Dutch King and Queen Conclude American Visit

Posted on June 4, 2015 by Royal Hats

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima wrapped up their visits to Canada and the United States with a final day of events in Chicago yesterday. For the fifth hat worn on this visit, Máxima chose to repeat her pale gold ruched toque. The brimless hat was a great compliment to her high-necked jacket and fit well with the retro-vibe of her ensemble. Her hairstyle and drop pearl earrings also set the hat off very well.

Queen Máxima, June 3, 2015 in Fabienne Delvigne | Royal Hats

Designer: Fabienne Delvigne
Previously Worn: November 21, 2013; June 28, 2013; May 22, 2013

This North American visit has been an extremely successful one in terms of hats. Interestingly, Queen Máxima did not début any new pieces of millinery but instead, styled five of the six hatted appearances with different outfits than had been paired with the hats before. It’s a brilliant approach to royal hat wearing on such a high profile tour and further illustrates what a millinery maven the Dutch Queen is. What hat was your favourite on the North American visit?

Photos from Patrick van Katwijk, Patrick van Katwijk, Patrick van Katwijk, Patrick van Katwijk, Patrick van Katwijk and Albert Philip Van Der Werf via Corbis

Imperial Royals Host Philippine State Visit

Posted on June 3, 2015 by Royal Hats

The Japanese Imperial couple welcomed Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino on state visit to Japan today. For the official welcoming ceremony held at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Empress Michiko repeated the white and grey saucer hat she premièred just a week ago. In white silk to match the lapel as her suit, Michiko’s saucer hat was trimmed with silk flowers and a small grey under brim that peeked out beneath a flat bow around the front of the hat. Interestingly, when the Empress first wore her grey suit in mid-May, it was with a different piece of millinery (and she débuted this hat it was paired with a different suit!). With a wardrobe of numerous white and grey hats, it is no surprise to see a little mixing and matching from time to time.

Empress Michiko, June 3, 2015 | Royal Hats Designer: unknown. Likely Akio Hirata
Previously Worn: May 26, 2015

Photos from Sankei and Asahi

Dutch Monarchs Visit Michigan

Posted on June 3, 2015 by Royal Hats

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima were in Michigan yesterday to visit the largest Dutch-origin community in the USA. For this visit to the Grand Rapids area, Queen Máxima repeated the wheat gold straw hat with raised brim she wore last week in Canada. The outdoor photos taken yesterday show just how gossamer light the weave of the straw on the brim of this piece is, creating an almost halo effect around Máxima’s face.

Queen Máxima, June 2, 2015 in Fabienne Delvigne | Royal Hats

We have seen this hat worn with this orange tunic before. While the two shades are quite complimentary, in certain lighting the hue of the tunic casts an orangey tinge to the hat. For this reason, I prefer this hat with the white dress we saw it paired with last week.

Queen Máxima, June 2, 2015 in Fabienne Delvigne | Royal Hats

Queen Máxima has made several meaningful gestures through her fashion choices on this North American tour and the choice of orange for yesterday’s visit to this large Dutch origin community was no coincidence. What do you think of this hat paired with this ensemble?

Photos from Patrick van Katwijk, Patrick van Katwijk, Albert Van Der Werf, Patrick van Katwijk, Patrick van Katwijk and Patrick van Katwijk

British Royals Celebrate Women’s Institute Centenary

Posted on June 3, 2015 by Royal Hats

100 years of the British Women’s Institute was celebrated by a large garden party at Buckingham Palace yesterday, attended by four female members of the royal family and over 8000 members of the WI . The Duchess of Cornwall led the quartet of royal hosts in a large cream straw picture hat. This hat, which features an oblique crown and wide, gently upfolded brim, is trimmed with folded bands of wide navy and slimmer cream straw around the brim; a cream multi looped bow and large feather on the side of the hat finish it off. The classic navy and cream scheme give the hat crisp elegance that fit well with Camilla’s dress and tailored coat.

View image | gettyimages.com

Designer: Philip Treacy
Previously Worn: May 22, 2013; July 11, 2009; May 8, 2009; June 8, 2007; July 14, 2006; July 20, 2005; and June 28, 2005

Princess Alexandra repeated a natural straw hat with tall, rounded crown and flat brim. The hat, which has been in circulation since at least the mid 1990s, was trimmed with an array of colourful silk blooms around the base of the crown and a swath of widely woven cream net veil. The hat coordinated perfectly with Alexandra’s Chinoiserie silk jacket and while it borders becoming a 1990s cliché garden party hat, Princess Alexandra’s innate elegance forces me to simply smile at this hat and move on.

View image | gettyimages.com

Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: June 20, 2012; June 1995

The Countess of Wessex repeated her pale grey mushroom brimmed picture hat trimmed in swirling black feathers and cream curling organdie ribbon. We have seen Sophie in a plethora of beret-based cocktail hats of recent and I adore that she chose a picture hat for this event.

View image | gettyimages.com

Designer: Jane Taylor. Dress by Emilia Wickstead.
Previously Worn: May 17, 2014; August 9, 2013; June 4, 2013

The Duchess of Gloucester looked lovely in pale blue from head to toe. Her hat, a modern take on a cloche shape with squared crown and flared base, was all about shape and texture- texture gained through the use of this unusually woven straw. While there is a distinctly ‘overturned bucket’ vibe about this piece, I love to see mature royals experimenting with creative millinery shapes. With her streamlined blue coat, I think this ensemble is both interesting and very elegant (just different placement on that pair of brooches next time, please!)

View image | gettyimages.com