Not Just A Hat Rack - Charlotte

"One of the lesser ones."

Poor Charlotte Vale has remained under the thumb of her mother her whole life. It has been so exhausting, she has become a shell of herself and believed to be on the edge of a nervous breakdown. It wasn’t always this way though: we see Charlotte years earlier more comfortable in her own skin, ready to make her own decisions, but mother's disapproval ultimately prevails.

Charlotte’s eventual treatment doesn’t just cure her troubled head, but transforms her, not just in appearance, but also in confidence. To really detach from her mother’s umbilical hold, she travels aboard a ship, meeting a man whose daughter Charlotte shares solidarity and empathises with, but it’s not all a straightforward, typical happy ending.

'Now, Voyager' gives us a female character who is suppressed, but eventually finds her true identity, her voice and her style. Yet as much as she’d desire to find lasting love, she doesn’t let that compromise her continued search for herself.

The Hat:

The reveal of Charlotte emerging from the ship shows she has transformed from an ugly duckling into a swan. The hat is extravagant, but conceals part of her face. It represents her class, sophistication and a sense of mystery, commanding attention, where all eyes are on her. At the same time, she is stepping out as a new woman, but it's clear some insecurities remain, as the concealment suggests her timidity.

Earlier, during her travels, the hat serves as being a part of her new self. Though at first hiding, she is soon confident enough to let her inhibitions go, not just revealing who she really is, but confesses to her love interest who she once was.

The hat is a not just a fashionable accessory, or a status affirming one, but a tool for Charlotte to use as protection and assistance in her journey in discovering and understanding herself.

Not Just A Hat Rack - Charlotte reel on Instagram