May 24th is Tiara Day. While some choose to celebrate by wearing tiaras a-la-Cinderella, Ana, or Elsa, others are less inclined to embrace that whimsical fantasy world. These women devalue Tiara Day as a celebration of an inner princess when, in fact, it is a celebration of female empowerment. Tiara Day is as much about women celebrating being empowered, intelligent leaders in control of their own lives as it is about wearing tiaras. It is a day when women around the world take out their physical or metaphorical tiara, dust it off, and wear it proudly.
In the past, tiaras were only brought out for formal occasions. There was no set standard for who owned or wore a tiara beyond marital standards. Women were allowed to wear a tiara once they were married, as unwed ladies were understood to not need additional accoutrements. The event, not the status of the wearer signaled when a tiara would be worn. Now, however, there are no hard fast rules about wearing tiaras yet, unfortunately, wearing tiaras has fallen out of style.
Nowadays, tiaras are often considered to be a girlish fantasy, something to be grown out of with maturity. That is faulty logic. Bianca Marie Carpio, founder of Smitten Creative Services explains, “Tiaras are not something you grow out of. They’re something you grow into, realizing that you’re a powerful person.” Everyone wants to feel confident, special, powerful, and beautiful no matter what age they may be. Tiaras, somehow, magically allow that to happen. Don’t believe me? Give it a try. Put one on and wear it around the house. Tell me you don’t catch your own eye in the mirror, stand a little taller, or smile a little more.
Tiaras, you see, have the power to stir the imagination. They are a bit of sophisticated whimsy in a vast ocean of sneakers and hoodies. Geoffrey C. Munn, author of ‘Tiaras: A History of Splendor,’ admires women who crown themselves with a sophisticated headpiece. He describes them as making an ironic statement that highlights female empowerment. Not to mention, tiaras are universally flattering.
So, on May 24th, take out your tiara, pin up your hair, place it on your head, and wear it with pride. Don’t make light of it. Don’t make self-depreciating remarks about wearing it. Don’t take it off because you feel silly. Most importantly, don’t let anybody tell you that you shouldn’t wear it. Choosing to wear a tiara is your right and should be respected by both the public and by you, its owner. As it owner, you are not just wearing it, you are harnessing its power. Who knows, you may just choose to wear your tiara everyday.
