How Fashionable are the French?

Fashion houses and hat creators in France are preparing for the celebration of St Catherine and the Catherinettes on the 25th of this month. The Catherinettes are girls aged 25 or older who are still unmarried by St Catherine's day on 25th November.

Traditionally, on this day, the Catherinettes used to wear a yellow and green hat and would pray for a husband. The hats were of an interesting design and were supposed to show their personality.

Nowadays, Catherinettes from Parisian fashion schools still meet on 25th November in the second arrondissement of Paris and show off their hats. The tradition may gradually be disappearing, but friends and relatives still enjoy teasing young women approaching 25!

More info on the Catherinette tradition

and

See some "chapeaux" of interesting design


Expressions with "Chapeau"

Chapeau! - Congratulations!
Tirer son chapeau - To bow to someone
Porter le chapeau - To take the blame
Démarrer sur les chapeaux de roues - To start up very quickly
Faire un coup de chapeau - To do a hat trick