Thanks, all of you who took time to respond to Monday’s post. I appreciate your thoughts and overwhelming support for Royal Hats. While I have unresolved concern about how royal fashion blogs, including this one, feed into creating an unhealthy culture of royal celebrity, we’re going to continue here with focus remaining on the hats.
Empress Masako in a black bumper hat Thursday at a 10th anniversary memorial for the Great East Japan Earthquake
The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:
Wonderful black and white feather blooms on this button percher by British brand Butterfly Hats
Unique leather puzzle-piece flowers on this deep purple bandeau by Polish milliner Marta Ruta
Adore the modern take on this cloche’s shape in saffron mélusine felt by British milliner Dillon Wallwork
Vintage-vibe headpiece of caramel crin pin curls by Italian brand Gallia e Peter
Sharp royal blue felt trilby with layered hatband by London-based milliner Merve Bayindir
Natural and ivory patterned straw open crown pillbox with peach petal trim by Australian milliner Felicity Northeast
Pink ombre straw leaf bandeau headpiece by British milliner Bee Smith
Unique leather puzzle-piece flowers on this deep purple bandeau by Polish milliner Marta Ruta
Adore the modern take on this cloche’s shape in saffron mélusine felt by British milliner Dillon Wallwork
Vintage-vibe headpiece of caramel crin pin curls by Italian brand Gallia e Peter
Sharp royal blue felt trilby with layered hatband by London-based milliner Merve Bayindir
Natural and ivory patterned straw open crown pillbox with peach petal trim by Australian milliner Felicity Northeast
Pink ombre straw leaf bandeau headpiece by British milliner Bee Smith
Quirky cap made from woven recycled silk neckties by German milliner Antje Lücke
The prettiest natural and pink straw boater with crin bows by Irish milliner Ana Victoria Mulcahy
Statement white leather kokoshnik with lace applique and feather flowers by Australian milliner Melanie Atherinos
Sunny yellow straw pillbox with bow by British milliner Beverley Edmondson
Fantastic lace trimmed headpiece that looks eerily like coral by Dutch milliner Wies Mauduit
Lovely pink and grey floral headpiece by Australian milliner Meredith McMaster
Streamlined black straw fedora with wonderful geometric hatband by Canadian milliner Tierre Taylor
The prettiest natural and pink straw boater with crin bows by Irish milliner Ana Victoria Mulcahy
Statement white leather kokoshnik with lace applique and feather flowers by Australian milliner Melanie Atherinos
Sunny yellow straw pillbox with bow by British milliner Beverley Edmondson
Fantastic lace trimmed headpiece that looks eerily like coral by Dutch milliner Wies Mauduit
Lovely pink and grey floral headpiece by Australian milliner Meredith McMaster
Streamlined black straw fedora with wonderful geometric hatband by Canadian milliner Tierre Taylor
We end a turbulent week of royal watching with this very peaceful image photographed by James Ogilvy
Images from social media as indicated
Royal Hats 
I hear you on ‘unresolved concerns’, but having witnessed people properly losing their mind this week and thinking if you like X, then you must hate Y… I really think you have no worries. And remember, royals need people to be interested – if we weren’t then they’d kind of disappear.
I do think we’ve all learnt a lot more this week though, and the words ‘Be Kind’ are more important than ever.
As I approach 40 years in the millinery trade, I am aware that I owe the possibility of my initial training and everything that followed to the constancy of HM the Queen’s hat wearing.
When I commenced, we never questioned anything about our work.
Today things are different.
Just as we began to grapple with ethical sourcing and sustainability, we also face the compulsion to examine the impact that millinery might have in contributing to negative behavior /beliefs/actions/traditions in society.
I have been observing the social media posts of a variety of businesses in the UK whose productivity is directly connected to the Royal House or that echelon of the population regarded as ‘society’. Will they potentially be called out to choose between X and Y?
I guess everyone really just wants to do the right thing and as milliners of long standing will tell anyone, we fully understand the difference between thriving and surviving.
I hope that we can find a way to grow into a collective future.
I am always empathetic toward furriers who despite great skill, knowledge and traditions became an anachronism on the shifting sands of social ethics and acceptability.
It is a tough world out there…….beyond the workroom.
I didn’t understand what “puzzle piece flowers” meant until I zoomed in on Marta Ruta‘s purple bandeau. What a pretty use of that shape. The Gallia e Peter pin curls are also fun, but would take a very confident hat wearer — perhaps Max, who wears caramel shades so well? But Antje Lücke’s cap is the most fun yet — a funky antidote to the Covid blues!
Dear Hat Queen, thank you for featuring my “Corail” headpiece.
Please do not worry too much: isn’t it for everyone to decide for themselves where to draw the line between what’s private and what’s public, members of royal families included?
And, let’s not forget we can all be Kings and Queens of our own kingdom: wear a hat!
Happy Sunday to you all!
That piece is stunning! If I may ask, what inspired your shift into bridal and evening headpieces? Is there a market for them, or are you trying to create one? Weddings seems like an occasion to splurge, don’t they?
Thank you Mittenmary. I make all kinds of hats. In fact, when I set up my millinery business in the Netherlands, I thought there would be a market for bridal wear and hats for mother of the bride or groom. It turned out most brides wanted to look like fairy tale princesses in low necked or strapless ballgowns, with flowing curls and maybe a fake tiara. I can understand the attraction of ball gowns, but not every bride has the silhouette to carry them of and they aren’t really suitable for religious ceremonies (IMO). I don’t grudge anyone their fun, but I don’t do fake tiaras 😄
The last few things I put up on my IG account were made in collaboration with a fashion designer who specialises in cocktail, evening and bridal wear. He gave me little bits and pieces of the lavish fabrics he uses and I made them into headpieces to accessorise a couple of his dresses for a recent fotoshoot. Live fashion shows still aren’t possible of course, but we both hope that when Covid restrictions will be gradually lifted, people will start planning weddings again.
Ah, the allure of the fairy tale Princess look — I blame those Disney movies. I agree with you about fake tiaras. A bespoke headpiece is so much more sophisticated!
Sounds like a great opportunity for both you and the designer to showcase your work!