Not sure if Congress had the 64 Crayola Crayon set back in 1776 but if they did, do you think the colors of the flag would be different? Probably not, because the colors for the 'Stars and Stripes'  were chosen specifically for their attributes and the positive characteristics they impart. Nobody ever wanted the Burnt Umber crayon.  But this red, white and blue color scheme was chosen originally for the Great Seal of the United States - and then, a year later, adopted for the flag itself.

From the book "Our Flag" published in 1989 by the House of Representatives...

"On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress passed a resolution authorizing a committee to devise a seal for the United States of America. This mission, designed to reflect the Founding Fathers' beliefs, values, and sovereignty of the new Nation, did not become a reality until June 20, 1782. In heraldic devices, such as seals, each element has a specific meaning. Even colors have specific meanings. The colors red, white, and blue did not have meanings for The Stars and Stripes when it was adopted in 1777. However, the colors in the Great Seal did have specific meanings. Charles Thompson, Secretary of the Continental Congress, reporting to Congress on the Seal, stated:

"The colors of the pales (the vertical stripes) are those used in the flag of the United States of America; White signifies purity and innocence, Red, hardiness & valour, and Blue, the color of the Chief (the broad band above the stripes) signifies vigilance, perseverance & justice."

Also this from a book about the flag published in 1977 by the House of Representatives...

"The star is a symbol of the heavens and the divine goal to which man has aspired from time immemorial; the stripe is symbolic of the rays of light emanating from the sun."

So while you're enjoying lawn parties, boating, sunsets and family this weekend, and if you happen to don some patriotic apparel, you can thank the 1776 U.S. Congress for not choosing chartreuse, periwinkle and burnt umber. 

We wanted to share this beautiful photo with you sent it to us by Rosemary:

"My daughter Mari (right) lives in Portland, OR and purchased all three Echo scarves from her favorite local boutique (Mink, on Hawthorne). One was a birthday gift for my other daughter Katie (left) who lives in NYC. We all got together for my 60th birthday in Arizona at the end of May and mine was also my birthday gift. We had a photo session to mark the occasion and this was just one of a number of great shots that my friend Heather Hill captured."

Thank you Rosemary, Mari and Katie for sharing this great moment in your lives! It's beautiful to see the bond between the two generations and we love how you share the same love of scarves!

Monday June 21st is the longest day of the year.  However, just how long that day is depends on what part of the world you are in.  if you are in Alaska, you've got a long day ahead of you. And a Monday even.  Sunrise in Anchorage was at 4:20am and the sun won't set until 11:42pm. If you're in New York the sun came up today at 5:20am and won't set until 8:30pm.  Good luck getting the kids to bed.

Some facts about summer. The phrase 'dog days of summer' actually came from the Egyptians.  They believed that the constellation, Sirius, the dog, since it was visible at sunrise and sunset, actually contributed to the heat that the sun gave off - therefore the dog days were even hotter than the rest of the summer.  A popular misconception was that 'dog day's' referred to the way dogs lay around in the heat. Well that can be true but I'm pretty sure Fido's naps are seasonless and he won't be up doing his taxes when Fall rolls around.

In the Victorian era, people felt the sun was a nice thing to enjoy - from a distance.  Women wore long dresses and carried parasols to prevent any sun exposure (and this also explains the multiple fainting spells.)  Popular thought at the time said that having a tan meant one spent a lot of time working in the fields so it became symbolic of class level. This fair-skinned trend lost some steam when in 1903 Niels Finsen was awarded the Nobel Prize in medicine for his “Finsen Light Therapy."  He discovered that sun exposure increased the Vitamin D intake therefore warding off the diseases popular in that day such as a form of tuberculosis and rickets.  Then, in the 1920s, two French women officially swung the trend scales towards tanning. Coco Chanel got a sunburn while visiting the French Riviera on the Duke of Westminster's yacht and Josephine Baker, a “caramel-skinned” singer in Paris, became popular. The popularity of these fashion icons turned the public's perception of tanning to something beautiful, healthy and even luxurious.
Today medical science tells us that tanning really isn't healthy but it can be healthiER with the right SPF sunscreen.  That's Sun Protection Factor.  Or Some Pretty Fashion.  So wear a big hat and enjoy the dog days of summer.  That's fashionable!

When I say Fedora, you instantly picture a classic scene: It's dark, most likely raining, a siren wails in the distance and a soft plume of smoke rises from a cigarette as a man steps out of the shadows, wearing a trenchcoat and a slick, stylish fedora on his head with the brim pulled down low over his eyes.  He says "Here's looking at you, kid."  (clutch heart, faint.)

The Fedora almost has it's own identity - one it has maintained through various incarnations of pop culture trends but always staying true to it's basic message: Class. Contrary to popular belief, the Fedora was a popular women's style before it became the classic film noir calling card for men's fashion.  The hat that we now call the Fedora existed before we called it the Fedora - most likely known as the Homburg, but the name Fedora stuck because of the popularity of one woman.    In 1882 the tragic, dramatic stage and later silent screen actress Sarah Bernhardt starred as the heroine in a French play called Fedora, by Victorien Sardou, in which she played Princess Fedora. Bernhardt, a.k.a The Divine Sarah, was considered the most important actress of her time so even 100 years before Madonna, throngs of women were dressing like their idols. Women had been wearing widebrimmed, elaborate hats at the end of the 1800s and with the introduction of open-air cars and public transit - often quite crowded - you can imagine the potential problems. Also, men of society never stepped out without a hat so the practicality of the short brimmed, flexible fabric Fedora worked for everyone.   The theme of the play Fedora was Nihilism and carnality (Madonna again anyone?) and she took her roles seriously. It was during this time that she acquired her famous coffin, in which she often slept in lieu of a bed, claiming it helped her understand her many tragic roles. In a performance of Fedora in Seattle in 1923, she arrived in true diva (pre-Madonna) fashion, entourage and all, in a special 12-car train comprising three Pullman cars, two private cars, a day coach, five baggage cars, and the engine. One of the Pullman cars was Mme. Bernhardt’s personal car, a traveling home “fitted up in the most elaborate style” as “a palace on wheels.”

Sarah Bernhardt, emoting the Drama

Today the Fedora has become a stylish accessory for men and women. The official definition of a Fedora is any hat creased down the center, pinched on both sides of the front and worn with the brim bent down low over the eyes. A similar style is the Panama hat - usually made of a lighter fabric or woven straw, with a fabric sash.  Panama was the first stop for these hats first made in Ecuador and the term Panama Hats stuck as a result of President Theodore Roosevelt wearing the hat on a visit to the construction of the Panama Canal. The first Fedoras were made of a heavier felt leaving the Panama hat to become associated with the tropics, and any seaside locales due to it's lighter fabric. Both styles were and still are popular due to the ability to protect the wearer's head from the wind and weather, and the fact that they are great for traveling.   Most versions of both styles can be rolled up for storage and easily pop back into shape.  How many trends can you say that about?