Birthday of Grand Duchess Maria Teresa

Posted on March 22, 2014 by Royal Hats

Royal Hats Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg celebrates her 58th birthday today. Maria Teresa is not someone who shies away from fantastical and bold hats (remember this one and this one she wore last year?) but I find that more often than not, it is the dramatic hat that ends up wearing her and takes center stage. I would love to see Maria Teresa do away with large brimmed hats in favour of smaller but saucier cocktail hats in more flattering colours (no magenta please!) worn jauntily on the side of her face. British bespoke milliner Dillon Wallwork, designer of the pink cocktail hat below, would be such a dream designer for her. I think this hat would be lovely on Maria Teresa if it was in a warmer hued colour (brown, ochre, sienna or brick red).

What hat designer or style of hat would you like to see on the Grand Duchess?

Photo from Dillon Wallwork Bespoke Hats

Queen Elizabeth and Duke of Edinburgh Visit Dance Company

Posted on March 21, 2014 by Royal Hats

Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh toured the new facility of Rambert, Britain’s national dance company. To meet architects of the building and watch a performance of the resident dancers, The Queen repeated her peony pink straw hat with teardrop shaped crown and feather trim. I think this is the most successful of Angela Kelly’s teardrop shaped hats and the feathers add a whimsically light touch. While the colour is not to my personal liking, it is vibrant and lovely on Her Majesty. What do you think of this pink ensemble?

Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images

Designer: Angela Kelly
Previously Worn: May 14, 2011; February 17, 2011; April 27, 2010; May 21, 2009

Photos from Getty as indicated

Birthday of Princess Claire of Luxembourg

Posted on March 21, 2014 by Royal Hats

Royal Hats One of the newest royals, Princess Claire of Luxembourg (née Claire Lademacher) celebrates her 29th birthday today. So far, we have only seen Claire in three hats (here, here and here) and these choices do not tell us much about her millinery style. I would love to see this academic princess (she is completing a PhD in bioethics) take on a distinctly modern millinery style and I think British milliner Vivien Sheriff would be a great designer for her. Any one of these hats, from Vivien Sheriff’s Spring Summer 2013 collection, would be striking on Princess Claire

Vivien Sheriff Surf

What hat or hat designer would you like to see Princess Claire wear?

Photos from Vivien Sheriff

Japanese Imperial Couple Host Vietnamese State Visit

Posted on March 20, 2014 by Royal Hats

On March 17th, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan welcomed the President of Vietnam, Mr. Truong Tan Sang, and his wife on a state visit to Japan. While Empress Michiko wore one of her regular saucer hats, this one was larger than we often see on her. Trimmed with white blossoms, green leaves and what looks like a grey ribbon bow, this austere black hat was lightened (no mourning here) to a rather attractive hat. That being said, I think I may have preferred this black and white hat with the black jacket and hound’s tooth skirt the Empress wore for this state welcome. What do you think?

Empress Michiko, March 17, 2014 | The Royal Hats Blog

Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: I believe this is a new hat.

Photo from the Imperial Family of Japan

Queen Máxima in Tilburg

Posted on March 19, 2014 by Royal Hats

Queen Máxima had a busy day yesterday in Tiburg attending the final meeting of a Social Innovation conference at the University of Tilburg and visiting the Prins Heerlijk project at the elderly centre Het Laar. For these two engagements, she repeated the dark aubergine picture hat we first saw on her last November. I love the interesting brim shape of this hat- sharply upturned on one side and gently waved on the other- and think the colour is spectacular on Máxima. She paired this beautiful hat with a grape hounds tooth checked dress, a pairing I prefer to the teal dress we saw with this hat during its last outing. What do you think of this dramatic hat on Máxima?

Queen Máxima, March 18, 2014 in Fabienne Delvigne | The Royal Hats Blog