The end of the 19th century - the beginning of the 20th century was a time when headwear was an essential part of image and social language. Photographs of the era capture fashion as a system of signs through which age, status, and lifestyle were read. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, headwear was a constant companion of a person - from the first days to old age. Hats, caps, top hats, bowlers, and military caps not only protected against the whims of the weather but also indicated status, occupation, age, and taste. Today, when this tradition has almost disappeared, old photographs from the 1880s to 1910s attract attention with their abundance of details. The history of head coverings goes back to ancient times, but over time, the utilitarian function gave way to symbolism and fashion. This is especially noticeable in women's clothing in the second half of the 19th century, when the sizes and silhouettes of hats changed almost every few years. Small velvet and straw models of the 1880s gradually gave way to larger styles, and then to curved brims and flat plate-like shapes, lavishly decorated with bows and feathers. Decoration played a special role: artificial flowers, exotic grasses, ostrich and heron feathers, veils, and lace veils turned the hat into an expressive accent of the image. For sports and walks, there were separate options - from top hats to straw canotier hats that came from the men's wardrobe. Men's fashion of that time was also diverse: each season and occasion had its own type of headwear. In the early 20th century, dozens of hat workshops operated in the cities of the Russian Empire, and affluent buyers ordered novelties from abroad. Find other exhibitions in St. Petersburg on KUDAGO.