Zara Phillips Tindall is in Australia to fulfill her role as ambassador of the Magic Millions Carnival and Raceday. She attended a photocall for the races today in an unusual wreath shaped headpiece made of black lace flowers and leaves. I’m not certain this headpieces makes the winner’s circle for me although it is wonderful to see something we have never seen on a royal head before. What do you think?
Designer: Danica Erard Millinery
Previously Worn: this headpiece is new
Photos from Getty as indicated
Royal Hats 
I actually think this fascinator had a lot of potential, but the more forward placement didn’t bode well for Zara (the balding factor like other said), and her outfit was terrible, making the headpiece look worse.
Oh dear. Momma always said, “if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all”…so I won’t comment.
Good advise! And I certainly agree in this case.
If you get bored at the races, you can always play a game scoring goals by throwing a ball through the gap in the hat! This is one of the least flattering hats and outfits I have seen Zara wear!
I second what Splendid Jewels says: January 11, 2015 at 12:59 am.
It makes her look bald in the front view.
This hat make her very ugly.
Wow. That’s quite a hat. He designer thought it was a bit edgy (and I see where they were going) but placed like that she looks like a bald guy. I quite like the deconstructed dress, but that hat does her noooo favours at all.
My first thought too, has she gone bald?
She looks a complete mess, like she crawled out from under the bed or wherever. This is not a hat, and her shirt tail is hanging out, what was she thinking or not thinking is more like it……..not good pretty lady, not good at all.
I much prefer her latest hat and outfit at the races in Oz. See the link please.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2904302/Fabulous-floral-Zara-Phillips-keeps-cool-bold-blue-white-bold-print-dress-braves-33-degree-heat-Magic-Millions-race-day-Australia-s-Gold-Coast.html
Oh. Oh dear.
Simply horrible:(
Somewhere in there are the bones of a good hat, but this version is not it. Added to which, worn like this, there is a hideous bald effect. I’m almost always in favour of hair up with hats, but this is certainly an exception! Zara often wears interesting and sometimes attractive hats, but she hasn’t yet perfected the knack of making a whole outfit hang together properly.
My first thought was that it was like the wreaths of flowers they put around the winner’s Neck (the horse’s) at the Kentucky Derby. My second thought as I scrolled through the pictures was that it didn’t match the informality of the rest of the outfit. I know how hot it can get in Australia, but surely something else would work better than this combination.
What flashes into MrFitzroy’s brain is a funereal version of the ‘Butterfly hat’ wrn by Princess Beatrice a few years back — but without the zanyness and good humor of the original.
The hat idea itself is not bad though badly realized, and the lace is lovely, but everything else is off…from the black during a hot australian summer day, to the yards of sheeting tucked in randomly as a, what shall we call it, “blouse”? One guesses that perhaps they told her to dress simply to show off the borrowed jewels….but this was not the solution.
Love everything about Zara, but like her mother, when she misses the mark…she REALLY misses the mark. MrFitzroy SO wants to love this….but just can’t.
I don’t mind the hat, it’s got that Zara zaniness that we love about her. Paired with a less ‘stark’, more flattering, dress it might look much better. And the hair needs to be thought about too. But let’s not forget how hot it was in Surfer’s Paradise yesterday – about 28deg Celsius – so she would have been wanting to be comfortable and cool, knowing she’s going to have to stand in the sun for photocalls and to present prizes. The DM reports that she’s wearing a 5.5carat diamond ring, among other diamonds.
Several thoughts…One: the hat would not be too bad if the hole wasn’t in the middle – so more lace for the hat…Two: hair down to take away the bald effect…Three: a large necklace in jet black…Four: get rid of the flappy side on the blouse area of the dress…Five: add a belt…Six a light jacket or sweater in black to pull it all together. That would be too much work so my advice is get rid of the dress and redo the hat. Seriously though the work that went into that hat is amazing the lace flowers and leaves are beautiful…just get rid of the hole and not have it be so high and it would be so much better.
Your comments are all correct Rodney. I admire the crafting of the lace flowers and leaves, but the hat and outfit do not work.
Oh Zara…
I know…
(shaking my head)
Let me guess. Philip Treacy in a different but similar reincarnation of the infamous toilet seat hat. Bless her heart. That entire outfit is probably going to hit the worst of 2015. I feel sorry for her. I can’t imagine going outside to get the mail in that getup. She needs someone to help her find flattering clothing–and hats.
Oh dear – I’ve said it before — Zara so needs a stylist or if she has one already she needs a new one!
I’m sorry to say this but that dress and head wreath are not doing her any favors.
The horse is beautiful.
Well put.
I’m gutted. Zara is my favourite royal and I love her hats. But I can’t even defend this one at all because it’s a disaster.
Very nicely said.
Black and white can be very classic and elegant. The lace work on the hat is very beautiful but I think it might have been better in an upside down “u” shape like a tall headband instead of a circle.
This is quite possibly the worst hat I have ever seen, and to top it all off she looks bald!!!!!
Oh boy. Nothing with that outfit is flattering is it… I like the lace of if but it seems to be angled to much like a target to throw something through. It could look nice if it was more against the head. Like an Victorian little hat perched on the head, but hollow 😛
What an awful hat. And so the contest for worst hat of 2015 begins…
The contest is over with this one.
I agree!
I agree Emma. I am already starting my list for worst hats of 2015 today.
Wow! That certainly is different. I do like the color and texture. I can’t decide if lowering it would help, or if she needs to just start again.