I went out to dinner last night. In the restaurant were three couples that I believe were Mennonite … two older couples and one slightly younger couple. The men were in pants with suspenders and white shirts. The women were in plain dresses with their white prayer caps or bonnets.
It was the bonnets which caught my eye. They were fine white fabric, maybe organdy or lawn, and evidently stiffly starched to get the shape. After careful study, I decided the hair underneath must be coiled into a bun because the bonnet sort of stuck off the back of the head, easily deep enough to go over a bun. The bonnet was round, about the size of a one-pound oatmeal cannister.
I got to wondering how they got the bonnet that shape. I’m guessing that when they starch them, they do it over some kind of a form. Do they have a special wooden form? Do they use an empty can? How do they get those bonnets in that shape? They were so precise — and all three were exactly alike — that I doubt it was achieved with an iron.
The other thing I’m pondering is why none of the men had a belt. They all had suspenders.
Does anyone have answers for my questions?
Talespinner 