Category Archives: All About Design

Nobel Peace Prize 2019

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King Harald, Queen Sonja, Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit all attended 2019 Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony yesterday in Helsinki. 

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Queen Sonja repeated her black beret for this event. The brimless design follows an interesting pyramid shape and is rimmed with black sequins that give it much sparkle and dimension. We’ve seen it a few times before… so alas, there’s not much new to add.

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Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: Dec 10, 2018; Feb 7, 2014; Dec 11, 2013; Dec. 10, 2008

Crown Princess Mette Marit repeated her chunky gold bandeau headpiece. While she has often worn it woven with a contrasting ribbon in the past, this time the headpiece stood on its own.

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Designer: Prada
Previously Worn: April 16, 2015; Jan 17, 2015; October 20, 2012; May 31, 2012; April 17, 2010 

This event is one of a few annual hatted events for the Norwegian Royals and, as such, I’m a little disappointed there weren’t any new hats yesterday. Any new thoughts about these designs?

Photos from Getty as indicated 

Autumn Phillips’ Christmas Hats

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A royal hat wearer who as emerged as one to watch over recent years is Autumn Phillips. Today, we’re taking a look back at the hats she has worn on Christmas Day:

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Fuzzy white beret in 2008; Black trilby with bow tied hatband in 2009

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Grey wool crowned hat with high, faux fur cuffed brim in 2011;
Burgundy button percher with feather flowers by Nerida Fraiman in 2012

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Tall navy brimless hat with pork pie crown in 2013

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Chocolate Juliette Botterill beret percher with bow in 2014; Navy felt saucer with looped bow by Rachel Black in 2016

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Red pleated velvet button percher by Emily London in 2017;
Emerald green felt curved beret percher with bow by Sally Ann Provan in 2018

It’s a millinery look that has become more polished over time I suspect, thanks to a stylist’s guiding hand. Autumn suits smaller scale percher pieces so well, the dark hues here contrasting beautifully against her fair complexion and blonde hair. What do you think of this millinery retrospective?

Photos from Getty as indicated; Chris Jackson via Getty; Ward/WENN.com

Monday Multiples: Queen Elizabeth

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Thanks to Jimbo for providing the introduction and background research for this “Monday Multiples” series.

Jimbo’s Introduction: Queen Elizabeth wore this green coat with a coarsely woven straw hat in Sacramento, California in March of 1983. A few days later she wore it with a fantastic multi-colored hat, the feathers matching the dress worn under the coat.  She repeated the second hat for Christmas later that year and for a visit to Canada in September of 1984.  Both hats had veils on them, and both were very nice!

Look #1: Textured loden green straw hat with short brim, veil and ribbon hatband tied in a front bow, worn March 4, 1983 during a visit to California

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Look #2: Printed felt Breton with rolled brim, veil and side feather spray worn for the Commonwealth Day and Christmas Day services in 1983 and on the September 1984 Canadian tour

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Which hat do you prefer most with this ensemble?

Photos from Getty as indicated 

Monday Multiples: Princess Anne

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Thanks to Jimbo for providing the introduction and background research for these “Monday Multiples” posts- you’ll see more in this series in coming weeks!

Jimbo’s Introduction: Princess Anne has been creative with fashion through the years, using one coat with at least two different hats. Here is one wonderful example with a red plaid suit.

Look #1: Dark fur pillbox worn on an April 20, 1978 visit to Nailsworth, near her home in Gloucestershire

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Look #2: Ecru trilby in brushed felt with red hatband and curled feather brim worn on a December 5, 1986 visit to the East Midlands.

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Which hat do you prefer most with this suit?

Photos from Getty as indicated 

Duchess of Sussex’s Christmas Hats

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While we’re not going to see the Duchess of Sussex on Christmas Day this year (she, the Duke and young Archie are reportedly spending the holidays with her mother in California), Meghan has made two Christmas Day appearances with the royal family so far:

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Copper brown felt brimless design with side twist by Philip Treacy in 2017;
Black felt beret percher with crin bow and navy feathers by Awon Golding in 2018

I’ve always admired Meghan’s first Christmas Day hat- it’s such a bold shape for her first public hatted event and the colour was wonderful against her complexion. I’m not brave enough to carry off a hat such as this and I so admire that she did.

Photos from Getty as indicated

Top Royal Hats: June 2019

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Despite stiff competition (and one victory by very close margin), results for favourite new design and favourite repeated hat worn in are in. For the first time on Royal Hats, the two winners were worn to the same event- the Order of the Garter Service held at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle:


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Duchess of Wessex’s cutout straw saucer with tan organdie twists and coral feathers by Jane Taylor worn June 17 



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Queen Máxima’s dusky pink vertical saucer with silk flowers and pheasant feathers worn June 17

Jump over to the poll for favourite new hat here and the repeated hat poll here to see the results in greater detail.  
Photos from Getty as indicated

Duchess of Cornwall’s Christmas Hats

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Over the next six weeks, we’re going to fill quiet days with a series that takes us back through royal hats worn on Christmas Day. Today, we start with the Duchess of Cornwall:

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Navy felt crown and straw brimmed hat with blue moire silk tafetta brim binding & hatband with statement flower in 2005; Leopard print felt beret with feather pinwheel trim in 2006, both by Philip Treacy

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Black straw sidwsweep with velvet hatband and flying bow in 2007; Navy blue felt beret percher with silk rose in 2008, both by Philip Treacy

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Dark blue faux fur papakha in 2009 and its chocolate twin in 2010, both by Philip Treacy

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A slouchy wool Lock & Co hat with faux fur cuff brim in 2011

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Flat crowned designs in jewel tones from Philip Treacy- purple in 2012 and navy in 2013

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Dramatic black felt upsweep with wide ribbon binding by Philip Treacy in 20015 and 2016


Red wool hat with ruched crown and faux fur cuff brim from Lock and Co in 2017

I thought there would be more repeated designs in this group, and I’m also surprised by how Camilla’s hats have become more streamlined over the past decade- those early hats make major statements! What do you think of this millinery progression, dearest readers?

Photos from Tim Rooke/REX/Shutterstock; and Getty as indicated