Hat From the Past

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Royal Hats again to 1948 and Queen Juliana’s inauguration- in yesterday’s post, I neglected to include the fantastic jeweled Juliet cap she wore for the inauguration ceremony (thanks, Jimbo, for the excellent video, which I’ve posted below, that gives a great view of this hat).

The Juliet cap was decorated with a central diamond star edged in pears surrounded by four smaller diamond stars and a smattering of pearls and rublies, gemstones all taken from the Dutch royal family’s jewelry collection.

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The Royal Court Jeweller details other jewels that completed Queen Juliana’s inaugural look. “She paired the necklace from the Ruby Peacock Parure (borrowed from Wilhelmina) with the ruby cluster drop earrings and large ruby and diamond stomacher from the Mellerio Ruby Parure. A ruby and diamond bracelet from her mother’s collection completed her jewelry.”

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We’ve talked before about other sparkling royal hats but I think this one, with a restrained (but still very sparkling!) gravitas that reflects the solemnity of such an occasion, very fittingly takes the cake.

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What do you think of this jeweled royal hat from the past?

Photo from Getty as indicated; Hulton-Deutsch/Hulton-Deutsch Collection/Corbis via Getty Images

Hats From the Past

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Royal Hats to this day in 1948, 72 years ago when Dutch Queen Wilhelmina passed the throne to her daughter Juliana. The Dutch royal family (see future Queen Beatrix on the left) appeared on the balcony of the Royal Palace in Amsterdam following the abdication, Princess Wilhelmina in a feather trimmed cloche hat and the new Queen Juliana in a floral turban.

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Two days later, this pair of Queens would take to the balcony again following Queen Juliana’s inauguration, Juliana in a jaunty, tall, veiled pillbox and Princess Wilhelmina in what looks below to be a flat beret-newsboy cap hybrid with satin floral trim but was actually a short brimmed hat.

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Photos from Getty as indicated

Norwegian Royal Wedding, 52 Years On

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Anniversary
King Harald and Queen Sonja of Norway celebrated 52 years of marriage on Saturday.

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The couple married on August 29, 1968 at Oslo Domkirke following a nine-year courtship that began serendipitously when, several months after her father’s death, Sonja Heraldsen was convinced, by her mother, to attend a June 1959 party also attended by the Crown prince.  Despite the couple being photographed several months later at his graduation from the Norwegian Military Academy, they had to overcome strong pressure for Crown Prince Harald to marry a foreign princess instead of a commoner trained as a dressmaker and tailor. But overcome they did (reportedly, after Harald, the sole heir, gave an ultimatum to his father that it was Sonja or no one!) and consent was granted to their union in 1968. King Olav V added his own support to the marriage by offering to escort Sonja down the aisle.

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Sonja’s training as a dressmaker in Norway and France and work in her late father’s clothing store undoubtedly gave her greater understanding of fashion than most royal brides. She collaborated with Sigrid Vedeler from Norwegian fashion house Molstad for her gown.

The resulting gown followed a silhouette popular in the late 1960s- high neck, three quarter sleeves, slight empire waist and A-line skirt- made of structured silk zibeline that crisply emphasized the design’s clean lines and beautifully held its shape. The gown was simply embellished with pearl embroidery on the funnel neck and on bands at the sleeves.

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A sweeping, square edged train attached at the shoulders.

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The gown was topped with a voluminous silk organza full length veil anchored by a spiky white faux floral headpiece. To balance the headpiece, Sonja’s only other accessories were simple pearl stud earrings. Her all white bouquet, made by legendary retired decorator Fernando Menk, included orchids, roses, lily of the valley and Sonja’s favorite flower, freesia.

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With guests in gowns and tiaras, the wedding was a glittering affair.

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I have always loved this bridal look for its sweeping lines and streamlined aesthetic. What are your thoughts, 52 years on?

Photos from Getty as indicated 

Monday Multiples: Duchess of Cambridge

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In the Duchess of Cambridge’s wardrobe is an elegantly tailored grey raw silk coat with hand beaded cuff and waist detail. Kate has paired this design, the “Buxton” by British designer Katherine Hooker, with two neutral hued hats:

Look #1: With a grey straw Rachel Trevor Morgan designed saucer with starburst overlay, straw multi-looped bow and curled feathers and a grey silk cowl necked dress worn June 13, 2011 to the Order of the Garter

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Look #2: With a Whiteley cappuccino parasisal beret percher with twist trim and a Jenny Packham floral dress worn June 9, 2012 for the marriage of Emily McCorquodale, one of William’s Spencer cousins

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Which hat do you prefer most with this coat ?

Photos from Getty as indicated 

This Week’s Extras

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Lady Gabriella Kingston in a coral straw summery hat last weekend to debut singles from her first album

Leah Behn was confirmed yesterday at Jar church, in a traditional Norwegian folk ‘bunad’, with her extended family in attendance
We missed a smart black hat on Princess Nobuko back in January (love that jaunty brim curve!)
The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:
Wonderful pink straw top hat with silk bound brim, ruched hatband and veil trim by Dutch milliner Wies Mauduit
White leather hugger percher studded with organza flowers by Australian milliner Jill Humphries
Jade, royal blue and turquoise silk abaca and crin bandeau headpiece by Australian milliner Melanie Atherinos
Raspberry straw bergère hat with silk ranunculus and ribbon ties by French brand Rose Cherie
Halo headpiece with fantastic ombre straw orchid by French milliner Sylvia Martinez

Chic variation on a newsboy cap in textured straw by Canadian milliner Jay Cheng
Red acrylic brimmed boater with metallic blooms by Australian brand Jettah & Till Design Millinery
Lovely lines on this royal blue felt brimless design by Belarussian milliner Olga Lumiere
Charming colour scheme on this charcoal and blush felt cloche by Austrian milliner Nadia Grubelnik
A classic black and white picture hat with great proportions by Dutch milliner Berry Rutjes
Fantastically vibrant feather trim on this jaunty number in purple velour felt by German brand Malinè

Wee Prince Gabriel of Sweden celebrated his third birthday with a visit to the Säterdalen nature reserve with his parents to inaugurate parts of if which were, as part of his Dalarna Duchy, gifted to him for his christening in December 2017gift he received in connection with his christening in December 2017

Photos from social media as indicated