Queen Elizabeth Attends Races

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Queen Elizabeth was spotted today enjoying Champions Day at Ascot Racecourse in her repeated royal blue silk cloque fabric covered hat with flared crown, slim hatband and downward sloped brim with kettle edge wrapped in black faux fur.

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There’s still much to like about this design, beginning with its brilliant colour and contrast. Interestingly, the first two outings of this ensemble included a blue and white floral printed dress that was replaced today by an unprinted on in just barely a shade darker royal blue than the hat and coat. The resulting look is more streamlined and increases the impact of the faux fur trim, which works so well for an autumn or winter look.

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Designer: Angela Kelly made by Stella McLaren
Previously Worn: Feb 22, 2019;  March 29, 2018

What do you think- does this hat pair better with the floral dress or this solid blue one?

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Images from Getty as indicated  

Opening of Welsh Parliament

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Queen Elizabeth, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall were in Cardiff this morning to attend the opening ceremony of the sixth session of the Senedd.

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For this occasion, the Queen repeated her dusty pink cashmere covered hat with domed crown and downward facing brim, trimmed with layered black and pink hatbands and a side spray of handmade silk flowers.

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It’s amazing how much visual impact that slim black pinstripe of hatband brings to this design (along with the black buttons on the coat), adding punchy contrast amidst all the dusky pink. It’s another take on the stovepipe silhouette we often see on Her Majesty’s hats, this one set apart by the extended brim which is beautifully balanced by that slight dome on the top of the crown.

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Designer: Rachel Trevor Morgan. Cashmere coat and silk dress by Stewart Parvin.
Previously Worn: Oct 15, 2020;  Mar 13, 2019; Mar 27, 2018

The Duchess of Cornwall wore a new beret percher hat in red felt trimmed with a side spray of monochrome felt leaves and berries.

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The colour nod to the red Welsh dragon is a lovely touch and the different textures on hat and coat dress (note the tassels at the the back!) make the monochrome look work. This is a case when a large brimmed hat in the same colour would likely have been too much and while beret shapes are a secondary go-to silhouette for Camilla, the shape and scale of the fantastic trim on this design  make a striking, stand-alone statement.

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Designer: Philip Treacy. Coat by Fiona Clare.
Previously Worn: This hat is new

What do you think of this pair of hats today in Cardiff?

Images from Getty as indicated  

Queen & Princess Royal Mark Legion’s Centenary

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Queen Elizabeth and the Princess Royal attended a service of Thanksgiving yesterday at Westminster Abbey to mark the centenary of The Royal British Legion. For the occasion, the Queen wore a new royal blue hat.

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Covered in the same brushed alpaca as her coat, the hat roughly follows a stovepipe shape with angular, sloped crown and downturned brim. The hat is trimmed with a folded hatband in the same fabric (adore the way it flares around the higher side of the crown) and a spray of blue and ivory silk flowers surrounded by navy leaves.

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The angular crown pairs so well with the sharp points on the coat’s collar and I like how the patterned brass buttons add a bit of lift, contrast and sparkle to the ensemble while linking to the yellow stamens on the hat. Yes, we’ve seen this hat shape on Her Majesty before but in this most royal of shades of blue, it’s a lovely addition to her wardrobe.

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Designer: Rachel Trevor Morgan. Coat by Stewart Parvin.
Previously Worn: This hat is new

Princess Anne repeated her deep purple felt fedora with deeply creased crown and extended brim, trimmed with a twisted bow and curling feathers on the side. The scale and colour of the hat remain so good for her, even as it remains out of balance with the supersized 70s lapels on her coat.

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Designer: Amy Morris-Adams
Previously Worn: Dec 25, 2019; Dec 30, 2018; Aug 26, 2018; March 16, 2018  

What do you think of this pair of jewel-toned hats yesterday in London?

Images from Getty as indicated  

Opening of Norwegian Parliament

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King Harald, Queen Sonja and Crown Prince Haakon attended the opening of Norwegian parliament yesterday in Oslo.

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Queen Sonja repeated a black cloche hat with wide hatband and flat side bow.

Designer: 
Previously Worn: Oct 2, 2018; Dec 25, 2010; Aug 6, 2010;

I love a black and white dress code but am not sure the shape of a cloche crown suits Queen Sonja best. What do you think?

Images from Getty and social media as indicated  

This Week’s Extras

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Queen Margrethe repeated her spotted grey sealskin bumper hat in Greenland this week
Many thanks to reader Molly, who shared this documentary (register to watch for free) on “The Hats of Jerusalem” hosted by the George Washington Museum’s textiles department.
On Tuesday, Princess Akiko of Mikasa attended the 19th National Self-Defense Forces Award Ceremony in a grey hat with mushroom brim and bow.

 

On Thursday, Princess Hisako opened a home exhibition in a hat with pale pistachio textured crown and jauntily upturned short brim. On Friday, she attended a photography exhibition in a charming beret design embellished with monochrome leaves

The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:
Amazing lace trimmed headpiece by Australian sculptural milliner Brett Morley
Striking vine headpiece of black feather flowers by Australian milliner Rachel Henry
Deep eggplant teardrop beret with purple and gold crin trim by US milliner Maria Etkind
The prettiest wrapped pillbox with flying bow in peach crin by Australian milliner Jill Humphries
Vibrant halo bandeau with burnt feather trim by Canadian milliner Jay Cheng
Striking colour blocked fedora in emerald and fuchsia by Russian milliner Lia Gureeva
Adore the embroidery and floral trim on this duck egg blue bandeau by Australian milliner Reny Kestel

Raspberry straw boater with triple layered brim and burnt feathers by Australian brand Amelda Millinery
Woven blue teardrop beret with the loveliest monochrome floral trim by British milliner Karen Geraghty
Love the texture on this woven blue straw newsboy cap by Dutch milliner Josemieke Crebolder
Beautiful quilled straw halo bandeau headpieces by Australian milliner Lisette Margini
Acid green striped mohair bucket hat by French milliner Anthony Peto
Fantastic texture & shine on this woven bandeau with metallic flowers by Australian milliner Kylie Heagney
Blown away by this Meissen porcelain-inspired headpiece by British milliner Rachel Trevor Morgan

 

We begin a new week with another lovely landscape photo from James Ogilvy

Images from social media as indicated