Étranger Things: La Sainte-Catherine (25 Nov) — Les Catherinettes & their yellow-green hats 🎩

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If you see a burst of ribbons and a lemon-and-pistachio color explosion on 25 November, you’ve stumbled into La Sainte-Catherine—when 25-year-old unmarried Catherines (and their friends) don gloriously over-the-top yellow-and-green hats. Think Mardi Gras meets millinery exam. Your line? Flash a smile and say: “Bonne Sainte-Catherine !” (Then resist the urge to ask for hot-glue tips.)

What’s the story?

  • Who/when: Feast day of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, 25 November, long associated in France with unmarried women turning 25—nicknamed les Catherinettes. (Wikipedia)

  • Why the hats: Friends craft outrageous chapeaux in yellow (hope/faith) and green (wisdom); the Catherinette wears it proudly all day. Milliners and fashion houses helped popularize (and occasionally revive) the tradition. (Accent Francais)

  • Old expression: Coiffer Sainte-Catherine once meant “reach 25 and still be single,” a nod to church statues of the saint that got a fresh coiffe each year from unmarried women. Language evolves; the hats survive. (Larousse)

Spotter’s guide (Aix-friendly edition)

  • Look for hand-made hats: cardboard, felt, tulle, fruits, tiny Eiffel Towers—go wild, as long as it’s jaune + vert.

  • You might see mini parades, contests, or photo ops—the spirit lives on in many towns and fashion schools.

  • In Aix, keep an eye on local Ă©coles de mode, associations, and foires listings mid-late November; traditions pop up where creative people gather.

Mini etiquette (a.k.a. how not to put your foot in your chapeau)

  • ✅ Say “Bonne Sainte-Catherine !” with warmth.

  • ✅ Compliment the hat-maker (“Quel chapeau, bravo l’atelier !”).

  • đźš« Avoid “So… when’s the wedding?” jokes—cute in 1905, cringey in 2025.

  • 🎩 If invited, wear a splash of yellow/green in solidarity.

Handy vocab (with friendly gloss)

  • une Catherinette — a 25-year-old (traditionally unmarried) woman celebrated on Nov 25

  • coiffer Sainte-Catherine — (historical idiom) to reach 25 and still be unmarried

  • un chapeau / la coiffe — hat / headdress

  • les rubans / les plumes / le tulle — ribbons / feathers / tulle

  • un dĂ©filĂ© / un concours — a parade / a contest

  • Bonne Sainte-Catherine ! — Happy St. Catherine’s Day!

Make-your-own (5-step, zero-panic millinery)

  1. Base: wide-brim straw or cardboard ring + bowl top.

  2. Wrap: fabric or paper in yellow & green (two tones = instant chic).

  3. Height: add a cylinder, bow, or “top-hat tower.”

  4. Drama: ribbons, faux flowers, lemons, olive sprigs (Provence wink).

  5. Chin tie: ribbon = hands-free for selfies & calissons.

A tiny timeline (because history wears hats, too)

  • Middle Ages: women “re-cap” the saint’s statue each Nov 25. Phrase coiffer Sainte-Catherine is born. (Wikipedia)

  • Belle Époque → early 1900s: adopted (and amplified) by Paris milliners; street scenes on rue de la Paix show seas of hats. (The British Hat Guild)

  • Today: mostly playful/nostalgic; resurfaces via fashion schools, towns, fairs—and Instagram, obviously. (HATalk)

What to say (quick cheats by level)

  • A1: “Bonne Sainte-Catherine ! J’adore ton chapeau.”

  • A2: “C’est la première fois que je vois des Catherinettes. Super couleurs !”

  • B1: “Qui a fabriquĂ© ce chapeau ? La symbolique du jaune et du vert est sympa.”

  • B2: “J’aime cette tradition relancĂ©e par les Ă©coles de mode—c’est festif sans ĂŞtre ringard.”

  • C1/C2: “Entre le folklore et l’empowerment crĂ©atif, la Sainte-Catherine reste un terrain de jeu esthĂ©tique.”

Sources & further peeks:

Your turn 🎙️

Have you spotted Catherinettes in Aix? Worn a yellow-green masterpiece yourself? Post a pic (if ok), share where you saw it, and tell us what people said to you. A1-C2 learners: try a comment starting with “Aujourd’hui, j’ai vu…” and weave in one vocab word above. Bonne Sainte-Catherine Ă  toutes et Ă  tous !

Location: France

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