The History behind Flower Crowns
The flower crown, a timeless look that does not break the sartorial wheel. Flower crowns first originated in ancient Greece, as a popular way to honour the gods. May Queens and Queen Victoria alike have worn this type of headpiece, but the history of this garland also has a sinister side and has since cropped up in various cult films and as imagery that represents the loss of life rather than the beginning of it…
The ancient Greeks first introduced the flower crown as an honorary reward for victors in athletic, military, poetic, and musical contests. For example, the Pythian Games were held at Delphi every four years in honour of Apollo, and winners traditionally received a wreath of bay laurel. The bay laurel tree is native to the Mediterranean region, and stood as an important symbol of victory, achievement, and status.
Olive wreaths were also awarded to winners of athletic competitions. With wild olive trees growing at Olympia where the Olympic games were held, olive wreaths were given as prizes to the victors at these games, which become synonymous with the imagery of victory, status and success - which is why we see so many of the Greek statues wearing the olive wreath today.
Ancient gods and goddesses were often represented in the art and literature of the time, wearing specific plants dedicated to them. In Ovid’s Metamorphoses, the beautiful Daphne manages to escape her pursuer, the god Apollo, by turning herself into a laurel tree. As such, Apollo is often depicted wearing a laurel wreath as a symbol of his love for Daphne.
However, flower crowns haven’t always been synonymous with victory, achievement and love…
Midsommar is just one of many folk horror films that draws on traditional stories, counterculture and elements of nature as scare tactics. Rituals and dress that are alien to the interlopers are an effective way to establish who, within these cult-classic films, is in on the secret. When Dani (Florence Pugh) finally ditches her sweats for the traditional attire to take part in the dancing competition. After her crowning as May Queen, she discovers heavy lies the crown even when it is made of flowers. Instead of being the final sacrifice, Dani gets to choose who will end up as the last offering.
Pagan and Wiccan rituals have often frightened others, and the disappearance of the flower crown in Medieval times coincides with the notion that it was a blasphemous accessory — but you can't keep a good flower crown down and by the Victorian era, they came back into fashion, with a vengeance…
In the 20th-century, flowers would come to be associated with another feared cultural movement. In 1967, Scott McKenzie sang, “If you’re going to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair.” It was the summer notoriously associated with love and flower power. Three years later, after a number of violent incidents (including the Manson family killings) the hippie subculture was seen as a threat to modern society. Unlike the Medieval period, flower crowns didn’t get banished for this association but took a hard blow after yet another symbolic sacrilege.
Today, we don’t see the flower crown anywhere near as much as the notorious summer of flower power or at the victory lap at sporting events - instead, they’ve come to occasionally feature at a wedding or two. It would seem that the flower crown is yet again dormant, waiting for the next craze or fashion to sweep it up and make use of it’s symbolic history.
Want to be part of Flower Crown History?
Book your place on my Flower Crown and Wine Tasting workshop and find out all about this culturally complex yet simply beautiful accessory.
