For Noela Langborne, no formal outfit is complete without some form of headwear.
Yet the milliner of 10 years laments that the tradition of adding a hat to a formal outfit has almost disappeared from modern day fashion.
“I couldn’t even visit my nana without wearing a bonnet and gloves,” the Epping resident says.
But one occasion each year keeps the practice alive – and milliners in work. The Spring Racing Carnival is just around the corner, and doesn’t Ms Langborne know it.
She’s busy creating five hats for a fashion parade at the Melbourne Arts Centre on September 17 and making dozens of colourful head pieces for clients heading to the races in October and November.
Ms Langborne is predicting that plenty of lace and bright colours such as shades of orange, yellow and green will be popular among racegoers this year.
She has always known fashion and fabric as part of her life. She was previously a production manager for about 20 years in a large manufacturing company in Brunswick.
When she noticed the business was starting to slow, she enrolled at a night school to learn the art of millinery.
Ms Langborne will have entries in the Millinery Association of Australia’s MAArvellous Millinery event at the Arts Centre from 7pm on September 17.
