pony that talked to you?

"Okey-dokey-lokey!" Pinke said. "With ribbons and pretty colors?"

Pinkie was trusting her mane to a small child. Rarity would be appalled.

That was because Rarity didn't know how awesome Jan was about putting horrible ribbons in people's hair.

Ask Reno!

Jan squealed again, bouncing for a moment before remembering this was serious business. "All kinds of ribbons," she whispered.

Pinkie on the other hand was not one for restraining her bouncing. "Hurray!" she said, bouncing about cheerfully in her seat. "Ribbons are almost as much fun as parties and cupcakes!"

"I want a partycake!" Did those exist? DEAR GOD, THEY SHOULD.

"Oooo. That sounds tasty! What's in a partycake?"

"No more sugar!" was Deadpool's suggestion from the other side of the room. Which meant it was said at the same time as Jan's: "SUGAR!"

Pinkie shot Deadpool a look. "Why would anyone want to eat less sugar?"

Warning: Pinkie Pie, while considered an adult in her community, is not a responsible individual. Do not trust her alone with the care and feeding of small human children.

"Because I'm not cleaning up puke after she crashes," Deadpool replied seriously. "And you're a horrible, pink influence. And pink."

GOD, THE PINK.

"Ohhhhhhhhhh." Pinkie blinked at this revelation about her new, furless friends and their constitutions. Then she brightened again. "And I am pink! Thanks for noticing!"

Considering Ghanima had had Sully as a student in her first term, and was by now well-acquainted with Blind Seer, a pony didn't phase her too much.

...the amount of pink, however, was a bit...intense.

"I take it you are quite familiar with hats, then," Ghanima replied. "Do you have a favorite kind?"

"Party hats, of course! Because those mean there's a party going on!"

"I'm here because Jan likes hats." A beat. "And ribbons. And bows. And sometimes trying to attach ribbons and bows to my swords even after very long lectures from Nate."

Jan meanwhile, was busy flipping through the book like she could actually read the tiny, little text in them about the hats.

Ghanima regarded Jan with a bemused expression. "Well, I'm rather sure Irulan still has some of my hats from when I was her age," she mused. "Perhaps I can convince her to pack them up and send them here, to see if swords prefer hats over ribbons."

Not helping, Ghani.

"...will they be sassy hats at least?"

Really, Shunsui was only here for one reason, and it wasn't the fact that there was always a hat on his head. The hat on his head just worked as a clever cover for the fact that he figured the class would be filled with women. And he was right.

He tipped his hat to the ladies. "I'm very attached to my sugegasa," he said, "but that doesn't mean I don't have an interest in learning about other kinds of hats ♥."

"It is one of the simplest - and most useful - hat designs to come out of this planet," Ghanima agreed. "Sometimes, the classics far outshine their more modern descendants."

"Sometimes?" asked Shunsui with a chuckle. "I'd say more often than not ♥. But perhaps I'm a little biased, being quite an old-fashioned guy myself ♥."

You earned the right to say stuff like that when you've been around for hundreds of years.

She's around!

*dedz*

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Community Center Class: The Wearing of Hats! // Tuesday Evening

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Hats: Discuss!

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Talk to the Teacher

OOC