Category Archives: Announcements, Extras & Millinery News

Countess of Wessex’s Order Of The Garter Hats

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With the annual Order of The Garter service cancelled today at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, let’s take this opportunity to look back at all the hats the Countess of Wessex has worn to this event in the past:

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Cream straw angular shaped Philip Treacy hats with feather trim in 2002 and 2006

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Wide blue saucer with bow in 2008 and lime straw percher with roses and burnt feathers in 2009, both by Philip Treacy

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White vertical straw saucer with black feathers in 2010 and repeated lime percher in 2011, both by Philip Treacy

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Tawny pink straw saucer with rose in 2012 and navy & silver waved disc with feathers in 2013, both by Jane Taylor

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Lace percher with palest pink rose & feathers in 2014; Black felt percher with silk abaca bow in 2015, both by Jane Taylor

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Black windowpane straw percher saucer with black feathers by Jane Taylor in 2016 

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Almond straw mushroom brimmed hat with ecru and black curling feathers in 2018; Natural woven straw saucer with coral feathers and tan organdie twists in 2019, both by Jane Taylor

Retrospectives such as this remind me that the Countess’ wonderful collaboration with British milliner Jane Taylor has been happening for less than a decade. While I appreciate the bold hat shapes and styles Sophie sported through the early 2000s for their bravery, I think she’s hit her stride in Jane Taylor’s designs.

What do you notice about Sophie’s hats at this event over the past 21 years?

Photos by Getty as indicated

This Week’s Extras

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Little Princess Gabriella of Monaco in a sweet red hair bow yesterday to launch the 2020 virtual 24-hour LeMans race with her parents and brother
A record number of new millinery designs caught my eye this week so pour yourself a cuppa and settle in (all featured rainbow designs are part of the Royal Ascot Charity Auction):
From British milliner Jane Taylor, a white straw classic Dior brimmed hat with pleated crin rainbow ruffles  
From John Boyd Millinery, a black button percher with beautiful draped rainbow silk twist trim
Beautiful crown shape on this Panama straw fedora with red floral hatband by Italian brand Borsalino
Twist trimmed straw boater in the most perfect shade of green by British brand Catherine Walker
Proving that open-crowned hats can be incredibly chic is Russian milliner Lia Gureeva with this blue straw design
Delicious curves on this ecru straw sidesweep picture hat with orange feather trim by British milliner Siana Yewdall
Natural straw textured stovepipe with trio of teal silk flowers from French milliner Anthony Peto
A white straw button percher with ethereal swirling rainbow quills by British milliner Awon Golding 
Creative folded rainbow pinwheel percher from British millinery brand The Season Hats
Blush straw sweeping picture hat with bow by London-based brand Joaquina Pereira Millinery
Black straw boater with teal flying bow and multicoloured binding by British milliner Inna Walker
Palest blue straw fedora with striped hatband and pink side bow by American brand Formé Millinery
Rose gold straw percher with apricot rose and butterflies by British brand Marvellous Millinery
Striking hat with double, black and white square open brims by British brand Ana Bella Millinery
From British milliner Sally-Ann Provan, a textured white straw saucer with cascade of rainbow blooms  

And finally, from British milliner Sarah Cant, a white straw button percher with exquisite rainbow ombre flying bow

 

Baroness Élisabeth-Anne Taubert de Massy passed away on Wednesday. Her funeral will be held next week. Read short articles about her in Point de Vue and Monaco Daily News.
Crown Princess Mette-Marit shared an adventure trying out ceramics. How many of you have taken up a new (or rediscovered an old) hobby during this time?

So lovely to see Princess Beatrix at the opening of a playground in Baarn on Wednesday.

Also lovely to see Queen Elizabeth and Princess Anne, who joined a call to recognize the work of unpaid carers.
We end this week with this charming photo released by Buckingham Palace in honour of the Duke of Edinburgh’s 99th birthday.
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Photos from social media as indicated

Duchess of Cambridge’s Trooping The Colour Hats

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Tomorrow’s Trooping the Colour will be a scaled-back event at Windsor Castle with just the Queen in attendance. As we remember the pomp and pageantry of Trooping The Colours past (and future!), here’s a look back at all the hats we’ve seen the Duchess of Cambridge wear to this event:

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Black windowpane straw upsweep by Lock & Co. in 2011; Palest blue-grey Jane Corbett percher in 2012

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Pink straw Jane Corbett sidesweep with white lace trim in 2013; Grey straw percher with lace trim by Jane Taylor in 2014

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White straw Lock & Co. curved rim percher in 2015; White straw Philip Treacy saucer with pink flowers in 2016

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Pink straw percher with triple crin ruffle by Jane Taylor in 2017; Pale aqua straw Juliette Botterill saucer in 2018;
Pale yellow Philip Treacy waved disc with silk flowers and twists in 2019

While it’s not the most vibrant group of hats we’ve seen (especially after this week’s discussion question!), I’m impressively surprised by the diverse variety of shapes. I think there’s a misconception floating around that Kate mostly wears smaller percher designs, something we see here is not the case.

What do you notice about this group of the Duchess’ hats?

Photos from Getty as indicated

Most Colours?

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I was so inspired yesterday by the beautiful rainbow hats designed and donated for the Royal Ascot Charity Auction, this week’s discussion just had to be, dearest readers: which royal hat (or royal hat and clothing combination) is most colourful? Each hat or hatted ensemble you post MUST have at least 4 distinct colours!

Bring on the rainbows!

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Photo from Getty as indicated

This Week’s Extras

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Swedish royals in traditional costume for their nation’s holiday today. They also released a darling photo of Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar, and Princess Madeleine weighed in with her children from Florida.


The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:
Black windowpane straw wide brimmed hat with silk abaca, quills and rose by London-based Joaquina Pereira
Incredible texture on this ivory and aqua braided boater hat from British milliner Vivien Sheriff
Denim blue and black felt fedora with hand stitched detail from Australian milliner Jill Humphries
The prettiest grey swirling brim design with roses by British milliner Lucy Bowler
Casual (but impeccable!) natural straw trilby with rope hatband from Czech milliner Jolana Kotabova
From London-based milliner Merve Bayindir, this wide brimmed blue straw picture hat with rectangular sequins

Periwinkle and dark raspberry felt fedora from Russian milliner Lana Anisimova
Classic navy and cream Dior brimmed beauty by British milliner Rose Collins
Wonderful headpiece of blue silk flowers by Australian milliner Felicity Northeast
Blush pink parasisal pyramid with irredescent butterflies by British milliner Julian Garner
Charming blue bandeau with white bow, feathers and dotted blue veil by French milliner Béatrice de Beauvoir
Incredibly fine stitching detail on this silver silk pillox hat from British brand Fraser Annand Millinery

Lovely fedoras in neutral blush, grey and taupe with crisp eggshell hatbands by British brand SB Millinery
Black silk bandeau with silk and tulle pleated trim by Australian milliner Meg Rafter
Cream straw vertical saucer with pink hydrangeas by British brand Rebecca Couture
Grey felt trilby with wide, geometric printed hatband by London-based Sahar Millinery
Fuchsia lace headpiece with green quills by Australian milliner Neil Grigg
Striking black straw pyramid hat with feather trimmed brim by British milliner Awon Golding for Lock and Co.

Lovely photos of the Bhutan royal family with their newest member
Compelling statement from Princess Martha Louise.
And eloquent words from the Duchess of Sussex to young women graduating from her high school in Los Angeles.

Photos from social media as indicated