From the sublime to the ridiculous, the practical to the beautiful, hats come in all shapes, styles, and colors. Heads Up! presents highlights from the collection from the 19th century to today. Some hats are made by anonymous designers, others by well known milliners like Peter Bentley, Bes-Ben, Patricia Underwood, and Patrick Treacy. A few of the great fashion designers, notably Chanel and Halston, began their careers as milliners. The exhibition is arranged by color, spanning the spectrum of red, orange, yellow, green, indigo, violet, as well as black and white.
The term “milliner” dates to the early 1500s and was used to describe a seller of articles of women’s wear. Originally the term referred to a man, but by 1713 the term milliner was used to describe “a woman who makes and sells bonnets and other headgear for women.” The term “hatter” was used for men who made men’s hats. Humans have always needed to cover their heads as protection from the weather, but hats also served as an essential part of military uniforms, markers of social status, or the key element of a sartorial style. Think Charlie Caplin’s Little Tramp and his bowler or the sultry Marlene Dietrich in a beret or top hat or macho Humphrey Bogart in his Borsalino fedoras. Most of us envision the beloved Queen Elizabeth in her colorful matching hats (and handbags) and the First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in her pillbox hat by Halston. One might almost forget that the Kentucky Derby or Royal Ascot are horse races, as they are overshadowed by the parade of grand, elaborate hats and ceremony.
This exhibition shares a selection of hats in the KSU Museum collection, sorted by color and selected across time from the 19th century to today. You will find descriptions of the various types of hats as well as biographical information about the hatters and milliners. We hope you are reminded of a favorite hat in your wardrobe or of a special family member or friend who wore their hat with pride and attitude.
Featured
Milliner Hall of Fame
Learn about some of the most important milliners/hat designers that made an impact on the course of fashion as we know today and how they became inspired to venture into the hat making trade.
Head to Toe 