Author Archives: Royal Hats

British Royals Celebrate Christmas: Part 1

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The British Royal Family started Christmas Day as they do each year by attending a service at St. Mary Magdalene Church in close to the Sandringham estate. After missing this tradition last year due to illness, Queen Elizabeth was back in fine form this year in a new hat. In orange straw covered in the same orange silk wool crepe as its accompanying coat, the design features rounded lines in a gently upswept brim and flared crown. The hat is trimmed with a brown straw bow and white tipped orange silk magnolia blossoms.

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It’s a good hat- the scale is great and I really like the visible straw on the upper side of the brim. The trim is well balanced and placed with a restrained hand, making even the twiggy bits look relevant and refined. Pumpkin orange, however, is not my favourite colour on Her Majesty and there’s a LOT of it here. Back in 2013, Queen Elizabeth wore another orange ensemble on Christmas Day, one that seemed a whole lot more festive and suited to the season.

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Designer: Angela Kelly
Previously Worn: This hat is new
The Duchess of Cornwall wore the brightest hued ensemble of the day, fulfilling my long held wish that she add a red design to her hat closet. In one of her go-to millinery shapes, this piece features a ruched wool crown and faux fur wide cuffed brim. The raspberry hued hat and coat are clearly made to coordinate and the black trim on both pieces adds sharply high contrasting punch. The crown on this hat also seems to be more rigidly pleated than it’s slouchier twins, something that makes it more polished and less Paddington.

    

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Designer: Lock and Co. 
Previously Worn: This hat is new
Duchess of Cambridge also was in a new hat yesterday, a black twin to the pale grey alpacca hat she debuted at the start of this year. It’s not my favourite style on Kate although I concede it’s a nice change from her usual perchers and upswept brimmed designs and it’s wonderful to see her experiment with new styles. With her plaid coat, the hat makes for a wintry and decidedly Christmassy ensemble. Between the hat and the coat, I prefer the hat.

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Designer: Peruvian Connection. It is the Vallnord Alpaca Fur hat. 
Previously Worn: This hat is new
This event saw something we’ve all been waiting for- the inaugural hat from the family’s newest soon-to-be member, Meghan Markle. She turned to the most prolific of all contemporary royal hat designers, Philip Treacy, for the design. In dark caramel felt, the hat follows the helmet/beret shape seen several times in Treacy’s 2018 Winter Collection. The bulbous shape of the hat is contrasted with a simple felt twist as trim. 

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I’ll admit- this hat surprised me. It is a bolder, edgier shape than I thought Meghan would choose for her first item of millinery – one that certainly won’t suit everyone (or be to everyone’s taste) and that requires some confidence to pull off. The colour is lovely against her complexion and reads neutral in larger group photos, a choice I suspect was deliberate for this first public outing with the extended family. With her warm brown boots, gloves and purse, the hat topped a coordinated but interesting outfit that looks pulled together without being overly matched. It’s a very strong millinery first step for Meghan that leaves me eagerly awaiting what we’ll see her in next.

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Designer: Philip Treacy
Previously Worn: This hat is new
The first four hats for the British royal women are all new designs – all, I think, with significant merit. Let’s dig in, dearest readers- I want to hear about what you liked and didn’t like about each one!
Photos from Tim Rooke/REX/Shutterstock; and Getty as indicated

Norwegian Royals Attend Christmas Day Service

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King Harald, Queen Sonja, Princess Märtha Louise and her daughters attended Christmas day service together at Holmenkollen Chapel in Oslo yesterday. For this event, Queen Sonja repeated a hat with brown velvet crown and fur bumper brim. The brim coordinates with the collar on Sonja’s coat, a touch which adds a bit of formality to piece.

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Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: Oct 14, 2010; Dec 25, 2009; likely others
I find this style of loosely structured crown, even when made in velvet and trimmed in fur, an informal and slightly dowdy look. Two years ago on this same day, Queen Sonja paired this same coat with a chocolate felt fedora. Which hat do you think pairs with this coat best?
Photos from Getty as indicated

British Royal Family At Church Christmas Eve

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Members of the British Royal family joined the Queen for Sunday service at the Church of St. Mary Magdalene on Christmas Eve morning. Queen Elizabeth led her family in her repeated pale blue fabric covered hat with angular, flared crown and short, gently upturned brim trimmed in a white feather plume.

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Designer: Angela Kelly made by Stella McLaren
Previously Worn: May 14, 2017
Princess Beatrice topped her plum coat and dress with a  black cocktail hat. The design features a black velvet covered oval button base and is embellished with flowers made of sequins and a lavish swath of net veil.  The sequins flowers (visible closeup here) are a lovely trim element that add a bit of sparkle to the monochrome hat.

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Designer: Juliette Botterill. It is the “Veil Embellished Cocktail Hat” from AW 2017
Previously Worn: This hat is new
Princess Eugenie repeated her navy straw bandeau with bow trim. While the straw material and small profile of this design makes it firmly a summer hat in my mind, the simple piece seems well suited to this kind of event.

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Designer: Sarah Cant
Previously Worn: June 10, 2016
The Countess of Wessex topped her orange coat with her smart navy trilby. Her ponytail anchors the short brimmed design and the unexpected but punchy navy and orange colour combination of the ensemble suits the jaunty hat so well. It’s a bold and confident look that looks wonderful on Sophie.

Dec 24, 2017 in Jane Taylor | Royal Hats  Dec 24, 2017 in Jane Taylor | Royal Hats  Dec 24, 2017 in Jane Taylor | Royal Hats

Designer: Jane Taylor. It is a bespoke version of the Chloe Trilby
Previously Worn: Jan 1, 2017; Jan 3, 2016; August 16, 2015; August 17, 2014; August 24, 2014
Our favourite royal hat recycler across multiple decades, Princess Anne, wore what I thought might be a new design but no- eagle eyed reader Lex recognised it as being at least 18 years old! In cherry red felt, the hat features a rolled bumper brim and distinctive pyramid shaped crown embellished with a mass of velvet pompoms in different shads of crimson. There are no two ways about it- from side view, this piece’s shape and pompom topper are unusual to the point of being comical (I can’t be the only one who saw this and immediately thought, “Christmas Elf!”). Thankfully, the hat looks like a simple pillbox from the front. Either way, it’s a most memorable design. 

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Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: Oct 19, 1999 and undoubtedly others
Autumn Phillips topped her oxblood coat with a chic purple fedora.

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Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: I believe this hat is new
Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones is barely visible below (just peeking out to the right of Lord Snowdon) in a burgundy felt beret hat while Lady Sarah Chatto repeated a navy straw design with rolled kettle brim. 

Dec 24, 2017 | Royal Hats    Dec 24, 2017 | Royal Hats

My favourite new design here is Princess Beatrice’s black cocktail hat – which hats stand out most to you?
Photos from Tim Rooke/REX/Shutterstock; PA Images; Getty as indicated

Imperial Royals Celebrate Emperor’s Birthday

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Members of the Imperial royal family celebrated the Emperor’s 84th birthday on Saturday with an annual balcony appearance at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo where they greeted thousands of well wishers.

Dec 23, 2017 | Royal Hats

Crown Princess Masako wore a new bumper hat in deep maroon velvet scattered with tiny beads over the crown. The beads, which are repeated on the smocked Elizabethan style ruff collar on Masako’s dress, are not something we see on hat crowns – their use as trim here offers subtle textural contrast to the all velvet ensemble. The hat shape on its own isn’t terribly exciting but it balances well with a high collar and the colour… OH THE COLOUR. It’s not only perfect for this time of year and a fantastic backdrop for showing off jewels but just stunning Masako.

Dec 23, 2017 | Royal Hats

Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: I believe this hat is new
Princess Kiko repeated the pale slate blue silk covered pillbox she first wore for the 2015 Imperial New Years lectures. The hat is trimmed with a back bow (visible here at its first outing) which makes it a little too twee for my liking, although the subtle placement of it on the diagonal to mix up the pattern between the dress and the hat is a nice touch. It’s classic Kiko- simple, pale and demure.

Dec 23, 2017 | Royal Hats

Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: Jan 9, 2015; Dec 23, 2009
Princess Mako chose an ensemble in a more saturated shade of blue. Her coordinating hat repeated the silk and diamond beaded applique motif on the belt of her dress, giving some graphic punch to the monochrome ensemble. It looks like the hat was further finished with a twisted ruffle in the same silk and velvet on the side. We’ve not seen Mako in a calot shape and it works well with her sideswept hairstyle; the colour is also one she wears particularly well.  
Dec 23, 2017 | Royal Hats Dec 23, 2017 | Royal Hats
Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: I believe this hat is new
There are a handful of events each year that retain traditional court dress and it’s always fun to see royal women in the hats and gowns required by this dress code. Thoughts on the new hats we saw at this event?
Photos from Asahi Shimbun,Asahi Shimbun, Asahi Shimbun, Asahi Shimbun and Asahi Shimbun via Getty as indicated