Dutch State Visit to Norway

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima were greeted this morning by members of the Norwegian royal family for the start of a state visit to the Nordic nation.

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Queen Máxima repeated a beige blocked beret hat for this morning’s arrival in Oslo.

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The scale of the hat pairs well not only with Máxima’s voluminous dress but with the smaller scale hats typically worn by the Norwegian royal ladies. The combination of felt hat and silk dress is less cohesive, although an understandable choice for the current season and today’s rainy weather. I do admire how the neutral accessories let the dress and emerald earrings shine!

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Designer: Dress by Natan. 
Previously Worn: Jan 20, 2014; Nov 29, 2013

Queen Sonja repeated her chocolate and periwinkle blue felt hat with high, upturned brim embellished with ‘V’ cutouts. I’ve said this before- the hat, especially in combination with the chocolate dress, has a sci-fi vibe I find distracting and overly costumey.  What I do like are the cutouts, a design element we seldom see but that is so visually effective.

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Designer: uknown
Previously Worn: October 11, 2012; October 15, 2007 

Later in the Day, Queen Sonja changed into a different ensemble with brown velvet tam hat. Any day a royal embraces the opportunity to wear multiple hats is a great day! Tams are not trendily fashionable these days, a shame as the style and rich colour suit Sonja really well.

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Crown Princess Mette-Marit repeated her classic ivory felt pillbox, worn, as she does, on the back of her head.

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Designer: Mona Strand. Dress by Fendi.
Previously Worn: May 17, 2019;  Dec 10, 2018May 15, 2014Jun 2, 2010May 17, 2010; Dec 10, 2009

Princess Märtha Louise wore am oyster bandeau bow headpiece trimmed with silver and crystal embellishments.

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Designer: 
Previously Worn: I believe this piece is new

What do you think of this quintet of millinery designs today in Oslo?

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Images from Getty as indicated  

10 thoughts on “Dutch State Visit to Norway

  1. QM: I thought her choice of hat – both style & colour – very appropriate for the overall look since the dress was so flamboyant although the pleated neckline/sleeves created a problem regarding what to wear on top with the draped, heavy-looking shawl rather diminishing the formality.

    QS: I liked the pale blue/brown combination but agree with laempreatrizgmailcom that the hat brim is too high; I also agree with HQ that the outfit without the coat verges too close to sci-fi territory. I thought it was interesting that the inverted V-shapes on the front of MM’s dress echo the cut-outs on QS’s first hat. While I thought QS’s second look a little informal, the colour combination was very elegant.

    MM: although the pill box worked, the fact that it’s a very similar colour to her hair meant it got a bit lost and, similarly to QM, I thought the haphazardly draped shawl detracted from what was otherwise an elegant ensemble.

    PML: it was nice to see her there & I very much liked the idea of the bandeau but agree with Jake that the placement is rather flat when seen from the front which could be resolved either by it being thicker or being raised by a more substantial hairstyle.

  2. I love this whole look for Máxima, although the dress did feel a bit at odds with the weather. A subdued hat in beige will never be my first choice, but it pairs very well with this 50s-style cocktail dress (although I do think the right kind of brimmed hat could also work).

    I think the Cossack styling of Sonja’s hat works well for her, although I’m not a big fan of pairing periwinkle with brown. But as JamesB said, she does have her own quirky style and has multiple hats featuring cutouts. And while Sonja’s hats usually aren’t my favorite, her emeralds are some of the only jewels I do pay attention to! 😉

    Nice to see Mette-Marit and Märtha-Louise joining in, although I miss Astrid and her hats! A classic choice for Mette-Marit, I think this is the first time she’s repeated an outfit with this hat, which is a surprise considering how often she’s worn it; I’ll go against the flow and say I like the wrap for something different. I’m not a fan of Märtha-Louise’s bandeau since it can only really appreciated when seen from the side, and her more severe hairstyle doesn’t help to show it off either (feels like she took after Crown Princess Victoria); I do like her red outfit though!

  3. I love the cutouts and blue/brown color of QS’s hat, I just wish it were a little smaller, it seems just a bit out of proportion. The rest are great, I’m glad MM went with her pillbox rather than one of her headbands, and I love the brown tam.

  4. Lots of lovely hats! Máxima looks fab, but my first thought was the outfit’s not very seasonal, it’s getting chillier and this dress feels like more of a cocktail outfit (she added scarves later which didn’t work with it – she’d have been better in one of her fab tailored coats). I like the neutral accessories that let it be the star though.
    I kinda love Sonja’s outfit – she does have a quirky, modern edge to her style and it’s certainly an unforgettable look!
    MM looks lovely when the shawl is lost, and nice to see a hat.
    And ML’s bandeau is lovely, in a suit apparently pre work by her Mum. Excellent recycling all round!

  5. I agree that the chocolate dress with the blue – almost kokosnik – hat looks rather costumey however paired with the blue coat it looks really nice,
    I think it’s funny that Maxima has gone small and Mette-Marit has gone big and the hats are the same size and color

  6. Maxima’s hat reminds me of something HatQueen said once: “the hat can’t always be the star.” This hat definitely is letting the dress be the star and a beautiful dress it is (though it is a little stiff–I wanted to straighten it out a couple times in that video) and paired with the emerald earrings and the butterfly brooch it was a stunning outfit. I personally think a hat in the same shiny material would have been too much shiny green. Sonja’s hat was so high for her petite frame that was all I could think of at first. I do love the color combination of blue and brown. I was just thrilled to see Mette-Marit in an actual hat. Does anyone know where Haakan is? I hope he is well. I was surprised to see Martha Louise there. I guess she is filling in for her brother. Her red dress was beautiful and the headpiece looked nice, though I would have preferred a hat or even a bandeau.

    • Ditto to everything you said. Any day with five hats is a good day in Hatworld!
      Haakon is laid low with a heavy cold. Hope he recovers soon – I guess he was also being super careful about being near the King, whose health isn’t the best.

  7. I kinda like Queen Sonja’s blue hat. Shape and especially cut outs, remind me of Kokoshnik Russian nobility used to wear in 15-16th century.

  8. My thoughts are that it’s kind of a mixed bag. I agree with you, Hat Queen, that Queen Sonja’s look has a sci-fi vibe, but I would take it a step further to futuristic flight attendant. Mette-Marit is blerg…I don’t love the shawl or its color combination with the coat and hat. WIthout the shawl, it’s better. I love Max’s green dress–such a vibrant color and the emeralds are amazing. The hat underwhelms me…perhaps a hat or bandeau of the same fabric would work better? From what I can see, of all the hats, I like Martha’s bandeau the best. I also love her coat’s style, but I am not convinced about them together. Maybe Martha’s hat with Maxima’s dress? Can’t wait to see the State dinner outfits!

    • Not disappointing!
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