to October 16, 1986 and an official state visit to China when Queen Elizabeth wore this aqua straw veiled pillbox with large back bow to view the infamous Terracotta Army. It’s a whimsical hat that takes an almost cartoonish turn paired with Her Majesty’s gingham trimmed suit- a memorable ensemble I’m surprised not to remember seeing before. Do any of you recall this hat?
Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images
Please use the comments to also share any hats or royal hat news from today.
Photo from Getty as indicated
Royal Hats 
Caption this: November, 2008
“OMG, is this guy never going to stop talking?!?”
The Danish opening of Parliament
http://3.t.cdn.belga.be/belgaimage:127976217:1800×650:w?v=59cd0cae&m=jgnflcpa
http://kongehuset.dk/sites/default/files/styles/slideshow/public/20171003-124441-l-1000x666wesoeren_bidstrup.jpg?itok=qdgf9V2u
http://3.t.cdn.belga.be/belgaimage:127984504:1800×650:w?v=59cd0cae&m=pldnejpg
I’m having no luck opening up today’s Flashback blog, so I thought I’d go back to HM’s Balmoral hat from Sunday, September 24th. It must have gotten caught in a serous Scottish downpour, since some serious shrinkage has occurred!
September 24, 2017
September 7, 2008
Embed from Getty Images
Jimbo, I remember there was a hat discussed not long ago where the brim had been made smaller from one wearing to another – was it this one?
I do like seeing HM’s tweedy Balmoral clothes. I mostly like living in a warm climate, but the need for tweed is something I do occasionally miss!
Matthew, Florida and tweed RARELY mix! In Ohio, I still enjoy a short (climate warming/change?) wool/tweed season. Next time I’m down south, I want to visit your studio.
Clearly, Her Majesty prefers shorter brims these days. I like this one better in its larger form but wonder if the reduction is due to balance, weight or visibility?
To tell you the truth, if HM really had wanted to wear a cartoonist and whimsical hat, the thing to do would have been to lose the bow and have something round on top (like a pompom, for example) to mimic the heads of the statuary. That being said, it is in my opinion, an unremarkable pillbox hat with a too-large bow on it, nothing whimsical or cartoonist about it.
Sorry, cartoonISH. Drat this annoying auto-correct!
I agree with Sue in the placement of the pillbox hat and prefer the hat to be placed back further so that some hair is showing. Like the color and netting on the hat but the oversized bow is too much and creates an imbalance that is hard to overcome.
I do understand your whimsical / cartoonish comments. To me, this hat reminds me of the way Olive Oil wore her hair in the Popeye cartoon! I also remember this ensemble. I used to subscribe to Majesty Magazine in the 1980s and I remember reading about this trip! Makes me feel rather old, actually!
I actually think I remember this one. I also think I don’t like it. As I have said before, I don’t like pillbox hats that cover the hair in front. To me they look better if there is some hair showing between the front edge of the hat and the forehead. Also the bow seems out of proportion with the rest of the hat.
Lorna, just my opinion but I think the smaller hat with the really over-sized bow paired with a gingham suit is the “whimsical bordering on cartoonish” angle.
I’m a regular reader on Royal Hats posts – particularly where Queen Elizabeth is featured .. but I really don’t mean to be awkward – I’m just not seeing ‘whimsical’ and certain not seeing ‘cartoon’ .. please will you explain? Looks like a pillbox hat with a bow ..
Another view of the hat here: http://wap.chinadaily.com.cn/img/attachement/jpg/site1/20150302/eca86bd9ddb4165e18e932.jpg
This is a lovely bellhop hat, but not a winner for HM. Like most of HM’s brimless hats of this era that are so placed, I feel it doesn’t suit her hairstyle.
Re the bow: I agree with HQ that the shiny bow at the back, a typical glamorous ‘eighties touch, is awkward when paired with the throwback ‘sixties picnic-tablecloth gingham suit – https://i.pinimg.com/736x/94/86/bd/9486bd58d96fe7e985f32b0ed2fc89a3–pink-fashion-vintage-gingham-fashion.jpg. Remove the bow, and the suit and hat would combine very easily.