Queen Máxima was in Den Bosch this morning to open her new new namesake waterway, the 9 kilometre long Maxima Kanaal. As she does for all official openings, Queen Máxima wore a hat (and gloves) for this event. While we have seen her in several ‘slice’ picture hats with sharply diagonal folded brims, this particular hat, in camel felt, is new. Trimmed with a simple monochrome grosgrain ribbon around the crown and small felt bow on the back brim, the lack of embellishment makes this hat all about its strong shape. Its pairing with Máxima’s black and white dress was a surprising but very elegant and modern choice – the simple neckline was a great compliment to the hat and the muted accessories kept the whole outfit from veering into “too much” territory.
My only qualm about this hat is the way the huge hat pins look like a pair of knitting needles stabbed through the back of it. While hat pins are necessary, this pair really disturbs the smooth, clean lines of this hat.
Designer: Fabienne Delvigne
Previously Worn: This is a new hat
I suspect some of you might have preferred a hat in a more vibrant colour with this dress but I loved the way this hat was such an unexpected choice. The dress kept the hat from looking dull or boring while the hat and other tan accessories restrained the dress from looking too much like a bar code on steroids. For me, this beautiful balance is what makes this ensemble work. I look forward to hearing how you, dear readers, weigh in on this new hat!
Photos from Patrick van Katwijk via Corbis; Getty as indicated
Royal Hats 
Well, I’m surprised because apparently everyone loves this look and I’m the one who doesn’t? I would keep everything and change the colour of the dress. I don’t understand a black&white dress with camel accessories. I would love a strong colour, like a red or burgundy dress.
Or give me the dress with accessories with a stronger colour. 🙂
The small bow on the hat is really a cute touch!
I guess she’s wearing the same wrap she had on the ship the night of Wilhem Alexander’s inauguration?
I have never been a fan of black with any combination of brown/tan . . .perhaps maybe cream. 40 years ago, my mother knit (knitted?) me a sweater of cream and grey, (using the queen’s hat pins,) and I never knew what color shoes to wear! If only THAT was my biggest problem today!
Queen Maxima looked so elegant. The single items are risky but the way she has put them together is fantastic. If I was on a ship in a canal I would like to have my hat securely attached, the hat pins were a necessity. Loved the look.
The gloves look like cleaning gloves LOL
Stunning look xxx
I like, elegant and chic.
The hat is wonderful, and I really love the small details of the bow and ribbon in the back, yes, those are deadly weapons in her hat, those are the longest hat pins I have ever seen. I inherited a few hat pins, antiques which I treasure, those must of been made just for her. As for the dress, it is just plain ugly, I think the pattern of the fabric is to busy and makes her look heavier then she is. I like black and tan together, it is a wonderful color combination, yet this is not……..
I think this is SUCH a beautiful look. She didn’t want to go overboard on an occasion that is basically celebrating her– it’s not like a charity event that might need a splash of color. The hat pins are unfortunate, but I can overlook them. Maxima looks great!
How does Maxima do it every time? Rarely does she make a fashion mistake, and today’s showing proves that point. Her hat is huge, but she can carry it off – yet again. Although, I went back and looked at her hat with those extremely long hat pins, and I have to agree the hat pins did appear to be quite dangerous. Tan/beige accessories with a black and white dress wouldn’t be my first choice, but, here again, she does it perfectly.
Consistently fascinating modern Queen Max. I love the sophisticated color scheme and the super chic wrap From across the pond… In 1909 the State of Arkansas introduced a bill limiting the length of hat pins to 9 inches, (they were thought to be deadly weapons!) Queen Max might have gotten close with these, but better a long pin than the hat blown away with the wind!!
That was a fascinating piece of information about the bill limiting the length of hat pins to 9 inches! I agree with everything Karen says:
March 5, 2015 at 9:46 pm.
Not a fan of the black and white dress with the beige accessories. If the dress had been solid black, I would like the beige with it. Love the hat; do not like the extra-long hatpins. Her cape was beautiful.
Love this look on Max. Striking!!!! She is such a classy lady.
How does one have the ends of the hat pin not show? Queen Elizabeth does not seem to have the pointy end poke outside the hat. I have inherited my step-mother’s hat pins and they work best with the pointy end thoroughly outside the hat, looking like Queen Maxima’s above. Does anyone have hat pin techniques to share?
I love this look for Maxima. I love her big hats. I feel strange about the bow on the brim, but at this point I am not sure that my ‘feeling’ is simply because I am not used to one there. It is a cute bow. It is brim sized. I need to sleep on the idea of a bow on the brim and on Top of the brim.
I think that little bow on the brim looks ridiculous. If it had been placed on the grosgrain ribbon at the back of the crown, she could perhaps have hid the ends of her hatpins in it
I have decided that on my version of that hat, I would like the bow on the hat band to be 3 times bigger than the bow on the brim. A mommy bow and baby bow. ; )
Presumably hat pins have little stoppers for the ends so the sharp bit is hidden inside a metal cover. I have a hat-pin-like pin for a wrap and the little stopper appears to be filled with rubber or somesuch. The pin sticks into it as the stopper slides on.
I agree with what sandra says: March 7, 2015 at 4:43 am. My mother and aunt got hat pins that you push through and then place the stoppers over the pointy ends.
Although it is an unexpected color combination, the hat and the whole outfit both look absolutely spectacular. Excellent choice! (Those hat pins do look a little dangerous, though!)
Queen Maxima looks wonderful! A very winning combination. The camel accessories work very well with the black and white dress. She wears these large hats so well!
I agree that Maxima’s dynamic personality is her best accessory. I wonder if the overkill hat pins are a result of her losing her hat a couple of times to gusts of wind. Better safe than sorry? Whatever the reason, she looks fantastic as always.
The whole ensemble is fabulous. This is one her most regal daytime looks ever, IMO. Even the strange hat pin placement does not detract from her overall polished look.
I love this whole outfit. The only three tiny issues I have is the bows on the brim of the hat, which means oddly misplaced, the hat pins, and the gathering/sagginess of the gloves. Otherwise, it looks great, and I LOVE the camel wrap she’s wearing.
I love everything about this outfit except the hat pins. 🙂 I especially love the shape of the hat and the beige accessories paired with the black and white dress. It makes me want to find a black and white dress for my beige shoes!
I love the hat choice too, and it would go well with almost any color she wore. I do agree about the knitting needle hat pins though. Yikes! I have never seen them sticking out like that before. She looks lovely and vibrant as always, even with those huge hat pins. Nothing can detract from her exuberance and joie de vivre. Her personality is her best accessory, but this hat is a nice runner up. Not many women can wear such a large hat, but she pulls it off effortlessly. I love love love these hats.