Monthly Archives: May 2016

This Week’s Extras

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Royal Hats

Princess Ubol Ratana of Thailand (below left) photographed at the Cannes Film Festival last weekend in an interesting gold spray headpiece while Infanta Elena (below right) was spotted in another fedora at another bullfight (Bekia)

Princess Ubol Ratana, May 14, 2016 | Royal Hats  Infanta Elena, May 15, 2016 | Royal Hats

Princess Marie repeated her very pretty black fascinator at the funeral of a friend (Billed Bladet)

The Swedish King in his trusty fedora for a meeting of the World Wildlife Foundation (Swedish Monarchy)

The little Phillips girls having great fun in their straw hats at the Windsor Horse Fair last weekend (Daily Mail)

Another great video from Fabienne Delvigne showing a behind-the-scenes look at Queen Mathilde’s two new hats

Royal Hats

Princess Haya released a lovely portrait with her children, Sheikha Al Jalila and Sheikh Zayed (Svenskdam)

Queen Elizabeth and the Duchess of Cornwall were in their glittering finery for Wednesday’s opening of Parliament

Photos from Guillaume Collet/SIPA via Newscom; Bekia; and Getty as indicated

 

Dutch Queen Christens Cruise Ship

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HMS Koningsdam, the newest and largest ship in Holland America’s cruise fleet, was officially christened today in Rotterdam by Queen Máxima, who used the occasion to début a new hat.

Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images 

In navy blue straw (a nice nod to the Dutch company’s corporate colour, seen on their ship’s hulls), the large picture hat featured a rounded crown and wide brim that folded down around the perimeter. Simply trimmed with two intersecting hat bands wrapped around the base of the crown, this hat is all about scale and shape. With Máxima’s navy lace dress and nude accessories, it topped a lovely ensemble.

Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images 

Designer: Fabienne Delvigne
Previously Worn: This hat is new
With this beautiful new design, Queen Máxima now has five pieces on the blue shelf in her millinery closet. I think this addition is a great one for her wardrobe- what do you think?
Photos from Getty as indicated

British Royals Attend Palace Garden Party

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Queen Elizabeth hosted her second garden party of this summer season yesterday in the grounds of Buckingham Palace. For this event, she was vibrantly attired in her mauve square crowned, rolled brim hat with wide mint green hat band and brim edging. While I have always wanted to like the fuschia, pink and green feathered blooms adorning this piece, it just reads too costumey for me to embrace.

Designer: Angela Kelly
Previously Worn: June 30, 2015; June 12, 2014; June 19, 2013

The Duke of Edinburgh was his dapper self in an antique silk top hat, shown off to full effect with a dotted tie.

The Duchess of Cornwall topped her neutral coat dress with her cream straw hat with up-swept brim. The gentle curve in this design is shown off so well with this delicate windowpane straw and while it’s huge in scale, Camilla pulls it off. I think, however, I prefer this hat paired with a more colourful ensemble.

Designer: Philip Treacy
Previously Worn: June 13, 2015;  June 19, 2013; June 14, 2011; April 29, 2011; June 16, 2009

Princess Anne repeated the ecru straw hat she first wore to Ascot last year. With a double crown wrap in chocolate straw and ruched duponi silk, a chocolate straw underbrim and a mass of feathers at the side, there is a lot happening visually with this piece. I think, however, the muted colour palate and pairing with Anne’s simple ecru bouclé suit balances the hat and maybe even makes it work.

Princess Anne, May 20, 2016 | Royal Hats

Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: June 19, 2015; November 19, 2007; June 2006

The Duke of Kent wore a grey felt top hat while his sister, Princess Alexandra, surprised in a new design. In white straw, the picture hat features a wide, flat brim and domed crown with straight sides. Trimmed with Alexandra’s signature swath of tulle net, the hat is also decorated with what looks to be a striped green and white bloom on the side.

Duke of Kent, May 20, 2016 | Royal Hats

Princess Alexandra, May 20, 2016 | Royal Hats

Designer: likely Rachel Trevor Morgan
Previously Worn: I believe this hat is new

What hats stood out to you most at this event?

Photos from Getty as indicated and The British Monarchy

Day 2 of Jordanian State Visit to Belgium

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The Jordanian state visit to Belgium continued today with a tour of Brugge which included stops at a chocolate shop, a secondary school and the Town Hall.

Embed from Getty Images

Queen Mathilde chose another new hat for these events, a pale pink calot trimmed in rows of coordinating lace trim and a mass of bows on the side. The lace stripes are my favourite part of the hat as they add lovely dimension and movement to the piece while visually separating it Mathilde’s dress- it’s a great visual trick that makes these two pieces, which are the same colour, not look overly matched.

Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images
Designer: Fabienne Delvigne
Previously Worn: This hat is new
Head-to-toe ensembles in the same colour can be tricky but this combination of dress and hat make it look effortless and Mathilde looks really pretty and elegant in it. What do you think of this new calot hat?
Embed from Getty Images
Photos from Getty as indicated 

Dutch Queen Launches Youth Initiative

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Queen Máxima was in Utrecht today to kick off a nationwide activity week for young people entitled “Getting Opportunities, Grabbing Opportunities”. For this event, she repeated her oversize burgundy picture hat with straight sided crown and large mushroom-shaped brim. The the colour and scale of this hat will always make Máxima stand out (which makes me love the hat) but I was less enthused about the styling of the overall ensemble.

Queen Máxima, May 19, 2016 in Fabienne Delvigne | Royal Hats  Queen Máxima, May 19, 2016 in Fabienne Delvigne | Royal Hats

Queen Máxima, May 19, 2016 in Fabienne Delvigne | Royal Hats  Queen Máxima, May 19, 2016 in Fabienne Delvigne | Royal Hats

Queen Máxima, May 19, 2016 in Fabienne Delvigne | Royal Hats  Queen Máxima, May 19, 2016 in Fabienne Delvigne | Royal Hats

Designer: Fabienne Delvigne
Previously Worn: June 19, 2015; June 24, 2014; May 24, 2014

I’m not sure that orange accessories work for this ensemble… even when worn by the Queen of the House of Orange! Most of us adore Queen Máxima’s ‘more is more’ approach to fashion but sometimes, I wonder if ‘less might be a little more’ in the end. Thoughts?

Photos from Albert Philip van der Werf via PPE