Monthly Archives: January 2016

Inventory: Duchess of Cambridge’s Blue Hats

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The Duchess of Cambridge celebrated her 34th birthday on Saturday. Some of you noticed the lack of specific birthday post marking this- this year, instead of birthday posts, I want to continue building the millinery wardrobe inventories we started last fall. This month, we’re going to focus on all things blue.

Blue is a colour that I easily associate with Kate’s wardrobe and when it comes to hats, we have seen the Duchess in numerous different designs. Here they are in the order they were introduced:

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Designer: Jane Corbett; Rachel Trevor Morgan; Jane Taylor
First Appeared: June 10, 2011; June 25, 2011; April 13, 2014

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Designer: Hatmaker by Jonathan Howard; Jane Taylor; Lock and Co.
First appeared: April 25, 2014; June 14; 2014; June 16, 2014 

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Designer:  Jane Taylor; Lock and Co.;  
First appeared: March 13, 2015; March 26, 2015 (initially at a private event)

Update: Since this post was published, Kate has added several more blue hats to her wardrobe: 

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Designer: All are Silvia Fletcher for Lock and Co.
First appeared: September 4, 2016; March 10, 2017;  Dec 14, 2017

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Designer: Juliette Botterill; Sean Barrett; Juliette Botterill
First appeared:June 9, 2018; July 10, 2018; Sep 22, 2018

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Designer: Jane Taylor; Rosie Olivia; Philip Treacy (Flowers by Anfisa Korelova)
First appeared: Jan 6, 2019; Apr 25, 2019; June 18, 2019

In addition, Kate has one more navy blue design that has yet to be worn publicly- a Rachel Trevor Morgan designed button-base percher with silk rose and net tulle trim worn to the wedding of friends in April 2012. And finally, before her royal life, Kate appeared publicly at a 2009 society wedding in a pale straw blue Jane Corbett designed saucer with silk floral trim. She has not worn this hat since becoming a Duchess, making many suspect it is no longer part of her hat wardrobe (a guess strengthened by this photo of her mother wearing the piece in 2010)

Duchess of Cambridge, Apr 19, 2012 in Rachel Trevor Morgan | Royal Hats  Embed from Getty Images

What do you think of Kate’s blue hats?

Photos from Bauer Griffin; WPA Pool, Max Mumby/Indigo, Max Mumby/Indigo and Max Mumby/Indigo via Getty

Zara Phillips At Aussie Races

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While I included links to some of the hats Zara Phillips Tindall sported last week while attending the Magic Millions races on the Gold Coast, they are so interesting I think that they are worthy of their own post. Thanks to reader FabulousBubbles who linked to design information via Rosemary Pantling who styled Zara for the event.

The first hat Zara wore is this straw cocktail hat in a raised teardrop shape. Clearly designed to compliment her striped dress, the hat is rimmed in black and trimmed with a pouf of coloured silk bow loops. While I think I would prefer the  base in a warmer tone of natural straw, it’s a very fun hat not for the faint of heart.

Zara Phillips Tindall, January 7, 2016 in Neil Grigg | Royal Hats

Designer: Neil Grigg. The dress is Roksanda Ilincic
Stylist: Rosemary Pantling
Previously Worn: This hat is new

The second hat Zara wire was this beret-based cocktail hat in navy straw. This hat is all about the trim and the placement of navy and coffee coloured feathers gives such a grand sense of movement to what is a fairly small hat. This movement is echoed in the pattern of Zara’s dress and the two pieces go wonderfully together.

Zara Phillips Tindall, January 8, 2016 in Suzy O'Rourke Millinery | Royal Hats  Zara Phillips Tindall, January 8, 2016 in Suzy O'Rourke Millinery | Royal Hats

Designer: Suzy O’Rourke. Dress by Lisa Ho.
Stylist: Rosemary Pantling
Previously Worn: This hat is new

Finally, Zara topped her fantastic black blue and gold abstract paisley dress with a wonderful blue percher hat in roughly woven straw. I adore the braided detail around the edge of the piece and the way the dress and hat are linked through the textural quality of both. The shape on this piece is certainly a modern one but it’s really wonderful on Zara and I think she wears it beautifully.

Designer: Danica Erard. Dress by Ellery.
Stylist: Rosemary Pantling
Previously Worn: This hat is new
We have long considered Zara to be one of our bravest royal hat wearers, dearest readers, and I think the trio of hats she stepped out in last week confirm this. What are your thoughts?
Photos from Map and Page; Media-Mode; and Getty as indicated

British Royals Honour Gallipoli Centenary

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Members of the British Royal family attended Sunday morning service at the Church of Mary Magdalene in Norfolk yesterday morning where the 100th anniversary of the end of the doomed First World War Gallipoli campaign was remembered. Queen Elizabeth used this occasion to début her first new hat of 2008, one of Angela Kelly’s split crown designs in winter white felt with purple trim to coordinate with her coat and dress.

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Designer: Angela Kelly
Previously Worn: This hat is new

Some of you may remember an earlier hat made to match this ensemble- the stylized bowler with high crown and short, upturned brim pictured below. The lavender twisted bow and tweed sash around the base of the crown on on the old hat have been relocated to the new hat and an open collar was added to Her Majesty’s coat. I always felt the proportions on the bowler hat were a little off and I think that the renovated hat and coat lend improvement to the original ensemble.

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Designer: Angela Kelly
Previously Worn: April 20, 2013; December 13, 2012; September 1, 2012; December 25, 2011 
The Duchess of Cambridge attended, curiously, in the same suit and hat she wore to church two weeks ago. While I don’t think Kate needs a new ensemble for each outing, I like to see more than a fortnight pass before an outfit or hat is repeated. That being said, the ensemble is exactly the kind of thing I imagine a royal to wear during a weekend in the country and Kate is nothing if not predictable. It is nice to see her anchor one of her go-to cocktail hats with an updo for a change (a considerable improvement over this hat’s last outing).
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Designer: Sylvia Fletcher of Lock & Co. It is the “Fairy Tale” style.
Previously Worn: December 27, 2015; March 29, 2014; November 11, 2013; Sept. 23, 2013; March 17, 2013; March 8, 2012

The royal party was joined by Kate’s family (likely visiting for Kate’s birthday this weekend). Her mother Carole wore a jewel toned pillbox while her sister Pippa wore the same brown fur papakha hat that Kate wore back in 2006 (bottom right), before she and William were married.

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While none of today’s hats were terribly exciting, I’m curious about your thoughts on the Queen’s updated piece. Do you prefer the new hat or the original?

Photos from Getty as indicated

This Week’s Extras

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Royal Hats

Queen Sonja visited Svalbard on Thursday to meet those impacted by the December avalanche. Her snowflake printed faux fur cap was a great hat on her for this visit (Royal House of Norway)

Queen Sonja, January 7, 2016 | Royal Hats

Zara Philips in three striking hats at the Magic Millions races in Australia this week (Daily Mail)

Adorable photo of Princess Josephine and Prince Vincent released for their fifth birthdays (Danish Monarchy)

British milliner Rachel Trevor Morgan has designed a limited edition brooch in support of brain tumour research. At just £10.00, it’s a fun royal hat related purchase. (Rachel Trevor Morgan Millinery)

Royal Hats

 Don’t miss the annual video review of the Swedish Royal’s past year (SVT)

Norwegian Television has released a seven part documentary on the occasion of the King and Queen’s silver jubilee. While in Norwegian, there is great historical footage to be seen. (NRK)

A certain young prince started school this week. While he arrived without a hat, his wee royal rucksack was all kinds of adorable (Kensington Palace)

Queen Máxima Awards Horticulture Prize

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Queen Máxima of the Netherlands was at the Keukenhof Flower Show in Lisse yesterday to  present the 2016 Tuinbouw Ondernemersprijs horticulture award. For this event, she repeated her  large black felt Garbo hat (a hat many of you will recognize as one of your ten finalists for favourite new royal hat of 2015).

Queen Máxima, January 6, 2016 in Fabienne Delvigne | Royal Hats

Photos yesterday show the grandly sloped brim of this piece and this shape, combined with the large scale, gives this hat such drama. Máxima certainly wears it well.

Queen Máxima, January 6, 2016 in Fabienne Delvigne | Royal Hats Queen Máxima, January 6, 2016 in Fabienne Delvigne | Royal Hats Queen Máxima, January 6, 2016 in Fabienne Delvigne | Royal Hats

I can’t help cheekily wondering if this hat’s outing today was a subtle ploy for additional votes in our best new hat of 2015 contest. I love to think that this queen, whose bold millinery style keeps us on our toes and is one of our favourites to watch, is having such fun with us.

Photos from Patrick van Katwijk/dpa/Corbis, Patrick van Katwijk/dpa/Corbis, Patrick van Katwijk/dpa/Corbis and Patrick van Katwijk/dpa/Corbis