A look back to the now almost lost art of entirely handmade straw hats. Enjoy!
Monthly Archives: July 2015
Princess Eugenie at Goodwood Races
Princess Eugenie, who recently moved back to London, attended Ladies’ Day at the Glorious Goodwood races today in Chichester. She used the occasion to début a large asymmetrical hat. Described by the designer as a silver grey straw “large disk hat with waffle veil and pearl brooch,” the hat cast a much larger footprint than any other Eugenie has worn this year. It’ a great shape and scale for her and I appreciate how the bold shape is softened by the light colour and romantic trim. I’m just not sure the hat was showed to greatest effect with her simple white dress and grey jacket.
Designer: Nerida Fraiman SS826 design from the Spring Summer 2015 collection
Previously Worn: This hat is new
Previously Worn: This hat is new
What do you think about this pale grey straw hat?
Photos from Getty as indicated and Nerida Fraiman
Imperial Couple Visit Toyota Factory
After returning to Tokyo earlier this week, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko visited the Toyota factory in Toyota City. The purpose of the visit was to see steps in the production of the “Mirai”, Toyota’s car powered by hydrogen fuel. Empress Michiko repeated the hat she débuted early last month, thankfully providing us a much better view.
Made up of stacked white and grey flat disks, the bottom grey disk is covered in silver fishnet which lends a subtle sheen to the piece. The hat is trimmed with a flat white and grey bow behind which are tucked some silk leaves and flowers. From the closer view I have tried to provide below, the hat is much more adorned than many of the hats Michiko has worn in recent years.
Designer: unknown. Likely Akio Hirata
Previously Worn: June 3, 2015; May 26, 2015
While I love to see Michiko’s hat style expanding by even the tiniest of steps, I’m a little perplexed by the choice of this particular piece with her boldly patterned hound’s tooth check coat. The Empress has a number of hats with hound’s tooth check trims (see here, here, and here) and I would have expected her to pair this coat with one of those hats, which would have coordinated more directly.
Photo from Asahi Shimbun via Getty
Seeing Triple: Queen Elizabeth
When Queen Elizabeth repeated a turquoise blue hat for her visit to East London nearly two weeks ago, a number of readers noticed the hat is not the only one in her millinery closet with this distinctive stepped crown shape. Rachel Trevor Morgan has created three hats for Her Majesty in this style, each trimmed with a cluster of handmade flowers – flowers that balance the higher, stepped side of the crown. While the brim shapes slightly differ between the three pieces, the three pieces are undoubtedly related.
A visit to Barking and Dagenham, July 15, 2015
Enjoying Ascot, June 18, 2011
What do you think about this trio of hats? Is there one that stands out to you most?
Photo from Getty as indicated and Pacific News via Zimbio
Imperial Royals visit Nagoya
On Sunday, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan visited the Akasaki Institute at Nagoya University. The Empress wore a new white saucer hat trimmed with a wide twist of the same slate blue silk crepe as her suit. The twist is a bolder trim than we usually see on Michiko’s hats and brought a sense of whimsy to the piece.
Designer: likely Akio Hirata
Previously Worn: this hat is new
Yesterday, Their Imperial Majesties attended the opening of the XIX INQUA Congress, held this year in Nagoya. For this event, Empress Michiko repeated her black hat with bronze bow. She does not wear many metallic hats and this one, which coordinates well with her suit, is a nice departure from her go-to grey.
Designer: likely Akio Hirata
Previously Worn: June 17, 2015
I’m always happy to see the Empress take even tiny step of experimentation with her millinery and these two pieces are slightly different than what we usually see her wear. What are you thoughts on these two hats?
Royal Hats 