Don't Let it Rain on our Parade! The art of the Easter Bonnet at the famous Fifth Avenue Easter Parade 2011 in New York City

A deluge of rain was predicted for Easter Sunday, but the clouds parted Saturday night and Sunday the brilliant sun shone down (with 73 degree F weather) on the thousands of people congregated on Fifth Avenue for the historically famous Easter Day Parade. Thousands of people strolled up and down Fifth between 57th and 48th streets with bonnet central on the steps of Saint Patrick's Cathedral.

My favorite bonnet of the day? This marvelous mechanized ferris wheel perched firmly atop a straw hat worn jauntily by a young man, who completed the festive ensemble with a whimsical rainbow-stripped jacket.









The young lady, below had created a somewhat sheer dress and hat of silk flowers and had even decorated the teacup she carried with purple posies. Such a sweet touch! Everything here worked so well, and her Audrey Hepburn figure suited this form-fitting floral fantasy. Her charming curly-cropped do peeked out from under the purple flowers on her cap.

Below: A very complicated (and heavy) hat inspired by the children's film "Up." Although the woman wearing it struggled to keep her head upright with it on, she smiled and posed for everyone who wanted to take her photo.

Below: The fantastic creativity of hat making was evident in this paper collage hat and jacket combo. The back of the jacket was themed with bunnies and imagery of the cruxifixion of Christ. 

Below: Festive Easter lilies sprout from a large walking silver watering can.

Below: It was particularly fun and festive when groups of friends dressed similarly and made matching themed hats and walked together! Here four super stylish ladies strolled down Fifth decked out in the new nude and pale colors of the season, a couple carrying their sorbet-colored hat boxes with them.

Below: A dynamic duo took it a step further and wore their hat boxes 

keeping their fluffy white chapeaux tucked inside.

Below: A jaunty trio of stylish lads with a gal pal. Loved that the boys hats matched their shirts or vests. Adore the cap with bunny ears made of brown floral fabric on the far left!

Below: Five friends chose moss green and turquoise as their color theme, 

while one of their friends went rogue red.

Loved all the textures this young lady included in her ensemble, from sequins
and fluffy scarf to feathers and stitched on green vines.

Below: These two ladies did the black and white theme best, with stripes, saucer hats and cool shades.

Below: A fanciful characther who complemented his plumed Mad Hatter hat with a fantastic costume. He offered Easter treats and wishes to Max, who sported a hat he decorated with water squirters. His joke was his hat was designed to water the flowers on all the other hats.

Below: This Versailles-like characther posed appropriately in front of the Versace boutique on Fifth.

Below: One of my favorite ladies from last year, pannier-skirt girl made a re-appearance wearing another fanciful skirt, this time embellished with roses. Her companion's head piece was a perfect match!

This dapper dog was sporting a tux and top hat.

Robin's egg blue Bugaboo stroller embellished with flowers carried the sweetest treat of all,
a wee little man in an Easter egg trimmed boater. 

My bonnet was fashioned of an Irish black bowler picked up in a Dublin market

festooned with orange silk flowers and a butterfly finger puppet, worn with my favorite fifties-style sundress patterned with gray and black roses.

HAPPY EASTER!!!!
-Monica Forrestall

PS A few more chapeaux on The Examiner site. Enjoy! http://www.examiner.com/culture-in-new-york/the-new-york-city-2011-easter-bonnet-parade-on-5th-avenue-picture#slide=32391251

March 13th, 2011 In loving memory

Five years ago we lost our loving mother and wife. Although a day doesn't pass that we don't think of our little mother, on the fifth anniversary of her passing, we took time as a family to reflect on this extraordinary lady, whom we had the privilege of loving and her life.

As my sister Renee reminds us, "The most important thing in our mother's life was her faith and living a life that was true to her beliefs. A devoted Catholic, mom chose to become a Franciscan because of her passionate love of Saint Francis of Assisi. Our mother loved animals and was dedicated to a life of simplicity. She adopted vows of poverty and went to church every day. She emptied her pockets for anyone in need. My brother Frank said, "Every day I get to experience mom's boundless capacity for love through her grandchildren, who still affectionately recall her as Grandmaman." Monica remembers her lifelong commitments to good works, for which she insisted on not discussing or promoting herself for doing. From the fifteen years she served meals to homeless gentlemen at Hope Cottage to her home visits and tireless work for the Saint Vincent de Paul Society. Anyone who stopped and and asked her for change she dug into her pocket or handbag. Natalie truly believed everyone was equal in the eyes of god, and she treated everyone the same, from the Premier of Canada to the man who found their way to Hope Cottage for a meal. Mom selflessly supported the work and dreams of her husband, children and grandchildren with a heart filled with love.
My dad, Tom Forrestall sums it all up, "To this darling lady, I owe everything I have."
We love you mom, then, now and always.


Natalie LeBlanc Forrestall on her wedding day.