Category Archives: Hanover

Monaco Royal Wedding in Italy: Family and Royal Guests

Posted on by

Royal HatsThis weekend’s lavish religious wedding of Pierre Casiraghi and Beatrice Borromeo saw a number of hats worn by family members and royal guests. For the religious ceremony on Saturday morning, the groom’s mother, Princess Caroline, wore a flat-crowned white picture hat. The brim of the dramatic hat was heavily wrapped in a swirling tempest of navy silk tulle and trimmed with navy and white feather poufs on one side. While the hat is a haute couture piece, I’m struggling to find it either flattering or attractive. It’s a signature piece that seems at odds with Caroline’s ornately beaded tunic, also from Chanel.

Princess Caroline, August 1, 2015 | Royal Hats  Princess Caroline, August 1, 2015 | Royal Hats

Princess Caroline, August 1, 2015 | Royal Hats  Princess Caroline, August 1, 2015 | Royal Hats

You can get a better sense of this hat in the short video clip below. Jump over here for a view of Princess Caroline’s pre-wedding dinner outfit and here for a view of her gown (and optional Can-can sleeves) at the post-wedding reception.

Designer: Chanel SS 2015 Haute Couture Collection
Previously Worn: this hat is new

Charlotte Casiraghi did not wear a hat at any of the wedding festivities (jump over to her outfits at the pre-wedding dinner here, the religious ceremony here and her wonderful Gucci gown for the reception here). Princess Alexandra of Hannover, who appears to have been a bridesmaid at the religious ceremony, topped her simple silk gown with a wreath of flowers in her hair.

Princess Alexandra, August 1, 2015 | Royal Hats

Alexandra’s outfits at the other two events can be seen here and here. The outfits worn by Tatiana Santo Domingo can be seen here, here and here and those by Princess Stephanie and her daughters here, here, here and here.

While the bride’s mother Paola Marzotto did not wear any hats (see her frocks here and here), her sister-in-law Italian fashion designer Marta Ferri wore two vibrant floral headpieces made by Piers Atkinson- red for the pre-wedding dinner and yellow for the religious ceremony. Marta’s infant son (whose father is Beatrice’s brother Carlo, below left), was also spotted in a wee straw hat.

 Marta Ferri, July 31, 2015 in Piers Atkinson | Royal Hats  Marta Ferri, August 1, 2015 in Piers Atkinson | Royal Hats

Marta Ferri, August 1, 2015 in Piers Atkinson | Royal Hats

Crown Princess Mette-Marit or Norway continued her love of headbands with one worn to each of the three wedding events. While I appreciate her use of head adornment at this hat-scarce wedding, the pieces look rather twee when paired with her trio of floral and lace prairie dresses. The pink piece, worn with a Valentino gown, has the air of a Kokoshnik tiara that intrigues me but I’m afraid in reality, it might be a twin to the first piece, which looks like a string of mini pita pockets.

Princess Mette-Marit, July 31, 2015 | Royal Hats  Princess Mette-Marit, August 1, 2015 | Royal Hats  Princess Mette-Marit, August 1, 2015 | Royal Hats

Luxarazzi has photos of Prince Félix and Princess Claire of Luxembourg and Princess Maria-Anunciata of Liechtenstein who attended, sadly all without hats. I’m afraid, dear readers, that this wedding won’t be remembered for its millinery and that the review here is rather paltry. Of the hats and headpieces we did see at these nuptials, did any stand out to you?

Photos from Robino Salvatore via Getty; Walter Gatti/Pat/Splash News, Walter Gatti/Pat/Splash News, Walter Gatti/Pat/Splash News, Gigi Iorio/Splash News, and Splash News via Corbis; JacopoR/PierreS/GC Images via Getty; Marta Ferri; AFP via Getty; and Stella Pictures

Monaco Inauguration Mass, Ten Years On

Posted on by

Ten years ago today, the first part of Prince Albert’s inauguration as reining monarch of Monaco took place. While the pomp and circumstance would happen several months later during Monaco’s national holiday, July 12, 2005 saw the Monaco royal family attend a morning dedication mass at Saint Nicholas Cathedral. This inauguration mass formally marked the beginning of Prince Albert’s reign.

For this event, Princess Caroline topped her Chanel tweed coat dress with a large black picture hat, also by the couture fashion house. The flat crowned hat with wide brim was memorably covered in black feathers, leaving a swirling vortex of spiky texture on the top of the hat. It is not an overtly attractive hat but, as is most haute couture, it is most interesting to behold.

To my knowledge, Caroline has not repeated this hat in the ten years since she first wore it at this event (it clearly can not be paired with just anything and I suspect it was custom made for this dress). What do you think of this unusual piece? Has a decade done anything to diminish its fashion relevance?
HRH Prince Albert II of Monaco - Official Coronation Picture
Photos from Getty as indicated and Stephane Cardinale/People Avenue/Corbis

Royal Christening in Monaco

Posted on by

Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco brought their twins, Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques, to the Cathédrale de Monaco yesterday to be christened.

Princess Charlene, May 10, 2015 in Dior | Royal Hats

For this special event, Princess Charlene wore a silk crepe dress in palest aqua topped with a textured straw pillbox hat in the same shade.

I think a pillbox shape was a great idea for Charlene today as there was no brim to obscure the view of her animated face or be pulled askew by little hands. A pillbox is also a very natural choice to compliment the streamlined silhouette of her 1950’s inspired dress.

I’m afraid, however, this pillbox is less of a ‘box’ and more of a pancake. The odd proportion of this hat/pancake dictated its vertical placement on the back of Princess Charlene’s head- a placement I just can’t get behind. While her dress, pearl earrings, sleek hairstyle and megawatt smile were all flawless, I think the hat needed another inch or two of height to really work.

Princess Charlene, May 10, 2015 in Dior | Royal Hats

Designer: Stephen Jones Millinery. Dress by Dior Couture. 
Previously Worn: This hat is new
The stars of the event arrived in custom Dior gowns with pin-tucking and Calais lace trim. Each gown was topped with a Calais lace-edged apron embroidered with tiny vegetables and the child’s monogram. Prince Jacques (pictured below) and Princess Gabriella also wore coordinating pin-tucked bonnets, which were removed during the service.

Prince jacques, May 10, 2015 | Royal Hats

Designer: Baby Dior
Princess Caroline of Hanover and Monaco wore a large purple raffia picture hat with square crown and relaxed brim which was folded up in the front. A  handmade and fair trade item, this easygoing hat looked effortlessly chic on the elegant princess.

Designer: The Madagascar Hat Company.
Previously Worn: This believe this hat is new
Beatrice Borromeo, who will join the Monaco royal family this summer when she weds Pierre Casiraghi, wore an exquisite cream picture hat with a short, domed crown and a wide cartwheel brim. The unembellished hat gained all of its ‘wow’ factor from the sweeping shape and different textures of straw on the crown and brim, proving again that a royal hat doesn’t always need huge blooms or plumes to make a grand statement. It was my favourite hat of the day.

Embed from Getty Images
Beatrice Boromeo, May 10, 2015 | Royal Hats
Designer: unknown. It is similar to several hats in Philip Treacy’s SS 2015 collection
Previously Worn: This believe this hat is new
Princess Charlene’s mother, Lynnette Wittstock, topped her demure oyster suit with a cream cocktail hat. The straw pillbox base of this piece supported a large waved circle of striped crin which was further trimmed by a large silk rose and cream feathers.

Lynette Wittstock, May 10, 2015 | Royal Hats

 Princess Charlene’s sister-in-law Chantell Witstock (below left) also wore a cream percher hat with large silk flower trim and feathers while her brother Gareth’s partner Roisin Galvin wore a pale grey feathered headpiece.

Chantell Wittstock and Roisin Galvin, May 10, 2015 | Royal Hats

The only other royal guests who attended the christening were Prince Albert’s close friends, the Duke and Duchess of Castro, Prince Charles and Princess Camilla of Bourbon-Two-Sicilies. Princess Camilla, who can never be considered a wallflower when it comes to fashion, topped her electric blue and white checker board jacket with a coordinating cocktail hat. The blue-based hat was trimmed with a large spray of white silk flowers and three vertical feather spines dyed in the same electric blue as her ensemble. All I can say is that in the sea of pale-hued royal hats at this event, this getup certainly stands out.

You can watch the entire event below- I especially recommend five minutes starting at 1:53 after the service for some adorable interaction between the babies and a good view of Princess Charlene’s hat.

Which hats stood out to you at this very happy event?

Photos from Getty as indicated; Eric Gaillard / Reuters; and Monaco Info

Monaco Royals Celebrate National Day

Posted on by

The Monegasque Royal Family celebrated Monaco’s national holiday today with a traditional mass in the Cathedral of Monaco and balcony appearance at the palace.

Princess Charlene wore a new navy wool picture hat with wide brim. It was nice… but I thought it fell a little flat. I think some sort of large feather sweeping across the hat would have added the “little something” her outfit needed and lifted the austerity of the overall look.

Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

Princess Caroline wore a large black Garbo-style picture hat with slightly floppy brim. While this hat was also quite simple in design, the height of the crown, the shape of the brim and the ribbon around the crown created more visual interest than Charlene’s hat did. Granted, an impeccably tailored Chanel suit will make any hat look amazing!

Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images     

Princess Stephanie didn’t wear a hat… again. It seems her allergy to head wear is a chronic condition. She did, however, slick her hair back in a severe ponytail which was anchored by a scrunchie. To her credit, the scrunchie matched her coat… but it was a SCRUNCHIE and such things should simply not be seen in public on royal heads.

Charlotte Casiraghi did not attend this event (rumours are that her baby is due soon) and Princess Alexandra does not appear to have quite reached hat wearing age. Hopefully, we will see these two younger members of the family in fantastic hats at this event next year.UPDATE: video of this event caught a glimpse of Tatiana Santo Domingo. She looks to be wearing a simple black cloche hat trimmed with a wide ribbon.

Tatiana Santo Domingo, Nov. 19, 2011 | The Royal Hats Blog

Yesterday, this family unveiled a statue of their father, Prince Rainier, in the palace gardens. For this more somber event, Princess Caroline wore a small black cloche hat.

Princess Caroline, Nov. 18, 2011 | The Royal Hats Blog

Photos from Getty as indicated and AFP

Hat Wearing Occasions for us Non-Royals

Posted on by

 Reader Deb W. posted the following question earlier this summer: “What is someone who likes hats to do in our culture? I live in central Kentucky, where ladies who attend the Kentucky Derby go all out wearing hats, but that is ONE hat event in a year. The only other hat occasion I can think of might be a wedding. Is our culture so casual that hats aren’t appropriate?”

You raise a great, question, Deb. For an answer, I turned to Kathleen Lisson, author of the blog That’s A Pretty Hat. Kathleen loves hats and has integrated them beautifully into daily life- that’s what she writes about this on her blog. It’s a delightful read for anyone who loves hats. I passed your question on to Kathleen and here is her response:

I find that women in America must see hats as an every day accessory, not a special occasion accessory. As a hat lover, I had to train myself to not mind that I was the only person in a hat. Usually, I received many compliments on my outfit and hat, so people are not offended when they see a lady in a hat.I would encourage the reader to look around at 20-something men. They put a ballcap on and wear it everywhere!

My method for introducing someone to wearing hats is to first have them buy an everyday sort of hat – not a Kentucky Derby fantasy hat – in a neutral color that can match many of her outfits. Then, wear it to church on Sunday, visiting a museum and brunch with friends. As she becomes more used to being admired and complimented, she can expand to wearing it for shopping at the grocery store, going on a day trip, and taking a walk in the park.

The key to putting on the hat that first time is feeling confident, and for many, the key to confidence is having expert help in selecting the hat. I recommend that she go to a professional hat shop wearing an outfit that makes her feel pretty and try on all sorts of hats. A hat is a lot like a wedding dress – when you put on the right one, you will get all smiley and feel feminine inside!

Kathleen has a some helpful rules of thumb for hat wearing some of you might be interested to read. I think her advice to choose a neutral hat you feel comfortable with is an excellent idea. In this spirit, I thought it would be fun to look at some neutral royal hats that any of us could wear today. I have randomly put together 10 winter and summer hats (winter for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere and summer for our lucky friends in the Southern Hemisphere)- in the comments, let us know if will soon be winter or summer where you live, and which one of these royal hats you could see yourself actually. wearing this season. Feel free to include links to other royal hats not included here. Please tell us where you might wear this hat, and what you might pair it with. (NOTE- while I have not included hats worn by royal gentleman, I hope our male readers will join in this discussion with links to their favourite hats as well. Apologies, gentlemen- please join  our discussion as it is not complete without you!)

Wearable Autumn/Winter Royal Hats:

Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images  Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images

Wearable Summer Royal Hats:

 Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images  Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images

Photos from Getty as indicated