The Oak Park Arms presents "A Century of Hats: 1860-1960,” by Heather Edgington, at 2 p.m. Sunday, July 31, at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave.
“From the sunbonnet to the pillbox, there is an exquisite array of hats in this show,” Edgington said. “Every decade holds a tale of the past that is sure to evoke fond memories for all.”
Edgington has been a private collector of exquisite vintage clothing and hats for more than 25 years with a strong emphasis on the Victorian and Edwardian years.
“My first piece - a peach silk boudoir cap - was purchased at the age of 14,” she said, “and I have been searching for treasures ever since.”
During college, she worked in the Historic Costume Lab at the University of Wisconsin, Stout, where she learned the value of preservation and restoration. Also she worked at one of Chicago's finest vintage clothing shops.
“Few women have ever been able to resist the temptation to try on a hat and discover in the mirror a person they never suspected was there,” she said. “A hat alters the image we have of ourselves, and the image others see as well. For the hours we wear it, it brings out different dimensions in our personality, much as a costume aids an actress in her role.”
The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay - a weekend, a week, a month or longer.
The program is free and open to the public. Call Jill Wagner at 708-386-4040.
