Ascot Hat From the Past

Royal Hats to Ascot in June 1982. Although pale ice blue was the colour chosen on this day by both  the Queen and her mum, the Queen Mother’s look is far from restrained in this marvelous helmet of blue and palest pink organza flowers overlaid in a delicate chevron printed veil.

Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images

If there are any royal hats worn today, please share and discuss in the comments as well.

Photo from Getty as indicated

Ascot Hat From the Past

Royal Hatsalmost eighteen years ago to June 19, 2001 and a very tall hat (topping a sorbet striped suit) worn by the Countess of Wessex to Ascot. It’s a memorable look, this one.

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Embed from Getty Images

I look forward to reading your responses to this hat! If there are any royal hats worn around the world today, please share and discuss in the comments as well.

Photos from Getty as indicated

Ascot Hat From the Past

Royal Hats This series of Ascot flashback begins with a step back nearly 94 years to June 1925 and a most royal of arrivals on the Ascot racing grounds. Queen Mary’s Breton style hat with upturned brim follows a Kokoshnik curve around the front and lavish trimmings- I see a silk organza wrap, feathers, fine veil and what looks like two small diamond brooches. I can’t imagine the practice of fixing diamond brooches to one’s Ascot hat will return but we can wish- I mean, how wonderful would that be?!

And so kicks off our two week adventure into the Ascot photo archives! If there are any royal hats worn today, please share and discuss in the comments as well. I’ll pop in and out of the conversation as I’m able.

Photo from Hulton Deutsch via Getty and Getty as indicated

Favourite Royal Hats of 2018: New Designs

And then there were eleven.

Eleven beautiful hats, from the studios of eight different milliners, that made first appearances in 2011 (on eight different royal heads!). In felt, fabric and straw, the shapes range from cloche to saucer to percher to wide-brimmed picture with stunning adornments that include silk abacca loops, handmade silk flowers, curved quills, veils, feathers and a branch of cherry blossoms.

Here are your ten finalists for Favourite New Royal Hat of 2018:

1.    2.    
3.    4.    
5.    6.    7.
8.    9. 
  10.   11.
You can access original feature posts on each hat, with additional photos, description and discussion, by clicking on each photo or on the links below each pair. This poll will remain open for two weeks until Sunday, January 27 at midnight GMT.  Each computer or mobile device may vote once every twelve hours for as many hats as you wish. Happy voting!

Sunday Church Outing at Sandringham

Queen Elizabeth attended Sunday morning service this morning at the Church of St. Mary Magdalene on the Sandringham estate. For this outing, she repeated her royal purple felt hat with square crown, upfolded kettle brim and dark purple velvet hatband with updated dark purple silk flower trim.

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The connection between hat and coat has always been a good one, thanks to the dark velvet trim on both pieces, but many of us had qualms about the previous white silk iris trim. Swapping out the white irises for these dark blooms pulls the hat back into harmony with the ensemble and lends a lovely note of luxury to the design through the layered textures of felt, velvet and silk.

Designer: Angela Kelly
Previously Worn: Oct 23, 2018Mar 6, 2018Dec 7, 2017Nov 24, 2016
The Queen was joined by the Earl of Snowdon and Countess of Snowdon and Lady Helen Taylor. Serena sported a deep purple felt, formed beret while Helen wore a large, brimless hat in caramel felt with domed top. I don’t believe either hat has been seen publicly before.
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I give the Queen’s hat renovation a thumbs up- what do you think?
Photos from Getty as indicated