Queen Máxima was in Utrecht yesterday to attend the 40th anniversary of the Child Phone support program. For this celebration, she repeated her black straw picture hat with sharply upsweeping ‘slice’ brim.
There’s not much to say about this hat (it’s a black version of her go-to brimmed style and while we’ve now only seen it three times, it’s a very familiar style) but there is much to admire about its styling with this dress. On it’s own, the dress is fantastic and sets a perfect balance of contrasting pattern that could easily have been upset with the wrong accessories. The smooth curves of the hat works so well with the white background of the bodice and the whole ensemble is brought together with a dichotomy of classic pearls and killer patent heels. It’s SO GOOD.
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Designer: Fabienne Delvigne. Dress by Carolina Herrera.
Previously Worn: July 18, 2017; Nov 7, 2016
I’m a sucker for black and white ensembles and love the pairing of this hat and dress. What do you think?
Photos from Getty as indicated
Royal Hats 
Maxima in a slice hat can do no wrong. This hat is certainly better than the one she chose when she last wore this dress in 2017
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Thanks to the slice hat (and accessories such as better earrings), today’s look is strong and polished. Unfortunately the pearl necklace is suffering from being layered over a patterned dress with a white ground — i.e. the necklace “vanishes”. The simplest solution is to not wear a necklace at all –which is what Maxima did (more successfully, in my view) in the 2017 wearing.
Much as I am impressed with the fabric of the dress, I don’t feel it’s been used to best advantage. The complex double pattern (a grid overlaying a floral, with no focal points in the design) acts like camouflage, obscuring rather than enhancing the shape of the Queen’s figure,(which was so subtly flattered by the “spiderweb” dress she wore the day before – seen in the previous Maxima post). As Janice In Alaska says, a shorter, cap sleeve with a diagonal hem angled towards the waist, would balance the heavier bottom half of the dress — and the black lower section of the floral pattern would also work better, if it finished higher up the torso at the empire line, rather than at the waist (the rule of thirds). But I would have avoided the pattern-and-silhouette issues altogether by using the fabric for a coat, rather than for a dress.
Re dress length – I think we are going to hear more on this subject in future comments, as the midi-dress trend continues to exert an ever stronger influence on event-wear fashion — which means that above-the-knee skirts, in particular, are currently tending to look “dated”. If I were Queen Maxima, I would put my shorter dresses into storage, enjoy wearing both perennially classic kneelength, and trendy midi-length, skirts — and then reconsider wearing the shorter dresses when dress lengths rise once more.
I also look forward to every Queen Maxima post. While I like some looks more than others, IMO she rarely has a fashion misstep. She always looks so polished and her smile is positively radiant.
Beyond fabulous! Definitely among her best ensembles of all time (ranks up there along with this whole look: https://royalhats.net/2019/03/29/dutch-queen-celebrates-brewery-milestone/). And the sheen of the parasisal of the hat ties in with the reflecting patent leather of her shoes and clutch. Brava!
Gosh I feel differently…the hat is so large and the dress seems short. This event is happy and warrants colour. Sorry …just my thoughts.
happydyz I agree. To me something is just off, between the sleeve length the hemline and the shoes.
Hmm…I suspect the sleeve length was chosen to be in line with the pattern change on the bodice of the dress to emphasize it. Looking at the sleeve length without this connection does make it seem a bit odd (too long or too short!) but I like the sharp continuation of pattern when Maxima’s arms are down. It also gives a very clean look to the top of the dress that works well with this hat.
I look forward to every Máxima post! She is always stunning, and I agree completely with today’s assessment. I would probably not have had the nerve to wear such big earrings, but on her it works!
At the risk of being too critical, and I do like everything about her outfit, I think Queen Maxima should wear her skirts a bit longer. She has a great figure and such eclat, just lovely. However, I think her whole look would be more elegant if she covered her knees. What do you think?
When she gets it right, she gets it so right! Beautiful from amazing shoes to killer hat pin – love it all! The hair and jewellery help to create such an elegant look.
great from hat to toe
Beautiful outfit for Queen Máxima. I like the last picture, top row, of both ladies in black and white.
N.B. Killer heels, but also killer hat pin! I’d like to see a stopper attached to that point.
The children’s support phone is a great invention. Children of all ages phone to talk about loneliness or child abuse, but also less serious problems, like a teenage crush or the best recipe for apple pie. Volunteers are trained to listen and when necessary, redirect children to professional help.
That phone line is brilliant. Very impressive to keep that going for 40 years.
I agree about the hat pin stop. QE seems to have them made for every hat, which contributes to her polished look. That point looks lethal!
Love the reversed print on the dress, and this hat pairs perfectly with it.