Monthly Archives: May 2015

Imperial Couple Visit Ishikawa

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Last Saturday, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan kicked off a three day visit to Ishikawa Prefecture. For this first day, which saw them travel via express high speed train and visit a specialized school for children with disabilities in  Nonoichi City, the Empress wore an interesting new hat. On first glance, it might look like another one of her grey saucers but if you look closely, you’ll notice it is a double saucer with the bottom layer embroidered in a fishnet pattern of silver thread. The double saucer is a different take on the Empress’ go-to millinery shape and while the difference is subtle, it’s nice to see even a bit of play and experiment with her hats.

Empress Michiko, May 16, 2015 | Royal HatsEmpress Michiko, May 16, 2015 | Royal HatsEmpress Michiko, May 16, 2015 | Royal Hats

Designer: unknown. Likely a milliner at Akio Hirata
Previously Worn: I believe this hat is new

 

On Sunday  the Imperial couple attended a large Tree Planting Festival in Komatsu City and visited a manufacturer of traditional Kutani Pottery. For these events, Empress Michiko repeated a large white saucer hat trimmed with a slate blue bow in the same shade as her suit.

Empress Michiko, May 17, 2015 | Royal Hats Empress Michiko, May 16, 2015 | Royal Hats Empress Michiko, May 16, 2015 | Royal Hats

Designer: Likely Akio Hirata
Previously Worn: May 26, 2013

 

On Monday, the Emperor and Empress concluded their visit to the region with a stop at the newly restored Kanazawa Castle and its famous Kenroku-en garden. Empress Michiko repeated her navy and gold suit and matching navy saucer hat trimmed with flat, folded bow. While the ensemble does feel a bit ‘retro airline hostess’, the use of colour and gold trim is such a departure for the Empress (and such a welcome change from her go-to grey) that I’m not going to  complain.

Empress Michiko, May 17, 2015 | Royal Hats Empress Michiko, May 17, 2015 | Royal Hats

Designer: unknown. Likely a milliner at Akio Hirata
Previously Worn: April 9, 2015

Photos from Sankei, Sankei, Asahi, Sankei, Asahi and Getty as indicated

Dutch Monarchs Open New Tunnel

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King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands spent a busy day in the region of Zeeuws Vlaanderen today with visits to Terneuzen, Hulst, and Sluis before officially opening the Sluiskiltunnel. For this event, Queen Máxima wore a new picture hat in pale pink straw.

Queen Máxima, May 19, 2015 in Fabienne Delvigne | Royal Hats 

Trimmed simply with a wide ribbon and bow around the base of the crown, this hat was all about scale- scale gained from a large brim that gently curved upward on one side. It’s a lovely hat that unfortunately, did not wow as Máxima’s hats usually do. And why not? Colour issues. The peachy pink hue of this hat is so close to Maxima’s skin tone that the two begin to oddly blend together. While this could be balanced the right outfit, the clash between the pink hat and the golden yellow skirt and tunic (which, to be honest,is a disaster on its own) does nothing to help. Pink and yellow can be a beautifully fresh combination when done right but this is so very, very not right.

Queen Máxima, May 19, 2015 in Fabienne Delvigne | Royal Hats  Queen Máxima, May 19, 2015 in Fabienne Delvigne | Royal Hats

   Queen Máxima, May 19, 2015 in Fabienne Delvigne | Royal Hats

Queen Máxima, May 19, 2015 in Fabienne Delvigne | Royal Hats

Designer: Fabienne Delvigne
Previously Worn: This hat is new

It is not often that a royal picture hat doesn’t work for me but I’m afraid, this one is one of the few. Queen Maxima has a similar hat with a smaller brim in a slightly different shade of pink that I think is a better hat for her. What do you think?

Photos from Patrick van Katwijk, Patrick van Katwijk, Patrick van Katwijk, Patrick van Katwijk, Albert Nieboer, Patrick van Katwijk, and Albert Nieboer via Corbis

Marriage Bans Published For Swedish Royal Wedding

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Banns for the marriage of Prince Carl Philip of Sweden and Sofia Hellqvist were published yesterday during a service held in the Royal Chapel of the Royal Palace in Stockholm. As with previous publications, the Swedish Royal Family were in attendance and hosted a reception following the service.

For this occasion, Queen Silvia wore a new ivory calot hat trimmed with a several huge silk cabbage rose and twisted straw ribbons. The hat was entirely covered in pearl studded net veil (see a close-up here) that gave immense texture to the piece. Unfortunately, the impact of the elaborate trim was lost by precarious placement way off the side of the hat and dulled by its monochrome pairing with the Queen’s off-white bouclé suit.

Queen Silvia, May 17, 2015 in Philip Treacy | Royal Hats

Designer: Philip Treacy
Previously Worn: This hat is new

The bride-to-be, Sofia Hellqvist topped her eggshell and grey suit with a teeny tiny black cocktail hat (a hat that at first glance, I mistook for a large moth). It seems Sofia is taking baby steps when it comes to embracing millinery as this small cocktail hat, trimmed with large bow and a single feather, is marginally bigger than the fascinators we have seen her wear in the past. Thank goodness there will be much opportunity for millinery practice by this future princes, as the twee bow and too-small scale of this hat just missed the mark.

Sofia Hellqvist, May 17, 2015 in Malinda Damgaard | Royal Hats   Sofia Hellqvist, May 17, 2015 in Malinda Damgaard | Royal Hats

Designer: Malinda Damgaard. Dress and jacket by Max Mara
Previously Worn: This hat is new

Crown Princess Victoria also chose a much larger scale hat than she typically favours. In the same pale slate blue as her dress, Victoria’s percher cocktail hat was built on a fabric covered beret base.  Lavishly trimmed with the same twisted straw ribbons, an oversize silk flower and multiple silk bow loops that were on her mother’s calot, the vertical design of this hat gave it better balance and presence. Victoria seldom wears such embellished pieces and it was a nice change for her. Princess Estelle sported an adorable silk multi-looped hair bow.

Crown Princess Victoria, May 17, 2015 in Philip Treacy | Royal Hats

Designer: Philip Treacy It is a bespoke version of OC-865. Dress by Philippa K. 
Previously Worn: This hat is new

Princess Madeleine wore the most daring hat of the day. Built on a pale pink disk of straw, her cocktail hat featured large curled  and twisted ribbons of straw. The sculptural hat is considerably larger than what we have seen Madeleine wear in several years and against her caramel mane of curled hair, worked surprisingly well. Little Princess Leonore wore a petite pink hair bow.

Princess Madeleine, May 17, 2015 in Philip Treacy | Royal Hats

Designer: Philip Treacy OC-871
Previously Worn: This hat is new
It’s not often that we see most members of a royal family in hats by the same designer at a single event. This gave a unified look to most of the hats at this event and makes me curious, dear readers, which hat stood out most to you?

Swedish Royal Family, May 17, 2015 | Royal hats

Photos from Getty as indicated and Kungahuset.se

Norwegian Royals Celebrate National Day

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Members of the Norwegian royal family celebrated their national holiday yesterday with an annual appearance on the balcony of The Royal Palace in Oslo. While Crown Prince Haakon sported a traditional top hat, Crown Princess Mette-Marit stepped out in a small cocktail hat we have not seen her wear in a long while. Built on flat disc base, this navy piece is all about its trimmings- a large navy cabbage rose, multiple bow loops and a net tulle. This is a larger piece than Mette-Marit has worn recently- I welcome the larger scale and celebrate the beautiful detail but struggle with the placement. In the end, I’m afraid it looked like she was wearing one half of a pair of very fancy earmuffs.

Designer: I believe it is Philip Treacy
Previously Worn: December 10, 2006; June 6, 2006; 2006

Queen Sonja also used this occasion to début a winter white wool fedora simply trimmed with a slim, knotted band around the base of the crown. We don’t often see Sonja in fedoras and I think it’s a great shape for her. Great shape aside, there is something bland about this hat (the colour? the lack of embellishment? the pairing with this coat?) that makes it less classic and more boring for me.

Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: This hat is new

What did you think of these two new hats in Norway yesterday?

Photos from Getty as indicated

This Week’s Extras

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Royal Hats

Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg in a simple navy pillbox for the 70th Anniversary of the end of WWII last weekend (Cour Grand Ducal de Luxembourg)

On Tuesday, members of the British Royal Family attended a memorial for the late Duke of Wellington (Daily Mail)

Princess Anne held a reception to acknowledge some hard working teens (Bucks Press)

Princess Alexandra of Kent opened a retirement village in Hampshire (The British Monarchy)

Lovely coverage on Prince Sébastien of Luxembourg’s university graduation (Luxarazzi). You can also see a photo of Grand Duke Henri and Prince Sébastien here

Some young British royal cousins having great fun at the Windsor Horse Show (Daily Mail)

Infanta Elena in one of her chic fedoras for a book release in Lorca (Hola)

Royal Hats

Great interview with Prince Harry last weekend in New Zealand (Sky News). Early this week, he participated in a traditional Maori Haka at the Linton Military base (New Zealand Herald)