Monthly Archives: March 2015

Princess Nobuko Is Guest At Graduation

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Last Saturday, Princess Nobuko of Mikasa attended graduation ceremonies at Jikei Nursing School in Tokyo. For this event at the oldest nursing school in Japan, she made a rather bold millinery statement in a grey hat trimmed with large pink and grey silk cabbage roses and grey feathers all the way around the hat. It’s not particularly stylish and I’m not sure it’s very flattering but it is great fun, isn’t it?! This hat looks more suited to a tea party than an academic graduation but since it’s an Imperial hat with personality (something we do not see very often), it gets a thumbs up from me.

Princess Nobuko, March 14, 2015 | Royal Hats  Princess Nobuko, March 14, 2015 | Royal Hats

Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: unknown

Photo from Sankei

This Week’s Extras

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Royal Hats

The Norwegian Royal Family in patriotic hats to watch skiing finals (Svenskdam)

Pauline Decruet in a navy fedora in New York last weekend (Royalista)

Royal Hats

It’s official- Prince Harry’s military career will end in June (BBC)

Details about the upcoming Swedish Royal Wedding were released this week (Hello)

And finally… Ladbrokes held a corgi race to predict the name of the soon-to-arrive new royal baby. If you need a giggle today, this will provide one.

Seeing Decuple: The Duchess of Cornwall

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Royal Hats

Last week, the Duchess of Cornwall appeared at the Cheltenham Festival in a lovely taupe glen plaid version of the “Frost” hat by Lock and Co. Hatters. Previously known as the “Natalia” style, the maker of this hat describes it as ” a ruched crown showerproof tweed hat with faux-fur cuff”.

Embed from Getty Images     Lock and Co. Frost

Duchess of Cornwall at the Cheltenham Festival, March 11, 2015 and the “Frost” design by Lock and Co.

The Duchess of Cornwall is a great fan of this design. Amazingly, I believe this is the tenth version of this style we have seen her wear since 2008.

Embed from Getty Images  Embed from Getty Images

2. On a  January 27, 2012 visit to Portsmouth (in the same hat she wore this week in the USA )
and 3. a March 21, 2010 trip to Prague

Embed from Getty Images Duchess of Cornwall, February 17, 2012 in Lock & Co. | Royal Hats

4. November 2008 visit to Wiltshire and 5. At the Sandown Racecourse, February 17, 2012

Embed from Getty Images  Duchess of Cornwall, February 26, 2013 in Lock & Co. | Royal Hats

6. At the Cheltenham Festival on March 14, 2012 and 7. On a February 26, 2013 visit to Devon

  Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images

8. At the Cheltenham Festival  March 12, 2014  and 9.March 25, 2012 while on state visit to Denmark

Embed from Getty Images

10. Christmas Day, 2017

I think the key for this incredible number of hat repeats is the word showerproof. This is clearly a working hat that I suspect, is used in lieu of an umbrella on drizzly days and ‘works’ as much in Camilla’s private life as it does her royal life (did you see #7 on the CNN interview last weekend?). This makes it a tough hat to critique. For country walks on rainy days, I think this hat is perfect. But for royal engagements? The ruched crown in this design can easily look slouchy and sloppy. Even the versions with more structure (like #2, which Camilla wore this week) seem overly informal for a royal hat.

Informality aside, this hat has obviously become a staple in Camilla’s millinery wardrobe and shows her practical approach to fashion. The basics of a royal hat wardrobe include numerous pieces which cover multiple shades of the black/grey/taupe/brown spectrum and it seems that Camilla found this style, liked it, and ordered nine more of the same. It’s not a terribly creative or style-concious approach to filling the contents of one’s millinery closet but it gets the job done.

What do you think of the Duchess of Cornwall’s much loved slouchy faux fur hat? Which version do you like best?

Photos from Getty as indicated; Lock and Co. Hatters; Bauer Griffin, Flynet Pictures and Bauer Griffin via Zimbio

Dutch Monarchs in Hamburg

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King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima concluded their visit to Germany with a stop in Hamburg today. For their visits to Hamburg Town Hall and famous Fish Market, Queen Máxima wore a new red dress and matching pleated hat. While the hat follows the shape of a traditional turban, Máxima wore it off-centred on the back on her head, treating it as an oversize calot hat. Since this is the fifth red hat in this style that can be found in her millinery closet, we can only guess that it must be one that Máxima likes very much.

Queen Máxima, March 20, 2015 in Fabienne Delvigne | Royal Hats  Queen Máxima, March 20, 2015 in Fabienne Delvigne | Royal Hats

Queen Máxima, March 20, 2015 in Fabienne Delvigne | Royal Hats  Queen Máxima, March 20, 2015 in Fabienne Delvigne | Royal Hats

Designer: Fabienne Delvigne
Previously Worn: This is a new hat

Photos from Getty as indicated and Christian Charisius, Patrick van Katwijk, Daniel Bockwoldt, and Patrick van Katwijk via Corbis. 

Queen Elizabeth Visits Naval Ship

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Queen Elizabeth paid a visit to the HMS Ocean, the Royal Navy’s sole amphibious assault ship and landing platform helicopter. For today’s engagement, she repeated her orchid purple hat and matching coat. Made of silk crepe, this hat with tall, domed crown and downward facing brim is trimmed with two fuchsia arrow feathers. While I still have qualms about the proportion of this hat, its vibrant colour made the Queen to stand out against the grey ship and navy uniformed sailors. This hat seems to be growing on me – is your affection increasing for it as well?

Embed from Getty Images

Designer: Rachel Trevor Morgan
Previously Worn: December 25, 2014

Photos from Getty as indicated