The whole thread? The topic here is the cultural phenomenon of the triangular lace mantilla as the dominant head covering in the USA, not the idea of head covering in general.
The Spanish Mantilla is a very different thing from the “normal” kind. My wife, who is Spanish, has one. It is about a foot wide and at least five feet long. It is supported on an elaborate comb, which in turn is supported on the hair (you need long, thick hair). You also need a hairdresseer to fix it all up. Fewer and fewer know how to do this but in the cities where the great annual processions take place you can still find plenty of wearers.
Truer words were never spoken. When you drive by an AA church on Sunday, well, that’s something to see. Everyone looks very sharp!Tis_Bearself:
In the African-American culture (expecially among Protestant African-Americans), hats in church are definitely much more of a Thing than among white American Protestants. Every Sunday is an Easter parade.
The very fetching-looking young lady in this post would immediately be noticed by every single traditionalist-oriented Catholic young man in the parish. If a woman seeks to attract that kind of man (one who will actually help her get to heaven instead of hinder her — never have figured out why some Catholic women marry men who force them to do all the “heavy lifting” where the Faith in the home is concerned), she will get herself a mantilla like this, and she will wear it.
Well, there was the trusty kerchief to cover the curlers…
Because they take veil literally? And the little round things don’t cut it?
I prefer the mantilla over the chapel cap (“the round one”) because it’s easier for me to use. I can lay a mantilla on my head as I walk into the church and it will remain there until I remove it after I leave. A chapel cap won’t stay in place unless I secure it on my head with a bobby pin (and then I’d either have to put it on at home or bring a mirror to assist with this preparation because there are no public restrooms at either of the churches where I’d be wearing a mantilla, but that problem is particular to my situation and may not reflect that of most American women).
I think for some ladies it may be a case of what’s easiest to put on your particular head/ hair and have it stay on. I have poofy hair and have tried wearing the doily-with-bobby-pins because it was the handiest thing to grab. It didn’t work very well. The longer veils stay on me better and can be tied or wrapped round the neck in a manner that makes them stay. I have also in an emergency used the “Leopard Spotted Headscarf from Urban Drugstore Across from the Church”.
I never quite got the denial either, honestly. Us ladies tend to like pretty things, you know? If you’re going to wear a head covering, I never saw much issue with wearing one that you like. And in this era it’s hardly like lace is particularly ostentatious or out of reach for most women.