Monthly Archives: December 2015

Coundown To The Best New Royal Hat of 2015

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As we narrow down to our favourite new royal hats of 2015, here are links to all of the semifinal polls currently open:

Belgium
British Royals Part 1
British Royals Part 2
Denmark
Japan Part 1
Japan Part 2
Luxembourg and Norway
Monaco, Greece, Dubai and Qatar
The Netherlands
Sweden

Voting on all polls is now open and will remain so until January 1, 2016 at midnight GMT. You can vote for multiple hats in each poll up to four times per day. The ten hats with the most votes will move forward to the final! Happy voting.

While Japanese royals saw no less than 65 new hats this year, their characteristically demure pillboxes and bowlers play to a different aesthetic than other Western Royals and it feels unfair to make comparisons. As such, I have not included them in this countdown. We will certainly include several Imperial royals in upcoming conversations about our favourite individual royal millinery style. 

Best New Royal Hat of 2015: Great Britain Part 2

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The final poll in our semifinal countdown of the best new royal hats of 2015 looks at millinery from the British royals. To streamline the poll, I have omitted a number of less memorable hats (links are provided below).Click on any of the photos to jump back to original posts to see additional description and detail of the hats.

The hats with the most votes across this semifinal will move forward to a final poll that will decide this year’s winner. If you don’t think any of these hats are worthy of the title of Best of 2015, jump back to vote again for hats from Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, The Netherlands, Luxembourg and Norway, the other British Royals or Monaco, Greece, Dubai and Qatar).

The Countess of Wessex (not including this black embellished pillbox, this and this embellished black cocktail hat, and the grey cocktail hat worn for Christmas)

1.Countess of Wessex in Jane Taylor, June 16, 2015 | Royal Hats  2.Countess of Wessex, June 16, 2015 in Jane Taylor and Emilia Wickstead| Royal Hats  3.Countess of Wessex, November 8, 2015 in Jane Taylor Royal Hats

The Duchess of Cambridge (not including these saucer hats in white straw and black veiled felt)

4.Duchess of Cambridge, March 9, 2015 in Jane Taylor | Royal Hats  5.Duchess of Cambridge, July 5, 2015 in Jane Taylor | Royal Hats  6.Duchess of Cambridge, December 25, 2015 in Lock & Co. | Royal Hats

Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie (not including this pair of cocktail hats, this black saucer, Beatrice’s beaded headband, the black velvet pillbox worn at Christmas and this large grey embellished saucer)

7.Princess Beatrice, June 18, 2015 in Laura Apsit Livens | Royal Hats  8.Princess Eugenie in Juliette Botterill, June 13, 2015 | Royal Hats  9.Princess Eugenie, June 18, 2015 in Nerida Fraiman | Royal Hats

Zara Phillips Tindall (not including cocktail hats in grey with yellow flowers, cream with white feathers and flower, brown with pheasant feathers, red felt with feathers and blue straw; this magenta laser cut disc hat and this black lace headpiece)

10.Zara Phillips Tindall, March 10, 2015 in Rosie Oliva | Royal Hats  11.Zara Phillips Tindall, March 11, 2015 in Rosie Olivia | Royal Hats  12.Zara Phillips Tindall, March 12, 2015 in Jane Taylor | Royal Hats 13.Zara Phillips Tindall, June 19, 2015 in Rosie Olivia | Royal Hats

Autumn Phillips (not including these cocktail hats in chocolate, spring green and taupe felt with black flowers)

14.Autumn Phillips, April 5, 2015 in Emily London | Royal Hats  15.Autumn Phillips, June 16, 2015 in Gina Foster | Royal Hats

UPDATE: By request, here is the Duchess of Cambridge’s navy saucer hat as well.

16.Duchess of Cambridge, March 13, 2015 in Jane Taylor | Royal Hats

Do you think any of these hats deserve to be named best royal hat of the year? Cast your vote below. Voting will remain open until January 1, 2016 and you can vote for multiple hats up to four times per day.

British Royals Attend Church at Sandringham

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Members of the British Royal Family attended church this morning at the Church of St. Mary Magdalene near the Sandringham Estate, joining the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh who regularly attend when they are in residence. For this outing, the Queen repeated her cream and gold split crown hat with black and gold feather trim (see a better view here). The wonderful texture of this piece has made it a reader favourite and and judging by the number of times she has worn it, Queen Elizabeth clearly agrees.

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Designer: Angela Kelly. Coat designed by Karl Ludwig.
Previously Worn: March 9, 2015; September 6, 2014; May 6, 2014; March 12, 2014; March 20, 2013; October 31, 2012; July 19, 2012
The Duchess of Cambridge repeated her black felt beret cocktail hat trimmed with felt leaves and chrysanthemum blooms. While Kate has worn this hat with a number of different outfits, I think its pairing today with her burgundy checked suit and tall black boots was one of its more successful outings.
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Designer: Sylvia Fletcher of Lock & Co. It is the “Fairy Tale” style.
Previously Worn: March 29, 2014; November 11, 2013; Sept. 23, 2013; March 17, 2013; March 8, 2012

The Countess of Wessex has had another stellar year of hats and her choice today therefore, was a little surprising. She repeated her burgundy felt stovepipe hat with sharply indented crown and flying knotted side sash trim. The colour is wonderfully festive (and looks beautiful against her winter white Armani coat) but the shape feels dated and awkward. I do like to see hats worn multiple times but would prefer this particularly one move into retirement. Lady Louise, in contrast, looked lovely in her classic beret.

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Designer of Sophie’s hat: Philip Treacy
Previously Worn: December 15, 2014;  January 1, 2012; December 2009; March 15, 2006; December 25, 2006
Princess Anne repeated her red felt oversize beret trimmed in a navy-edged feather. It is a festive piece that belies its age (at least 27 years old) that Anne wears well.
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Designer: unknown. Perhaps John Boyd
Previously Worn: December 29, 2013; December 23, 1990; April 3, 1988

Princess Beatrice repeated the black velvet beaded bumper brimmed hat she wore on Christmas Day. We don’t usually see her repeat hats so close together but as this one is a beauty, it’s not surprising to see it on the young princess again.

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Designer: Juliette Botterill 
Previously Worn: December 25, 2013

The stand out hat for me today was cocktail hat worn by Zara Phillips Tindall. In red felt, the beret base of the hat was trimmed with an upright knotted sash and curling feathers. With her checked black and white coat, the hat provided wonderful contrast and punch of vibrant colour.

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Designer: The Cotswold Milliner (Bridget Robbins)
Previously Worn: I believe this hat is new
Which hat on today’s outing to church stood out most to you?
Photos from Getty as indicated

Best New Royal Hat of 2015: Great Britain Part 1

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We have come to our final royal house in our look at the best new royal hats of 2015. There were, however, so many British royal hats this year that we’ll narrow down our favourites in two royal polls. To streamline each one, I have omitted a number of less memorable hats (links are provided below).Click on any of the photos to jump back to original posts to see additional description and detail of the hats.

The hats with the most votes across this semifinal will move forward to a final poll. If you don’t think any of these hats are worthy of the title of Best of 2015, save your vote (or jump back to vote again for hats from Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, The Netherlands, Luxembourg and Norway as well as Monaco, Greece, Dubai and Qatar).

Queen Elizabeth (not including this blue and magenta hat, this blue tweed hat, this grey bowed hat, this black hat, this blue bucket hat, this white hat, this white hat, this turquoise pleated hat, this pale peach hat and the red hat with faux fur trim she wore yesterday)

1.Queen Elizabeth, June 16, 2015 in Angela Kelly | Royal Hats  2.Queen Elizabeth, June 17, 2015 in Angela Kelly | Royal Hats  3.Queen Elizabeth, June 19, 2015 in Rachel Trevor Morgan  4.Queen Elizabeth, June 25, 2015 in Angela Kelly | Royal Hats

5.Queen Elizabeth, June 26, 2015 in Angela Kelly  6.Queen Elizabeth, June 26, 2015 in Angela Kelly  7.Queen Elizabeth, October 20, 2015 in Rachel Trevor Morgan | Royal Hats  8.Queen Elizabeth, November 28, 2015 in Angela Kelly | Royal Hats

The Duchess of Cornwall (not including this mint green hat, this tweed fur hat and the black one worn yesterday)

9.Duchess of Cornwall, May 12, 2015 in Philip Treacy | Royal Hats  10.Duchess of Cornwall, July 5, 2015 in Philip Treacy | Royal Hats

Princess Alexandra of Kent

11.Princess Alexandra, April 19, 2015 | Royal Hats  12.Princess Alexandra, June 6, 2015 in Rachel Trevor Morgan | Royal Hats  13.Princess Alexandra, June 17, 2015 in Rachel Trevor Morgan | Royal Hats

UPDATE by request, I have added, The Duchess of Cornwall’s mint green hat with twists and Queen Elizabeth’s brown hat with cream bow.

14. Duchess of Cornwall, August 15, 2015 in Philip Treacy | Royal Hats  15.Queen Elizabeth, November 24, 2015 in Rachel Trevor Morgan | Royal Hats

Also omitted from this poll were hats worn by the Duchess of Gloucester, Princess Michael of Kent, Princess Anne (see here, here and here) and the Duchess of York. That leaves the thirteen hats seen above- do you think any of them deserve to be named best new royal hat of the year? Cast your vote below. Voting will remain open until January 1, 2016 and you can vote for multiple hats up to four times per day.

British Royals Celebrate Christmas

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As they do each year on Christmas Day, members of the British Royal Family attended church this morning at the Church of St. Mary Magdalene near the Sandringham Estate. Queen Elizabeth led her family in a new bright red hat and coat with grey and black mottled faux fur trim. The hat, with a flat crown covered in red fabric, features a matching faux fur brim.

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Designer: I suspect Angela Kelly
Previously Worn: This hat is new

Duchess of Cornwall topped her grey and black embellished coat with a black felt hat with flyaway raised brim. The hat is simply but effectively trimmed in a wide stripe of silk around the brim. Camilla’s hats are often lavishly embellished and this more streamlined piece is a nice contrast for her.

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Designer: Philip Treacy
Previously Worn: This hat is new

Duchess of Cambridge wore a new hat in hunter green felt. The perching saucer shape on this piece is supported by a large poinsettia-like flower at the back which that gives much texture and interest to the hat. The colour is lovely on Kate and the hat was showed off to great effect by her chignon.

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Designer: Looks like Lock & Co.
Previously Worn: This hat is new

Countess of Wessex looked wonderfully elegant in a grey tweed coat with matching hat. The cocktail hat, with a beret base, features a tall rim at the top of the hat. The small hat is given further visual punch with trimmings of a large twist of coordinating grey straw and a swath of black net tulle (see the hat in greater detail here). Dove grey is an unexpectedly lovely colour on Sophie and I thought she wore the piece well.

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Designer: Jane Taylor
Previously Worn: This hat is new

Lady Louise Windsor stepped out in a simple black tam trimmed with a small bow at the side. This piece seems to mark Louise’s entry into the realm of hat wearing which, excitingly, gives us royal hat fans one more hat wearer to watch.

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Designer: Jane Taylor
Previously Worn: This hat is new
Princess Anne repeated the feather trimmed cream straw hat we first saw her wear at Ascot earlier this year. This outing, she turned the feather encrusted, raised brim to the side (instead of at the front, as she wore last time) and this small change makes a vast improvement for this hat. It is still not my favourite piece although I thought Anne looked very well put together in her green tweed coat and chocolate accessories.
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Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: June 16, 2015

Princess Beatrice wore a new bespoke piece in black velvet.(see a better view here). The bumper brimmed hat is trimmed with beaded detail around the crown and a flat bow with beaded centre on the side of the brim. Placed at a jaunty angle on her head, the colour and scale of the hat made it a beautiful piece for the young princess.

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Designer: Juliette Botterill 
Previously Worn: This hat is new
Princess Eugenie repeated the dark teal straw cocktail hat with black crin swirling trim we saw her debut at Ascot this year. The hat’s beaded brooch trim at the top its base adds a festive touch that makes it a great choice for Christmas and I was happy to see it worn again today.
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Designer: Nerida Fraiman
Previously Worn: June 19, 2015
Lady Sarah Chatto wore a simple black straw hat with simple rolled brim. Sarah’s personal style tends toward the simple and streamlined and while not as memorable as other hats worn today, it fits well with Sarah’s aesthetic.
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And finally, Viscountess Linley wore a chic fedora while her daughter, Margarita, wore a relaxed Garbo hat. Both pieces were in fashionable navy blue. This brings the total number of hats seen today to eleven- which ones stood out most to you?
Photos from Getty as indicated