to this day in 1970, 50 years ago today, and a young Princess Anne in a rounded crown with sharply upturned brim, worn to Sydney University while on a visit to Australia. The hat was repeated for Ascot that year and the bottom photo, in colour, shows it to be white with a grass green hatband that coordinates with Anne’s white, black and green vibrantly printed frock.
Photos from Getty as indicated
thirty years to March 21, 1990 and a tour of Cameroon that saw Diana, Princess of Wales in a wide-brimmed pink straw picture hat with layered hatband and slightly pinched (like a safari hat!) crown by Philip Somerville.
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Embed from Getty Images
Photo from Getty as indicated
Thanks to Jimbo for providing the introduction and background research for this “Monday Multiples” series.
Jimbo’s Introduction: Today, we have two very different white hats with red trim, both paired with the same bold red coat. When traveling the globe, Queen Elizabeth “must be seen to be believed,” as she herself stated long ago. These hats were worn in Canada, Germany and Portugal and she certainly stood out well with this wonderful color combination.
Look #1: A white veiled pillbox by Ian Thomas trimmed with large red silk poppies on the back. First worn in Canada on September 24, 1984 and repeated in Berlin on May 27, 1987
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Look #2: White straw cloche with upturned, sidesweeping short brim piped in red binding, also trimmed with large red silk poppies, this time placed on the side. Worn March 27, 1985 on a state visit to Portugal
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Embed from Getty Images
What’s interesting here is that the first hat was repeated after the second one was introduced (not a common pattern) and both are trimmed by those distinctive red silk poppies! I can’t imagine the poppies were removed from one hat, placed on the other, then returned to the first, and it seems a bit peculiar to commission two white hats for this coat, both bedecked with the same trim. Puzzling indeed. I think, Jimbo, you have uncovered a millinery conundrum!
Which hat do you think paired best with this coat?
Photos from Getty as indicated
98 years ago today. The Prince of Wales was on a two-month tour of India and Japan and is photographed here meeting Lord Rawlinson, Commander-in-Chief of Indian Forces, in a very interesting military hat (even more interesting in combination with those plaid trousers!)
Photo from Getty as indicated
sixty years ago yesterday to a visit made by Princess Alexandra to the London Association for the Blind in Peckham. Her voluminous butter yellow velvet braided pillbox (with nearly the proportions of a turban!) is a fantastic style statement very much of the time, even though it seems a bit mumsy to current eyes for the young, single, stylish princess that she was. How fashion has changed!
Please share any Royal Hat related updates and conversation in the comments below.
Photo from Getty as indicated
to this day in 1997, 23 years ago. Princess Christina of Sweden attended the unveiling of a monument dedicated to Raoul Wallenberg in an ivory wool cloche with sidesweeping mini-brim and a mass of ivory looped bows on the side. I love it when a small hat in a neutral colour makes a strong statement, as this one did!
Please share any Royal Hat related updates and conversation in the comments below.
Photo from Getty as indicated
to another royal skating outing, this one in The Hague in 1917, 103 years ago. Queen Wilhelmina, in a fur hat and muff is at center left beside a young Princess Julianna.
Please share any Royal Hat related updates and conversation in the comments below.
Photo from Getty as indicated
