Australian millinery has a rich history that stretches from the Federation era to today. Our relationship with hats is deeply intertwined with racing culture, outdoor life, and a national love of getting dressed up. Here is the story.
"Understanding where we come from helps me understand where we are going. Australian millinery has always balanced European tradition with our own sun-soaked, bold, outdoor sensibility."
— Kathryn Lee
Federation to the 1940s
In the early 1900s, Australian women followed European millinery trends closely. Hats were everyday essentials, worn to church, to the shops, and certainly to the races. Melbourne Cup Day was already a fashion event, and milliners in Melbourne and Sydney catered to women who wanted the latest styles from Paris and London.
The Golden Age: 1950s and 1960s
The post-war era was the golden age of Australian millinery. Every woman owned multiple hats. Milliners thrived in every suburb. Flemington and Randwick were showcases for extraordinary headwear, and the Fashions on the Field competition, established in 1962, gave millinery a competitive stage. When Jean Shrimpton arrived at Flemington in 1965 without a hat and wearing a mini-skirt, the scandal showed just how central hats were to the culture.
The Decline: 1970s and 1980s
Like the rest of the Western world, Australia saw hat-wearing decline through the 1970s and 1980s. Casual fashion took over. The fascinator emerged as a compromise: something that satisfied dress codes without the commitment of a full hat. Many traditional milliners retired or closed their studios.
The Revival: 1990s to Today
From the 1990s onward, Australian millinery experienced a genuine revival. The Melbourne Cup Carnival leaned into fashion as a core attraction. The Lillian Frank AM MBE Millinery Award raised the profile of the craft. A new generation of milliners, trained in both traditional techniques and contemporary design, began creating work that rivalled anything coming out of London or Paris.
Today, Australian millinery is thriving. We have world-class milliners creating for both domestic and international clients. The Melbourne Cup Carnival remains the biggest millinery showcase in the Southern Hemisphere, and events like the Cairns Amateurs, The Everest, and the Brisbane Winter Carnival give milliners multiple stages throughout the year.
The Jean Shrimpton Moment
When British model Jean Shrimpton arrived at Flemington in 1965 wearing a mini-skirt and no hat, the crowd was shocked. It was front-page news. The incident revealed just how central hats were to Australian racing culture, and how powerful a fashion statement could be.
