diff --git a/jquery.simpleselect.js b/jquery.simpleselect.js
index 1b6af8f..473d93b 100644
--- a/jquery.simpleselect.js
+++ b/jquery.simpleselect.js
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@
 			options = $.extend({}, {
 				fadingDuration: (options && options.fadeSpeed) || 0,
 				containerMargin: 5,
-				displayContainerInside: "window"
+				displayContainerInside: "window",
+				filter: ".hidden"
 			}, options);
 
 			// Loop through all selects
@@ -159,7 +160,7 @@
 
 		// Populate the SimpleSelect with the select's options
 		populateSs = function() {
-			this.selectOptions = this.select.find("option");
+			this.selectOptions = this.select.find("option").not(this.options.filter);
 			var ssOptionsAndOptgroups = "",
 				addOption = function(selectOption) {
 					ssOptionsAndOptgroups += "<div class=\"option\">"+ selectOption.text() +"</div>";
@@ -178,7 +179,7 @@
 				htmlEncode = function(html) {
 					return html.replace(/&/g, "&amp;").replace(/"/g, "&quot;").replace(/'/g, "&#039;").replace(/</g, "&lt;").replace(/>/g, "&gt;");
 				},
-				selectChildren = this.select.children("optgroup, option"),
+				selectChildren = this.select.children("optgroup, option").not(this.options.filter),
 				selectHasOptgroups = false;
 			selectChildren.each(function() {
 				var t = $(this);
@@ -473,4 +474,4 @@
 		});
 	});
 	
-})(jQuery);
\ No newline at end of file
+})(jQuery);