48 years ago to an August 2, 1972 visit to the Isle of Man when Queen Elizabeth debuted a turban/bucket hat hybrid entirely covered in white silk petals and lily of the valley blossoms made by Simone Mirman. Up close, the detail is astounding (see bottom photo) but from a distance, I’m afraid it’s an overturned flowerpot.
Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images
Photos from PA/PA Archive/PA Images and Getty as indicated
Royal Hats 
This makes me think of what a friend said to me when I first began following this blog. I had not before had any particular interest in hats, and couldn’t figure out why I was finding it so fascinating, and this friend said to me that I clearly was trying to figure out what other craft projects I could make out of the embellishments.
(And that is certainly an extraordinary crop of embellishments — I hope they got some good re-use!)
This comment made me smile! Royal Hats provides no end of crafting inspiration. Or is it vice versa….?!
May I please have the hat so that I can dismantle it and use the beautiful silk flowers for my next craft project?
Usually I love these floral hats, but this one? as commenters are saying, it was out-of-date for the time. The video shows what was current in millinery, in Princess Anne’s ensemble. HM’s suit was trendy enough, with its prominent buttons and piping detail on collar and cuffs (see Anne’s ensemble again) – but I feel it needed a hat with a similar aesthetic — one with crisp clean curving lines like Anne’s ).
I feel these floral hats worked best with outfits that had those earlier mid-century-modern simple lines, where the interest lay in texture or pattern. But even with the right outfit, I don’t think I would find this hat appealing. I do wish the hat’s crown was lower, like some of her other floral hats, and that it sat a little further back on her head — plus, I really dislike like the topknot of chopped flower stems. Too elves and fairies for me :).
I had a hat like that, but in 1960 not 1972. I cringe when I see old photographs of myself wearing it. Perfectly dreadful.
I had to do a double take that this was 1972. It’s ten years out of date even for then. These flowery buckets were so popular, but I think it’s for the best that they didn’t last – this isn’t a look one can imagine being revived!
Pretty flowers, but never liked this style of hat. Recall when she wore this and others like it. I thought how outdated it looked compared to what was being worn in the states. It looked 12 years behind the times.
These over-decorated turbans have grown on me. I think it’s largely because they’re so different from current millinery trends. I wouldn’t be averse to seeing some modern interpretations of the style.
I’m afraid it reminds me of one of those knitted novelty tea cosies that were fashionable at the same time as this hat!
it reminds me of what I get when I google “retro swim cap”…