Monthly Archives: December 2016

Happy Holidays!

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To all of you, who make this little blog the loveliest of places to be, I wish you a very happy Christmas season and a wonderful New Year.

victorian-christmasr

I’m going to take a few days off the blog to enjoy the holidays. I’ll be back on January 4 with polls and a review of any events that are missed. In the meantime, please use the comments below to share greetings with each other and any royal hat related events. If you received a hat for Christmas, I certainly want to hear about it!

Artwork from Cambridge University Library Special Collection

British Royals Celebrate Christmas Part 2

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There were four more British royal hats spotted on Christmas Day for the family’s attendance at the Church of St. Mary Magdalene. Princess Beatrice wore a bowed headpiece in black and white Harris tweed, trimmed with a red velvet rose. It’s a smart headpiece and I liked its unexpected pairing with her army green wool coat.

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Designer: Juliette Botterill. It is the “Houndstooth Rose Bow Band” from AW 2016
Previously Worn: This headpiece is new

One of my favourite Christmas Day hats was the one worn by Princess Eugenie and described by the designer as a “red sloped beret in velvety felt, trimmed with a cluster of red felt leaves and shiny sculpted flowers”. I adore this hat- the long felt leaves give the small hat some movement and the flowers lend some festive sparkle. The colour was wonderful against Eugenie’s grey coat and her matching of lipstick to millinery is perfection. It’s such a great look for her.

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Designer: Sarah Cant. It is the “Ruby” design from AW 2016
Previously Worn: This hat is new

Princess Anne repeated her trilby in light green brushed felt. She usually favours dark hued millinery in the winter and this piece is a stylish shape and a very smart colour on her.

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Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: Nov 10, 2014;  March 16, 2012

Autumn Phillips topped her navy coat with a percher hat in the same hue. The large saucer shape of the navy felt piece is trimmed in a large curling bow which adds some lift and whimsy to the design and I really like how the colour contrasts with Autumn’s blonde hair. There is an ongoing debate here about how to wear long hair with hats- I think this one works beautifully for Autumn with her hair down.

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Designer: Rachel Black
Previously Worn: I believe this hat is new
We usually see more than seven hats on the British royals on Christmas Day- while this year had fewer hats than usual, there were some beauties. Which hats stood out to you most?
Photos from Getty as indicated

British Royals Celebrate Christmas 2016

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Members of the British Royal family spent Christmas together this year at Sandringham, the country retreat privately owned by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh in Norfolk. While the day included attending Christmas morning service at the Parish church of St. Mary Magdalene, Queen Elizabeth was not present because of a cold. The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall stepped in to lead their relations at this event – Camilla repeated her black black felt hat with flyaway raised brim edged in a wide band of grosgrain ribbon. The shape of this design is spectacular on her and its pairing with her blue coat made for a very smart ensemble.

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Designer: Philip Treacy
Previously Worn: Nov 13, 2016; Dec 25, 2015
The Countess of Wessex used this occasion to debut a new hat. With a black felt percher base, the cocktail design features a tall lacy brim (almost like a slice brim) in laser cut felt trimmed in distressed crinoline and feathers. The effect, in combination with Sophie’s stunning red and black Azzedine Alaïa dress, is obviously meant to be a high fashion one… and while I applaud her sartorial bravery, the hat its own is a messy bird’s nest.

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Designer: Jane Taylor
Previously Worn: This hat is new
Lady Louise Windsor wore a headpiece of black feathers, lace roses and net tulle. It’s not often that we have the joy of watching a new royal hat wearer blossom and these headpieces make a wonderful transition into the world of hat wearing for young Louise.
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Designer: Jane Taylor
Previously Worn: This headpiece is new
I’m not sure we could have found three more contrasting hats/headpieces if we had tried! What do you think of these three designs worn for Christmas?
Photos from Getty as indicated 

 

Hats From the Past

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Royal Hats to 72 years ago today and a young princess performing in a pantomime at Windsor Castle with her younger sister.

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Photos from Getty as indicated

Japanese Royals Celebrate Disabled Children & The UN

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Last Wednesday, Prince Masahito and Princess Hanako of Hitachi attended the Japanese Society for Disabled Children’s 35th annual Art Exhibition. Princess Hanako wore a smart ivory hat with Pork Pie crown and mushroom brim trimmed with a taupe bow wrapped around the back of the design.

Princess Hanako, Dec 14, 2016 | Royal Hats

Princess Hanako, Dec 14, 2016 | Royal Hats

On Monday, Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako attend a symposium in Tokyo commemorating 60 years of Japan’s membership in the United Nations. Princess Masako topped her burgundy suit with a matching felt hat trimmed in a wide velvet hatband with bow at the back. The brim on this piece is slightly wider than we see on most of Masako’s other hats and both the elevated scale and saturated colour work beautifully on her.

Crown Princess Masako, Dec 19, 2016 | Royal Hats

Crown Princess Masako, Dec 19, 2016 | Royal Hats  Crown Princess Masako, Dec 19, 2016 | Royal Hats

Crown Princess Masako, Dec 19, 2016 | Royal Hats

While Imperial royal millinery style usually sticks to its own set of more conservative rules, these pieces both feel more modern and fashionable- what do you think of them?

Photos from Sankei and Kyodo News via Getty; and Sankei