King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima made a regional visit to Schouwen-Duiveland and Tholen in the province of Zeeland today. For this day away, Queen Máxima repeated her pleated red turban.
Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images
It’s impossible to talk about this hat without including the rest of her ensemble- a stunning new Claes Iversen blouse and embellished skirt. On its own, this hat is not one of my favourites as this turban shape’s high, full crown gives it a helmet vibe. Paired with this blouse and skirt, however, the turban’s impact is muted and it becomes a supporting note to this vibrant ensemble. With a sleek chignon, hoop earrings and magenta pumps, the hat tops a beautifully balanced outfit that certainly makes a statement but works so well as a whole.
Previously Worn: March 20, 2015
Royal Hats 
LOVE , LOVE! Bold colour combination and very interesting textures. The turban is great with this outfit. the longer I see it , the more I love it.
What’s not to love about this outfit? Queen Maxima looks just amazing!
I like the outfit from afar, which is probably how most people saw her. When you get up close though, the turban is just confusing. It’s on tilted towards one side (how is that even possible with a turban?) and the pleated detail is only on one side. Should it be in the front (then it would look like a shower cap?) or towards the back? It just looks so off-kilter I can’t like it. Her red pleated calot would have been a better choice to my eye.
I can see why a red turban is the right choice for this ensemble, but I think the red turban from last week’s appearance in Germany is a better shape for Máxima. It doesn’t have the helmet look.
I’ll be honest, I was lax in checking for “previously worn” dates in this post, I actually thought it was the same hat, though now that I look at them side by side, I see that there are some differences. And yet, so similar that I have to ask (as we sometimes do with royal hats), why have two such similar turbans in the same color? In this case, we can’t even use the excuse I often make that maybe the older one got damaged or dirty and the newer one is a replacement, since they were worn only a week apart!
Okay, before someone else corrects me, I’ll correct myself — the one worn in Germany is described as a calot rather than a turban. Still, the same color, and IMHO, not that different to have both. I’m trying to decide if I would have liked today’s outfit better if the hat had picked up one of the other colors of the skirt than the red.
Both calots and turbans sit on the back of the head- a turban is larger and covers most of the hair.
The previous place I lived before this one was in an area that was primarily Indian, so when I hear the word turban, this is what I see:
https://g.co/kgs/ro9zFd
I never even think of turbans in terms of women’s hats!
Check out the still-expanding glossary of hat types with royal examples here on the blog
I wondered the same about two such similar hats. Maybe the reds photograph the same, but are actually different?
And I’m noting my error since last weeks’s was Indeed a calot, not a turban. Maybe that’s why I like it better!
I also, generally, like calots better than turbans. I think too many turbans either look like a helmet or a towel wrapped around the head!
I am not a fan of the hat or the skirt. But if anyone can make the outfit work it is Max. She lets her personality shine in every outfit.
It feels like a modern take on traditional Dutch dress, especially with the photo of Máxima with a traditional windmill in the background. It definitely suits her and she looks good, but it’s not my first choice of hat for this fun outfit. Her burgundy wide brim hat from the last day in Germany would go very well with this, pulling out the color in the skirt and her shoes, or one of her pink straw hats (or a new white hat??).
Jake, were you thinking of a white hat along these lines?
https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/adorable-curly-toddler-girl-wearing-dutch-190879925
(I do actually agree with you that it seems reminiscent of traditional Dutch dress. But I’m not sure if that was deliberate, and I’m still not sure if I like it any better based on that comparison.)
Yes, I was thinking of something similar to that photo; I knew the traditional bonnets are white, hence my use of the phrase “modern take”. I agree that I’m not certain it was actually deliberate, but I can’t unsee it haha.
I decided the dress is an homage to the flag of the province of Zeeland as it features red blue and yellow, the colors of the province’s flag. The hat is just an afterthought. And that’s my sartorial levee to die on.
I agree with Susan, it’s a smashing outfit that makes this Queen stand out in the crowd. I am sure those who waited to see her were not disappointed!
I love the color contrast between the blue blouse and the red turban, and although I agree with Shannon that the hat may be tipped a bit too far to the side, I do like it. However, I don’t like the skirt at all. In my opinion, the skirt looks more like the person who made it wanted to use up all of the leftover bits of trim in the studio that that it was a well-thought-out design. (Apologies to any who are big fans of this designer!) As a result, I really like the hat in the photos that only show Maxima from the waist up, but dislike the whole outfit when I see her full length. How’s that for contradiction?!?
My thoughts exactly!
I love love the outfit, but I really do not like the red turban. I feel like the busy bottom would have been better balanced proportionally with one of her big red picture hats. The turban looks precariously perched, like it’s about to tip off her head.
Exactly! And that distracts from everything else.
Only Máx would try this and I love her for it. It’s a glorious technicolour outfit. Just love this!!
I love it! The skirt is fabulous and the cool color of the blouse and the warmth of the hat color just take the whole outfit to the next level. Queen Máxima pulls it off and I just love it!! Thank you, Hat Queen, for all that you do for us!
She’s glorious isn’t she ?? everything about this outfit is so HER !! and it seems to me the King loves her for it … imagine being around her all the time – must be quite the adventure !! 😊😊 I really love it too !
I do not like any part of this outfit.
I agree with you.