Queen Máxima celebrated to anniversaries in The Hague today with two repeated hats. To kick off the annual breast cancer month, which coincided with the the 40th anniversary of the Breast Cancer Association Netherlands, she repeated her vibrant pink straw picture hat with sharply sidesweeping ‘slice’ brim.
The choice of pink, the colour associated globally with breast cancer, was clearly not coincidental and makes a happy, vibrantly hopeful statement during a time when such things are so very needed. We’ve talked before about how well this signature shape works for Máxima and while the overall ensemble could have been more polished (a neat chignon so her hair didn’t compete with those statement earrings), it’s so good to see an old-friend hat such as this that the rest doesn’t seem to matter.
Designer: Fabienne Delvigne. Dress by Natan.
Previously Worn: August 31, 2019; July 3, 2016; April 13, 2016; April 27, 2015
This afternoon, Queen Máxima attended the 70th jubilee celebration of the Social Economic Council. For this event, she changed into her saffron silk pleated dress and matching bandeau circle headpice
Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images
We’ve not seen this headpiece since its debut in Japan six years ago. What to say… it allows the dress to shine? It does, and that’s a good thing. While shape and execution fall flat for me (I wish the graphic pleats of the dress translated more to the headpiece), the colour is spot on, both for the House of Orange and for a fall (in the Northern Hemisphere!) day.
Designer: Fabienne Delvigne. Dress by Mattijs van Bergen
Previously Worn: October 29, 2014
Queen Máxima has given us several hats and headpieces over the past two weeks and two more today… well, dearest readers, I know we will all appreciate! What do you think of these two designs today in The Hague?
Photos from Getty as indicated
Royal Hats 
The first ensemble is beautiful and as stated, Max was right on target in choosing the pink color for the occasion. As for the saffron, the right side seems very wrinkled, and it looked the same in Japan, so I think it’s supposed to look that way, but I still don’t care for the look. It wasn’t necessary to have a pleated hat with a pleated dress. I agree that a larger non-pleated hat would have looked better with this dress.
Agree with everything you say Matthew.
And also note that it looks as though the saffron dress has been pinned so the neckline isn’t so low or doesn’t gape. And it’s pinned only to my standard of safety pinning which is to say, you can see the puckers and pulling!
I’ve complained in the past about Max falling back on her slice hats too often, but in this hat-scarce year, it’s wonderful to see one again. In fact, I think her caramel or gold model would have been better with the saffron than this uninspired number.
Yes to the pink dress and hat, but thumbs down on the hair, which detracted from the entire look.
The saffron outfit and hat? No to everything, but the earrings, as hard as they are to see them with the untidy hair, are wonderful.
Ooh, so glad you mentioned the earrings, Beth! How did I miss them? Gorgeous!
I wonder if the hair being worn down is an issue because of the masking. With hat, mask and earrings, there might be some tricky manipulation if hair accessories were also involved. I know I often struggle with with mask cords and eyeglasses alone.
I wonder if the hair being down is also an issue of styling it herself!
Well the pink is standard Máx, and great to see! Agree that the hair with this mega hat and earrings looks a little unkempt.
Oooooh, on the saffron. The dress is beautiful, but the hat just looks so badly made. The pleating where it gathers at the side is just so clumsy and looks just a bit home made.
My sentiments exactly JamesB. The pleating on the side of the saffron is a bit wonky. I also agree about having her hair up for the pink ensemble, but that’s a minor quibble.
I do want to comment on her mask. I am happy to see her wearing one, keeping herself and everyone else safe. She doesn’t have “mask game” like Queen Mathilde (who perfectly coordinates hers to her outfits), but this was great to see.
It’s surprising that Máx has gone so utilitarian with her masks isn’t it. The black is a bit jarring. Who knew Mathilde would be the style star of Corona!
I agree that it is astonishing that someone with her sense of style wouldn’t have coordinating masks.
And I really don’t like the saffron dress, particularly the way it appears to be pinned together at her cleavage. That’s how I have to fix some of my necklines, but I don’t have the resources that Maxima has.
Yes, I think we all expected Maxima to bedazzle hers or “slice it up.”
I do look forward to seeing Mathilde’s masks, although Charles and Camilla had some nice masks on during their Northern Ireland visit this week.
Given that the saffron ensemble is one-note in colour, I’d hate to see a co-ordinating mask with it. As it is her other accessories match. Black may have been the only way to go here …
Máxima always delivers! My favourite look today is the pink. I agree about the hair!
The berry-colored slice hat and other accessories combined with the hot pink dress makes for a delightful color combo that’s appropriate for the event and as we’re transitioning into fall in the northern hemisphere. This amount of saturated color hasn’t been seen for most of the pandemic, so as HatQueen said, it’s wonderful to see it and this hat again.
I like this pleated circlet hat better this time compared to its premiere in Japan (although it will never be a favorite), and I think the slightly more centered placement and wearing her hair down allows everything to frame her face better (even though I love a good Máxima chignon!). The dress and those earrings are the real winners of this ensemble though!
I do love the saffron colour but the hat looks too huddled to go with the crisp pleats of the dress. It reminds me of a tea towel folded and knotted together at the ends to make a bandage.
The pink hat is gorgeous though. She wears that shape so well.
My thoughts too – the saffron ensemble is a lovely colour, but don’t really like either the dress or hat. The pink, though, is gorgeous.
The saffron colour is stunning but the headpiece too flat indeed to match the perky dress
Really like the pink.