Young reader Jordan posed a question, “Help me understand what type of hat my favorite royal, H.R.H The Princess Margaret, is wearing in this photo? Maybe you could post it to your site. Your help would be appreciated.”
Princess Margaret, June 1970, Yugoslavia
Jordan- you ask a great question. I’m going to turn this on over to my wonderful readers to give classification to this hat which defies traditional hat type definition. Dearest readers- If you were to name this hat a type, what type would it be?
Photo from Reginald Davis/REX/Shutterstock
Royal Hats 
Wow! I am very happy to see the responses on this post. I, too, initially thought it was a pillbox hat until I looked a bit closer to find hair sticking out the back. Haha! I was left completely clueless on its type, but I definitely like “bandeau” – very vintabulous! 😀
Thanks for the help!
You’re most welcome! I knew my wonderful readers would come through for you!
Oh Jimbo….you put us garden variety commenters all to shame with your sleuthing….what a find, thank you!
MrFitzroy must agree with Bristol, the Duchess, and Anne S — at first glance this was absolutely a pillbox worn vertically at the back of the head a la Mette Marit….with perhaps an interesting little ruched ruffle at the base….pretty standard, nothing to see here……
EXCEPT when one looks a bit more closely, and then views the alternate angle shots…..Oh MY. And, it’s not just a little ruched ruffle at the base, it’s a full bore Alice in Wonderland bow! Curiouser and curiouser.
Our Margaret pulls the whole ensemble off with the level of aplomb that she found so effortless through the swinging part of the sixties….and makes MrFitzroy realize how closely PM and Elizabeth Taylor mirrored each others look during this little snippet of time period and style.
One can easily imagine Liz trying on this ensemble……and then thinking “No.”
Ba-dum-bum…..thank you you’ve been a great audience, MrFitzroy will be here all week….don’t forget to tip your footman!
Yes, I agree bandeau cache chignon is an apt description since it is more than a headband as it encircles the bun. It is pretty on Princess Margaret but I am not sure I would see it on any modern royal.
At first I wondered why there was debate about this, as it seemed like a fairly standard pillbox. That was before I noticed there was hair at the back… Interesting! At least it’s more substantial than so many of the token fascinators we see these days, more like a real hat.
My thoughts exactly, I had to expand the picture to see that hair. It looks like one of those bands child bridesmaids wear only instead of on top it’s on the back.
It looks like something Mette Marit would wear. I think it is pretty but very of its time.
Its very of its time white shoes and bag as well! The Queen never wears white shoes these days. PM appears to be channelling Great great Granny Queen Victoria wearing the sapphire coronet designed by Prince Albert. Its definitely a Headpiece and the french bun holder name is perfect. Bandeau – cache chignon, theres the category right there could it apply to the ‘umm thingys’ that Maxima and Mathilde wear?
Better yet, a short video: PM appears at :19. Enjoy.
View from the rear:
Embed from Getty Images
Blimey – it’s a bit jeune fille from the back!
Anything without a crown I tend to call a ‘headpiece’ – catchall term to cover all manner of things.
“Headpiece” is my catch all as well!
In French it would probably be called a bandeau – cache chignon, as it is worn off the head and around the bun.
Everything sounds better in French 😉
I think we have a winner- I like ‘bandeau’ because it is more substantial than just a headband (as this one truly is) and “Bandeau cache chignon” accurately describes how it wraps around Princess Margaret’s hairstyle. Well done!
Is it a pillbox? Or is it open making it more like an Alice band. Whatever it is it’s kind of fabulous, as is this picture. She may not have been a terribly nice person (if the latest hatchet job is anything to go by), but PM knew how to turn it on!
Your too right…..hideous but at the same fabULous
Indeed, only a true Royal would wear a double strand of pearls to present a tennis trophy!