Earlier this week, we looked at a number of hats worn by Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg that recently have been repeated by her daughter-in-law. While preparing that post, I was very surprised to see that this brown felt Cossack style hat is not the only hat with this unique shape in the Grand Duchess` millinery closet:
Hereditary Grand Duchess Maria Teresa at the wedding of the Belgian King and Queen, December 4, 1999
Hosting a Dutch State Visit, March 20, 2012
The second hat is also made of felt (see a closeup here) but casts a less wintry picture than the original. Differences of colour and season aside, one can only wonder what caused the Grand Duchess to order a repeat of the same design, more than a decade after the first. I suppose she liked the brown hat well enough to order a twin? Tell me, dearest readers, do you think this design warrants two versions, made of the same material, in the same wardrobe?
Photos from Gamma Presse via The Royal Forums and Patrick van Katwijk via Corbis
Royal Hats 
While I like the hat style in general for the Duchess, I wish she would wear bold colors such as red, pink, or peach shades. She has such a beautiful skin color for these shades.
Grand Duchess Maria Teresa looks very good in this brown felt Cossack style hat which has such a unique shape and makes her look taller and it also makes her face look less wide. It is flattering to her outfit. This is one of the best hat shapes in her millinery closet, so I can see why she ordrered a twin in a different colour. I wish she had chosen a better colour than the beige, and I agree with a few others who have said that a different material, such as straw, might have been better for the lighter coloured hat. I wonder if there is a third one lurking in the closet?
I like both hats and I would wear them both. The brown hat looks slightly better on her.
I prefer the brown. This is a great hat. There is something a bit meh about beige, even if it is done well. If I was ordering a second hat, I would go for another material, such as straw, as others have said.
I prefer the brown hat to the beige version. It suits her colouring better and makes more of an impact. I would gladly wear both hats. These hats are such an unusual shape and they really suit her.
My mom always said: when you find something you like, that suits you and fits well, buy multiples. Maybe the Grand Duchess’s mother said the same thing! It’s good advice. I think both hats look smashing on her.
My family and I prefer the dark brown version which brings with it a Russian Cossack energy, and that one works better with the tones of her hair, eyes and complexion than the ecru. It is such a good hat for her and also looked good, but different, on her daughter-in-law.
It’s such an odd hat style, but I find both quite attractive. The brown is part of a more striking outfit in general.
I really like the brown one more. The lighter one makes her face wider
I like this hat in both colors. It looks very stylish on the Grand Duchess and gives her height without overwhelming her petite stature. Looks fabulous on her. I liked the brown on Hereditary Grand Duchess Stephanie, too.
Good point, Marlene. This style certainly gives the Grand Duchess height. I think large brimmed hats often overwhelm her `petite stature`.
I saw her yesterday walking down the rue saint honoré in Paris. She really is quite petite…no hat though!
Marlene, you read my mind.
I like the style on her — it helps pull her face longer and lessens the emphasis of the width of her face. It’s a win for me on her and I would vote for even more in this same style.
I agree beachgal. In fact I would like a few of these hats myself.
Having one wintry/one summery seems a good idea to me. IMO it is more successful with the hair up. Worn with her flip hairstyle down is cute, but I find this veering a little close to airline hostess territory.
You are right Gransgirl, the hat is better with an updo.
I think the hat is more successful in the ecru colored straw. It holds it’s shape better. The brown one I could do without, so I suppose my answer is no. I would have said I didn’t care for the hat shape if it were only the brown felt, but it redeems itself in the straw. I wouldn’t have ever bought the hat, but the Grand Duuchess is always so pretty and nicely put together, that she can wear anything.
HatQueen says the ecru hat is felt also jamiemid, not straw. It looks like felt to me too. I would have preferred a straw version rather than have the same hat but just in a different color.
In my original post, I did think this hat was straw. It was only after a closer second look that I realized it was felt and made the correction in the post. Jamiemid was simply following my lead!
The brown one is definitely a winter hat. I can’t see clearly the fabric of the beige one but it’s probably a more summerly piece – if it is, it would make sense to me to have 2 versions. Anyway, there are quite a few more pieces that exist as twins or triplets in the royal wardrobes, probably more clothes than hats though. 🙂