Monthly Archives: November 2016

Dutch Royals Wrap Up New Zealand State Visit

Posted on by

King Willem Alexander and Queen Máxima concluded their tour of New Zealand yesterday with a day of engagements in Aukland. Queen Máxima repeated her over oversized navy picture hat for the occasion, pairing it with the same navy lace dress we saw it worn with at its debut earlier this year. This remains a wonderfully dramatic hat, elevated with some subtle detail – lovely folded edge detail around the brim and slim intersecting hat bands – that  Máxima wears well.

Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images
Designer: Fabienne Delvigne
Previously Worn: May 20, 2016
One of the day’s events saw the royal couple observe sailing students at Princess Warf and the seaside breeze prompted Queen Máxima to wrap up to stay warm. The hat does not show well with this wrap…do check out this gallery of photos detailing the rest of the day. This leaves me with two questions for you, dearest readers- what did you think of this hat on this last day of this great state visit? Of all the hats we saw Queen Máxima wear in Australia and New Zealand, which one was your favourite?
Photos from Getty as indicated

Queen And Duke of Edinburgh Open Research Facility

Posted on by

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh opened the Francis Crick Institute for biomedical research in London this morning. The Queen stood out in her vibrant turquoise wool hat with tall, hourglass shaped crown and black velvet rosette trim. It’s still not my favourite millinery shape for Her Majesty but I admire how well the hat and coat coordinate together how beautifully the luxe black velvet accents makes the ensemble ‘pop’.

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

Designer: Angela Kelly
Previously Worn: December 3, 2015; April 2, 2015; October 16, 2014
What do you think of this black and turquoise hat on Queen Elizabeth today?
Photos from Getty as indicated

Day 2 of State Visit to New Zealand

Posted on by

King Willem Alexander and Queen Máxima continued their state visit to New Zealand today with a stop in Christchurch. Queen Máxima topped a yellow coat and printed yellow and pink dress with a rounded, brimless hat in pale pink straw trimmed with a monochrome straw hat band around the bottom and flat bow.

Embed from Getty Images

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

In preparing this post, I have found this design difficult to describe. Technically, the hat is worn as a calot and while some might describe it as a pillbox, its tall, domed shape makes me think it wasn’t intended as a pillbox, either.

Embed from Getty Images

The shape of this hat seemed seemed unusual enough for me to dig back through my photo archives until I found these pictures, taken March 30, 2006 during a state visit to Argentina.

2006-03-30-argentina-3 2006-03-30-argentina-2 2006-03-30-argentina-1

Princess Máxima, March 30, 2006 in Fabienne Delvigne | Royal Hats

BINGO. Jump over to this photo for a back view of the original hat which will explain the origin of the folded bow we see worn at the front of the brimless hat today.

2006-03-30-argentina-4

Designer: Fabienne Delvigne
Previously Worn: with brim March 30, 2006
What do you all think of this very interesting hat renovation?
Photos from Getty as indicated; Juan Mabromata, Juan Mabromata, Juan Mabromata, Kai Schwoerer  and Juan Mabromata via Getty

Day 1 of Dutch State Visit to New Zealand

Posted on by

King Willem Alexander and Queen Máxima arrived in Wellington today to kick off a three day state visit to New Zealand. For their official welcome at Government House along with visits to Parliament, the National War Memorial, Park Road Post production studios and the Great War Exhibition, Queen Máxima wore a new upswept ‘slice’ brimmed hat in black straw.

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

I suppose it was inevitable that she would add a black version to the arsenal of this standard shape in her millinery wardrobe and this one, trimmed simply with a black grosgrain ribbon hat band, looks great. Its pairing with Máxima’s green ikat tribal printed dress is a beautiful one and I think, made for my favourite ensemble during this tour.

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
What do you think of this new hat in Wellingdon today?
Photos from Getty as indicated

This Week’s Extras

Posted on by

Royal Hats

Excellent coverage of the Prince Mikasa’s funeral over at The Imperial Family Of Japan blog along with detail and photos of related events (enshrinement of the spirit and grave rites after the funeral). 

Princess Mako in a smart grey flannel bumper hat on Friday to honour this year’s recipients of the Order of Culture and the Persons of Cultural Merit.

Tatiana Santo Domingo Casiraghi wore an elaborate black feathered headpiece for her brother’s Halloween wedding this week

Prince Louis and Princess Tessy of Luxembourg also shared a photo of their elaborate Halloween headwear. Yesterday, Princess Tessy snapped herself in a cozy winter hat.

Prince Henrik in a dapper fedora enjoying the Hubertus Hunt this weekend with his dachshund and grandchildren (Svenskdam)

The Swedish royal court shared a lovely new portrait of Prince Oscar in a knit cap (don’t miss this side by side comparison of a similar photo taken of his elder sister at about the same age).

 

News broke this week about a new relationship for Prince Harry. If you read one thing about American actress Meghan Markle, let it be this post on her blog, in her own words. Impressive.

And finally… the much anticipated Netflix series “The Crown” was released this weekend. If you’re able to overlooking some glaring historical inaccuracies (the addition of Wallis Simpson’s presence at the abdication of King Edward VIII, for example), the scale of production is impressive and the costumes are glorious. I’d love to hear what you think of it.