During our recent look back at the wedding of the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall which took place 10 years ago, a number of hats seemed very ‘stuck’ in the millinery fashion trends of the day. While our comments now reflected widespread disfavour for these styles, I remember them being greatly admired for their stylishness back in 2005.
This makes me wonder, dear readers- do you prefer royal hats to be stylish in the moment or able to remain relevant over time? Are you drawn to royal hats that are trendy or timeless? And why? Let’s discuss.
The Countess of Wessex on the cutting edge of millinery fashion in April 2005;
Princess Alexandra and Lady Sarah Chatto in more classic styles
Photos from Getty as indicated
Royal Hats 
I don’t care so much if a hat is a “classic” shape/color, etc., or a “trendy” one, as much as how well it suits the wearer and contributes to a great overall look. For example, Zara Phillips often wears trendy hats, and I’d say I like about 60 percent of them and dislike the other 40. I happen to like the two classic examples the Hat Queen has provided above, put I don’t like Sophie Wessex’s hat at all, because I find the shape ugly. To paraphrase the Prince of Wales, it’s a monstrous carbuncle on the head of a beloved friend.
I’d like a mix of timeless and trendy. If our royals always wore “timeless” we’d all get bored. And if they went with “trendy” all the time we’d say they were fickle and spend too much 😀 But overall, if a hat looks fabulous on them and they have the confidence to wear it, go for it. As others have said, the event also has to be taken into account. Go all out for Ascot but be respectful for State Visits and funerals.
I think it’s sometimes quite difficult to tell what will later be seen as a classic hat. Thinking about the Queen’s hats, the 1970s and early 1980s hats look very dated (or on trend for the time) whereas some of those from the mid-1980s, which were on trend then too, might still be worn now and not look too out of place (witness the Queen’s hat for Charles’ wedding compared with that for Andrew’s wedding). Trends are also often easier to detect in retrospect; I imagine that the current phase of small berets and calot hats will be seen as old-fashioned in fifteen years’ time, but then again, maybe like the mid-’80s styles, they will have assumed a more timeless air by then and still work.
I appreciate very much that some of our royal hat-wearers are adventurous and try out hats that are of the moment; there aren’t many hats worn in daily life now, and so I’m grateful that the royals provide an opportunity for us to see a wide variety of hats worn. It would be boring if they always all stuck to the tried and tested. Having said that, I do agree that the question of appropriateness comes into play. In most circumstances, the royal person present is the focus of attention, and it is fine to wear something that attracts attention (or else on those massed occasions where there are so many royals present that the odd adventurous hat is neither here nor there). But on a few occasions, it may not be appropriate, usually where the significance of the event is focused on something else, not the royal person.
I watch royal hats for the fantasy. I also love seeing what new and different creative things milliners will design next. I don’t think anything is timeless and prefer to live in the moment.
I’m not able to see ANY photos from Getty at the moment. Has anyone any suggestions? V frustrating to see a new post appear but then only get big grey squares instead of pictures 😦
For the “average citizen,” I think you wear what you like. If you’re someone who will be photographed, like a member of a royal family, you have to take the occasion more into account, I suppose. Trendy works for day to day, but if you’re attending something where people will see the photos for years….go with classic.
I’ll echo the sentiments of other comments here:
I believe if a person can carry a hat off, then they carry it off; something that would be seen as “trendy” on many people may be more “timeless” on others, and I think Maxima is a great example of this.
The event/occasion also plays a part into choosing a hat; the races always call for more daring pieces, while funerals should remain more subdued (unless requested otherwise). I enjoy a mixture of more daring and classic pieces at weddings and garden parties/luncheons.
Because of the general lack of hats in my/our world today, even if the headpiece is quite peculiar, sometimes I just don’t care because I get to see a great and fantastic hat on someone. Also, (and I’ve learned this from a lot of experience working in a hat shop) I may have an opinion on what hat looks good on someone, but if that person isn’t comfortable wearing it or seeing themselves in it, then my opinion only goes so far. Besides, I’m certain I’ll upset many people when I say I usually think pillboxes are dated and not classic/timeless, but that’s because I personally like hats with a brim or cocktail hats. So in the end, we all bring our biases and preferences, and very rarely will everyone be satisfied.
So just get out there and wear a hat!
The event certainly is important, but one’s age is a major factor too. When one is young, one basically assumes that all things will be timeless and that all former trends are gone forever. It’s only after one’s lived through various (and repeated) trends that one realizes that what seems in today will seem so out later and that something else will be in.
Eventually most people switch from trendy to timeless because they get tired of constant updating. Many eventually settle on whatever former trend actually looks best on them. Fortunately, for most people only family photographs remain of former trendy disasters. For royalty, however, bizarre trends remain forever and keep popping up with embarrassing frequency.
But what is timeless versus trendy? I understand that Jackie Kennedy’s pill boxes were a bit of a different style or style retread when she started wearing them but now they’re classics. Similarly, hat styles which were classic like the 1940’s styles began dated looking and are now fresh and trendy again–I’m thinking of the black that Catherine wore at her first Remembrance Day and the plum one Christmas. So a classic hat can look dated in retrospect and a trendy hat may become classic. For me a hat should have good proportions to the outfit and wearer, be flattering, interesting or even clever, without looking like it is trying too, too hard.
I like a little of both. This makes me think about how Princess Diana was such an incredible style icon, and she really lived in the moment and followed (and created) trends. Yes, looking at pictures she looks very dated now, but in context, it was and remains such an incredible collection. I think it should be the same with hats. I love classic and timeless, but there is a place for the trendy. We would lose a lot of fashion’s fun and glamour without it.
It depends on the occasion for me. Timeless, certainly for a wedding. Princess Alexandra and Sarah Chatto are wearing things that both flatter them and will stand the test of time. Do you remember the hat the queen wore when Prince Charles was made Prince of Wales? Looked like a helmet and I don’t think she ever wore it again. I am not speaking to the cost of hats – which is high – but being able to wear them again. As for humorous, trendy and one-off hats, I recall the Duchess of York wearing a hat that looked like a pudding. It was not an official appearance and she was dressed warmly and casually. It was her little joke about being pregnant. I thought that was funny and charming.
A wedding is the time to go trendy. Same with the races and any average day royal event. I don’t care if you go timeless or trendy to a funeral. Just don’t go over the top. Keep it simple.
I want to see hats that look fabulous on the person wearing them! If the royal wearing them has fearless style (Queen Max, Sophie, Princess Bea etc.) I love to see trendy hats that take fashion risks. Besides, what we think of as timeless and elegant now is going to look dated in 20 years no matter what. Why be boring when you can be fabulous?
I agree that hats are best when they suit the person wearing them. Queen Maxima looks amazing in statement pieces because she has the height and personality to carry them off. Grand Duchess Maria Teresa looks great in smaller hats that give her some height. Queen Elizabeth looks best in hats with smaller brims that don’t overwhelm her and in bright colors that contrast with her hair and bring out her eyes. I like a mix of trendy and timeless pieces to give some variety. I also agree that serious royal occasions aren’t the time to make a big fashion statement.
I agree with the comments thus far, but also believe that the particular type of event and frankly the age of the wear play a part in my opinions about particular hats. I will admit to being old-fashioned, but I don’t like the more “creative” fascinators, headbands, etc. being worn to formal events. Official government functions, funerals, memorials, etc. call for, in my opinion, a more timeless (read: “sophisticated”) style. Having said that, I do enjoy seeing the more trendy items on younger ladies.
You raise a good point, Christina. For me, the event plays into this discussion. I like to see very different royal hats at Ascot than I want to see on Remembrance Day, for example.
I prefer timeless things which are always in style. Some trendy things are fun, but Sophie’s hat isn’t one of them. I would call that one, interesting… I think the royal ladies who we appreciate most fall under the category of timeless, and classic. I do love Sophie, but I don’t always love her hats. I think that the Duchess of Cambridge manages to marry timeless and trendy, and looks current, but not overdone. Many of her things could easily be worn again several years from now, and still look au courant.
All good points. I wonder how Queen Maxima fits into this? Her hat style was voted as the overwhelming readers’ favourite last year.
Good point HatQueen but Queen Maxima also wore some of our least favorite hats! I think taking fashion risks is okay at less formal occasions, where repeat photos of you in the hat are less likely to be re-posted by the press in 10 or 15 years time. The hat has to be right for the occasion, suit the wearer, work with the hairstyle, and work with the outfit, jewels and accessories, so it’s a lot to ask of any milliner! For a major occasion, like a Royal Wedding, that is going into the history books, I think leaning more to the side of timeless, as Lady Sarah has done on that occasion, is the way to go. While I admire the Countess of Wessex’s bravery with her hats and fashions, I don’t think the hat pictured was the right one for the occasion, as it was too cutting edge, and there was an awful lot going on, and though I liked her outfit, this very detailed hat just made the look too busy.
I like the so called timeless style. Actually that too changes a bit over time but not as drastically as the “a la mode”.
When something new is brought in and becomes really fashionable it gets worn by everyone, regardless of whether it fits or not. Then it is copied and distorted until it becomes really painful to watch. I think that is one reason why we find things outdated after a while.
I vote for timeless every time. We all remember (shudder) Princess Beatrice at William and Catherine’s wedding. I am looking at a photo of my daughter’s wedding fifteen years ago, and still like most of the hats.
I tend to favor timeless styles — but like many, I have spent decades looking and admiring many of the trends through the years —
While I have a great admiration for a timeless style (such as a beautiful picture hat complimenting the perfect outfit), I prefer royal hates to me more “a la mode,” as the French would say. I think an outfit, including a hat, needs to reflect somewhat the time in which it is worn and the fashions of the moment. I like looking at pictures and saying, that was Elizabeth’s classic phase, or Beatrix’s “cake” phase or Catherine Cambridge’s fascinator phase. I think the right hat, no matter how “fashionable”, can then become a classic. My two cents! Joanne
Goodness I actually like Countess of Wessex’s hat in that picture. I have not taken to it in the tighter close up pictures before.
Same with Lady Sarah…the Princess is always perfect.
Those hats are timeless.