Fabulous, Frivolous and Functional:
150 years of head wear in Melbourne
30 September – 26 November 2006

A splendid feast of hattish delights awaits visitors to City Museum this Spring. Be overwhelmed by an array of hats of all shapes, sizes and uses – from the profoundly frivolous to the ponderously utilitarian.

Bringing together a century and a half of head wear culture in celebration of the Spring Racing Carnival, Hat Tricks also reveals the changing tastes in Melbourne’s notoriously fickle fashion circles.

Hat Tricks showcases a broad cross section of head wear and plots a history of Melbourne from first white settlement in 1835 to the present day, as told through its hats. The exhibition features over fifty hats, representing all periods, classes and uses, complemented by texts and historical images giving greater depth to the significance of hat wearing through the ages in Melbourne. A wide range of hats from present-day milliners is also included, providing a sneak preview of fashions on the track at this year’s Spring Racing Carnival.

Whether for the discerning hat enthusiast or the merely follically-challenged, Hat Tricks will be a treat for all, and leave you pining for your next bad hair day.

Curator: Simon Gregg
Venue: Seasonal Exhibition Gallery

To read more click here.
To tour the exhibition photo gallery click here