Not Just A Hat Rack - Mildred

"You look down on me because I work for a living, don't you?"

Mildred comforts her daughter Veda, after learning of her swift marriage she now confesses to having regrets about. Veda is a spoilt, ungrateful and wayward young woman, only interested in the finer things in life and who Mildred defiantly supports throughout the majority of the film.

This is indicative of Mildred’s overall character: a housewife turned business woman, headstrong and resilient, but loyal to the values of family and kinship, even if the same treatment isn’t reciprocated.

You might say she is a stiff and a doormat, despite her smarts and determination to do the best she can as a mother and in general. She will take as much as humanly possible, from Veda, her ex husband, her business partner and her lover, none of whom appreciate the sweat and sacrifices she makes to appease them all.

Her ultimate battle of conscience will be to protect Veda by taking (or passing) the blame for murder, but perhaps mommy dearest has finally taken all she can.

The Hat:

In this particular scene, Mildred adorns a frankly bizarre feather-trimmed fascinator, a concoction of a mini top hat upon a mop!

Hats there are aplenty here and give a good indicator of Mildred’s character development. As a housewife, she opts for a pinny rather than say a headscarf, or any hat as it would be unnecessary, but as she starts to take control of her life, so too does her hat collection, each item advancing over time to show her increasing wealth and status.

Hats often appear when she means business: talking with associates, discussing serious matters, or when confronting Veda, such as during the doomed marriage discussion and the subsequent matter of divorce restitution.

Not Just a Hat Rack - Mildred reel on Instagram