It's a symbol of revolution and freedom, of striving. And it's a hat. It's an icon seen over centuries, from the Notre Dame Cathedral to the Eiffel Tower. And yes, it's still a hat.
More specifically, it's a Phrygian cap, the red bonnet famously worn by Marianne, the artistic personification of the free French republic. The Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics unveiled the hat as their official mascots this week, showing off cartoonish images that are meeting with wide-ranging reactions.
