This Week’s Extras

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There were some tech issues with a post covering ten hats worn to the Imperial garden party- read it here if you missed it!
Back on April 16, Princess Hisako wore an elegant grey veiled hat for a visit to a Buddist temple

Princess Yoko repeated a white silk bowler hat last Monday at Yasukuni Shrine

Princess Aiko wore a black silk covered bumper hat with back bow for a visit to the mausoleum of Emperor Showa at Musashi Imperial Graveyard on Thursday

Officially, this counts as a hat, right?!

The Royal Ascot countdown is on!

 

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Images from social media as indicated 















Koningsdag 2024

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The Dutch royal family were in Emmen today to celebrate the king’s birthday and eleventh anniversary on the throne.

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Queen Máxima wore a design described by the milliner as, “a custom headpiece made of silk and feather butterflies by Berry Rutjes during the royal family’s visit to the city of Emmen for King’s Day. The butterfly is a symbol of the city, because of the butterfly garden. Of course she knows how to wear it like no other.“

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The effervescence of this design suits both its wearer and the informal occasion while retaining an elegant sophistication that isn’t costumey. The overall look is balanced, the lace skirt on the dress a great counterpoint for a head full of swirling butterflies. Yes, a wide brimmed hat could have done the same, but the butterflies are fantastically fun.

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Milliner: Berry Rutjes. Dress by Natan. 
Previously Worn: This headpiece is new. 

Princess Amalia followed the butterfly brief, adapting a pair of her mother’s gold brooches by Argentinian jeweller Celedonio into hairclips.

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Princess Ariane tied her hair back with an ecru velvet ribbon.

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Thoughts about today’s butterflies in Emmen?!

Images from Getty as indicated 

Dutch Queen Holds Onto Her Hats

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Queen Máxima attended the 10th anniversary of Foundation Language at Sea (Taal aan Zee) that offers Dutch language lessons for foreign-speaking women, refugees and asylum seekers yesterday in The Hague.

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For this event, she repeated her olivey-avocado hued green felt hat with flat crown and wide, cartwheel brim trimmed with Petersham ribbon brim binding, hatband, and back bow.

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We’ve previously seen this hat and dress worn with a houndstooth coat, but the ensemble works so much better without it, the slightly different shades of green working more harmoniously, especially in indoor lighting. Yes, the colour is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea but it’s unexpected, brave, bold and just plain interesting. What stands out more, however, is the brim shape, elongated in the front and gently curved downward at the back. It’s subtle but really great.

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We’ve talked in the past about Queen Máxima’s large hat pins…  pins she might have wished she’d employed on this day!

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Milliner: Fabienne Delvigne
Previously Worn: Dec 14, 2018; Nov 22, 2018; May 23, 2018

Today, the Dutch queen braved windy conditions again, attending the opening of A Beautiful Mess restaurant, a social and vocational support enterprise for refugees in Amsterdam.

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For this visit, she repeated her red felt Garbo hat trimmed with slim leather hatband. It’s a more casual piece that seems to have suited this event well; beyond casual, the unfinished edges of both the felt brim and the leather hatband and the floppy brim (the back brim falls back sharply unlike the beautiful curve in the hat above) just don’t read handmade or couture. I want to see royal hats finished and trimmed with greater technique and finesse.

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Milliner: Fabienne Delvigne
Previously Worn: Dec 1, 2016; October 14, 2014; November 8, 2013

Thoughts on these two vibrant hats on the Dutch queen?

Images from Getty as indicated  

Finnish State Visit To Sweden

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On Thursday, the Swedish king and queen welcomed the President of Finland, Alexander Stubb, and Mrs. Suzanne Innes-Stubb on a state visit. For this welcome and first day of events, Queen Silvia repeated a pink jacquard covered circular headpiece with open crown.

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Milliner: unknown
Previously Worn: May 22, 2017; May 27, 2016

Crown Princess Victoria wore a custom bandeau headpiece with ends that extend, curling around the back of her head. One side has a sequinned felt and feather that tucked behind her right ear. See a picture of the headpiece here.

Milliner: Tim Mårtenson “Feather Headband”. Dress by Pär Engsheden
Previously Worn: This headpiece is new

Princess Sofia repeated a black velvet bandeau with knotted bow.

Milliner: Eivy Flodin. Dress by Andiata
Previously Worn: Sep 25, 20188; May 11, 2017

Thoughts?

Images from Getty as indicated  

Spring Imperial Garden Party

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On Tuesday, the Imperial royal family attended the spring garden party at the Akasaka Palace imperial garden in Tokyo.

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The Empress repeated a white hat with slightly wider brim that we often see her wear, simply trimmed with a wide hatband in the same pale blue silk as her suit.

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Milliner: unknown
Previously Worn: Jun 19, 2023

Princess Aiko wore a pale pink hat with upturned Breton style brim, trimmed with a wide ruched silk hatband in a slightly lighter shade knotted at the back.

Milliner: unknown
Previously Worn: I believe this hat is new

Crown Princess Kiko topped a pale yellow jacquard silk suit with a brimmed hat covered in the same fabric. The design features a flat crown and upturned, kettle brim with a wide hatband and spray of soft feathers on one side.

Milliner: unknown
Previously Worn: I believe this hat isnew

Princess Kako wore a white silk covered bumper hat trimmed with peach silk ranunculus blooms on one side.

Milliner: unknown
Previously Worn: I believe this hat isnew

Princess Hanako of Hitachi topped a pale acqua suit (with beautiful ruched diamond cutouts!) with a white brimmed hat with aqua brim binding and hatband, trimmed with a spray of spring flowers on the side.

Milliner: unknown
Previously Worn: I believe this hat is new

Princess Nobuko topped a floral pink dress with a beige hat with wide, domed crown and waved brim wrapped in pink silk flowers.

Milliner: unknown
Previously Worn: I believe this hat is new

Princess Akiko wore a chic white hat with trilby-style upturned brim at the back, trimmed with a pale aqua hatband and side bow to match her suit.

 

Milliner: unknown
Previously Worn: Sep 29, 2022

Princess Yoko topped her lilac-grey suit with a matching hat with short, upturned brim with ruffled edge.

  

Milliner: unknown
Previously Worn: I believe this hat is new

Princess Hisako wore a royal blue silk saucer hat with elevated back, trimmed in slim bow tails and a white feather. Princess Tsuguko topped her silver shantung silk coat with a matching grey hat. I love how the pink lining on the collar of her coat is repeated in the hat’s trim, layered pink and grey hatbands, a grey bow and side spray of pink feathers. The brim’s upturn around the back also adds a lovely lift to the design.

Thoughts about this parade of Imperial royal hats?

Images from The Asahi Shimbun; Getty and social media as indicated. Special thanks to Prisma!