Thoroughly Modern Millinery, Beauty & Style
Thoroughly Modern Millinery
NAACP leader Roslyn Brock makes a style statement with fashionable hats
Photo by John Loomis Roslyn M. Brock, 50, is a health care executive and chairwoman of the NAACP national board of directors. From the time I was a little girl in Florida, I've loved hats. My grandmother Leona Pittman believed a woman was not properly dressed for church without one. She always tilted her large brims to the right, slightly covering her right eye. In my 20s, I started wearing hats to church as a tribute to my grandmother. Today I'm known for my hats at my church and at the , where I've served for 30 years. I'm following in the legacy of female civil rights leaders who completed their Sunday go-to-meeting clothes with fashionable hats. Now I own about 200 hats, including everyday styles and special-occasion designer hats. I love Philip Treacy, 's couture designer. I also like Louise Green, a milliner in who specializes in vintage styles. I'll buy the hat first and then find a suit or shoes to match. Sometimes I'll have a hat for six months before I find just the right outfit for it. I like to keep up with trends, but I also recognize that wearing hats is a time-honored tradition. It keeps our history and culture alive. —As told to Barbranda Lumpkins Walls Hat tricks: Roslyn Brock's do's and don'ts: Do buy basic colors of white, black, navy, purple, taupe and red for your hat arsenal. They take you through all the seasons. Do put tissue paper in hats to keep their shape. Misshapen hats are the worst. Do buy the right size. If it cuts off your circulation, leaves a mark on your forehead or covers your eyebrows, leave it in the store, no matter how pretty it is. Don't greet someone in a way that will disturb your carefully placed hat. Just tilt your head or nod to say hello. Don't wear (à la Princess Beatrice at William and Kate's royal wedding) as the center of attention for your outfit. Use them as an accent piece. Featured AARP Member Benefits See more Entertainment offers > See more Entertainment offers > See more Entertainment offers > See more Entertainment offers > Cancel You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions and policies apply. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. Your email address is now confirmed. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. You can also by updating your account at anytime. You will be asked to register or log in. Cancel Offer Details Disclosures
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