Monthly Archives: May 2014

Princess Beatrix Wraps Up Caribbean Tour

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Earlier this week, we looked at the lovely blue ensemble and hat that Princess Beatrix wore on Tuesday for the first day of her whirlwind 3-day trip to the island of St. Maarten. Later that same day, Princess Beatrix changed wardrobe for a visit to a community foundation and the university, replacing a vibrant blue hat with… a vibrant blue hat! I’m not sure the reason for the wardrobe change (the outfits are so similar!) but I’m certainly not going to complain about a multiple royal hat day. The second blue hat was one of Princess Beatrix’s signature brimless pillbox / single tier cake hats, this one featuring an interesting indented button crown.

Princess Beatrix, May 20, 2014 | Royal Hats Princess Beatrix, May 20, 2014 | Royal Hats Princess Beatrix, May 20, 2014 | Royal Hats

Designer: I suspect Suzanne Moulijn
Previously Worn: April 24, 2013; October 29, 2011 

On Wednesday for her visit to the St. Maarten Academy, Princess Beatrix repeated an orange straw hat with pleated crown and large bow at the back. This hat packs a citrusy punch that not many royals could carry off but again, this Princess of Orange wears it so well.

Princess Beatrix, May 21, 2014 | Royal Hats

Princess Beatrix, May 21, 2014 | Royal Hats Princess Beatrix, May 21, 2014 | Royal Hats

Designer: unknown. I guess this is also the work of Suzanne Moulijn
Previously Worn: January 10, 2012; November 15, 2007; June 27, 2006; April 12, 2006; October 30, 2004

Finally, Princess Beatrix concluded her tour by attending a Kingdom Youth Parliament debate at the University of Saint Maarten on Thursday. She repeated a navy straw picture hat with sharply upturned brim, pleated crown and side loop bow. Of this trio of hats, this one is my favourite. The proportion is lovely, the brim balances the strong lines of the hat and this shade, a classic navy blue, is always so very royal.

Princess Beatrix, May 22, 2014 | Royal Hats Princess Beatrix, May 22, 2014 | Royal Hats Princess Beatrix, May 22, 2014 | Royal Hats

Designer: unconfirmed. The pleated crown and looped bow trim, however, are standard Suzanne Moulijn touches
Previously Worn: November 6, 2009

Princess Beatrix wore four very lovely straw hats during this tropical visit. My favourite was the vibrant blue picture hat we saw on the first day – which one did you like best?

Photos from Remko de Waal, Remko de Waal, Remko de Waal, Remko de Waal, Remko de Waal, Remko de Waal, Remko de Waal, Remko de Waal, and Remko de Waal, all via ANP

Hat Cousins: Queen Elizabeth and the Hourglass Hats of Angela Kelly

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Royal Hats Last summer, we took a closer look at several of the common hat shapes used by Angela Kelly  for Queen Elizabeth’s millinery wardrobe (remember the “Diagonal Crown Hats”,  the “Flat Brim Hats”, the “Teardrop Crown Hats“, the “Split Crown Hats”, the  “Oblique Brim Hats” and the “Wrapped Crown Hats“?). Today, we’re going to pick up this series with a look at the “Hourglass Hats”.

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The Queen in Portsmouth May 20 and at Ascot June 21, 2013

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The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh at St Michael’s Mount, May 17, 2013

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At the Commonwealth Leader’s Summit, November 28, 2009; At the Tower of London, October 16, 2014

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Citrus green and yellow on June 28, 2016 in Northern Ireland

Of all the Angela Kelly shapes we have seen so far, this one most loudly yells “Mad Hatter!”. I appreciate creative exploration of new hat shapes but the flared crown of this particular shape tends to make the hat look bulbous and off balance. Paired with whimsical trim, as most Kelly designed hats are, and you have a hat that looks more suited to a cartoon movie set than a royal engagement. Of the hats shown here, I think the light purple one is most successful because of its lack of trim. I admit that these hats are not my favourites but I’m curious, dear readers- what do you think?

UPDATE: Queen Elizabeth debuted a new hat in this shape in October 2014 (see more detail at this post). While this new turquoise hat does not make me love this hat shape, it takes over as my favourite in this group thanks to the saturated colour and beautifully contrasting (and restrained) black velvet trim.

Photos from Getty as indicated  

Queen Elizabeth In Déjà Vu Blue

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A Hat Query Earlier this week, Queen Elizabeth wore a summery white straw hat with turquoise trim for a visit to Portsmouth Naval Base. Several of you eagle eyed readers emailed to ask if this was the second hat the Queen has worn with this coat. Take a look at this: 

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May 20, 2014

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July 12, 2002

While these two coats and dresses appear to be made from a very similar pattern, they are not the same. The shades of blue are slightly different, the coat collars are different, and the dress fabric (which also trims the collar on the coat) is different. The dress we saw earlier this week is a turquoise and white print while the other dress is a turquoise floral (note the same fabric on the hat). I think, in the end, these hats were both custom made for each of the outfits and are not interchangeable. I prefer the first ensemble- which one do you prefer?

Designer of May 20 , 2014 hat: I suspect Angela Kelly
Previously Worn: July 21, 2010; June 18, 2010 

Designer of July 212, 002 hat: unknown. I suspect Frederick Fox
Previously Worn: June 7, 2003, July 12, 2002

Countess of Wessex in Chic Black and White

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Royal HatsLast week, the Countess of Wessex attended the General Assembly Meetings of The Church of Scotland in a pale grey hat worn with a black and white silk dress by Emilia Wickstead printed in an English country toile motif. Sophie has worn this dress with two very different hats, yielding very different looks:

Look 1: With a dramatic Jane Taylor black straw wave shaped hat with pointed ends, trimmed in Lady Amherst feathers  at the Luxembourg royal wedding, October 20, 2012

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Look 2: With a black straw Rachel Trevor Morgan saucer hat trimmed in a pinwheel of silk ruffles at a June 6, 2013 Buckingham Palace garden party (see a front view of this hat from another outing here)

Look 3:  With a pale grey picture hat with flat crown and mushroom brim trimmed with feathers and silk organdie ribbon  Jane Taylor at the General Assembly Meetings of The Church of Scotland on May 17, 2014  and on June 2, 2015 at a Buckingham Palace Garden Party celebrating the centennary of the Women’s Institute.


 

In some ways, it is unfair for me to ask which hat pairing with this dress you prefer because the hat we saw this week is obviously an attempt to dress down this outfit (done very successfully!) – I suppose this is less of a “this or that?” question and more of a “formal or less formal?”query. I remain curious, however, about which hat do you prefer with this Emilia Wickstead frock?

Photos from Getty and The Church of Scotland  

Queen Hosts First Summer Garden Party of 2014

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Queen Elizabeth hosted the first of three summer garden parties this season today at Buckingham Palace. For this event, she repeated her lilac straw hat with asymmetrical brim and trim details of navy ribbon and silk flowers. It’s a hat I think looks fantastic from this view (and less so from a closer view, as we saw it last time)

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Designer: Angela Kelly, made by Stella McLaren
Previously Worn: June 20, 2013

Prince Philip looked very dapper in morning dress with a dove grey top hat.

With the Wessexes in Scotland and the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall in Canada, Princess Beatrice stepped in to support her grandparents at this party. She unveiled a new hat for the occasion, a grey-brown straw beret swathed in tulle net and topped with a cream silk bloom and large straw bow loops. This is a hat I could like, if it was paired with an outfit that actually made sense. I don’t see anything that connects this hat with either this blouse or skirt… and I wish I did.

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Designer: Robyn Coles’ “Rose Beret”
Previously Worn: I believe this hat is new

The Duchess of Gloucester also attended. She appeared to be wearing a new beret style hat with ruched front and large bow at the back. This shade of blue is just beautiful on her.

Duchess of Gloucester, May 21, 2014 | Royal Hats

Photos from Getty as indicated and The British Monarchy