New York's Easter Parade

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Photo by flickr user MsAnthea

New York's Easter Parade is more about new fashion than Jesus rising from the dead, however there's sacred and biblical tradition even in the love of fashion, as in many European cultures Easter became the time for year for new clothes as this old adage shows: "For Christmas, food and drink; for Easter, new clothes,". Like wearing your Sunday best to church it became important to dress not only in your best at Easter but for your dress to be new.

In New York in the 1880s the tradition found favour as people started to dress to impress for Easter services in the city's main cathedrals and churches. Part of the Easter practice at this time was to stroll between churches admiring both the way the churches were decked out and their congregation while being admired at the same time. These days the practice has become more of a satire of itself, with the once stylish hats adorned with bird feathers being replaced by statement hats adorned with live birds in birdcages - but it's still a fun, Fifth Avenue spectacle.

Written by  Ame P. Oliver.

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