Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko arrived in Okinawa Tuesday for a short visit- likely their final to the city before the Emperor’s abdication next April- which was at the couple’s request to pay tribute to an area that saw much destruction during WWII. For their arrival, Empress Michiko wore a new hat.
In a predictable saucer shape, this silk covered hat features a gently domed center and underbrim in silver windowpane patterned crin (or light straw?) and is finished with a grey silk bow. The feature of note here is the underbrim- a lovely feature that lightens the otherwise lackluster hat.
Designer: unknown. Likely Akio Hirata Previously Worn: this hat is new
I suspect the Empress chose her go-to grey as the first day of this visit included a stop at Okinawa Peace Memorial Hall. Grey is a good choice for memorial events although I’ll forever wish to see Empress Michiko in brighter colours.
Thanks, everyone, for holding down the fort over the past two weeks! I appreciate being able to step away from Royal Hats from time to time and leave it in your very capable hands. Thank you! Here are all the hats that were worn while I was away:
Friday, February 23: Princess Hisako attended the opening of the “Velázquez and the Celebration of Painting: The Golden Age in the Museo Del Prado” exhibition at the National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo. She wore a new large navy felt saucer hat trimmed with what looks like white silk flowers on the side.
Designer: unknown Previously Worn: I believe this hat is new
Monday: February 26: Princess Kiko in a white bowler hat with ruched blue hatband to send off the Japanese national Paralympic team for Winter Olympic Games
Designer: unknown Previously Worn: I suspect the hatband is a new addition to a previously worn hat
Monday, February 26:Queen Máxima and Princess Amalia in cozy ski hats for a photocall during their annual ski holiday in Lech, Austria
Tuesday, March 6: Queen Elizabeth visited the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for its 70th anniversary in her repeated royal purple felt hat with square crown, upfolded kettle brim and dark purple velvet hatband, trimmed with silk irises and velvet leaves.
Wednesday, March 7: Empress Michiko repeated her small rimmed pale blue-grey saucer trimmed with a multi-looped silk bow for the 70th anniversary ceremony of the municipal fire-fighting system at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Sumida, Tokyo.
Wednesday, March 7:Queen Máxima repeated her burgundy velvet calot swathed in black net veil to open the World Horti center, an international knowledge and innovation center for greenhouse horticulture in Naaldwijk
Designer: Fabienne Delvigne Previously Worn: Nov 29, 2016
Thursday, March 8: The Duke of Edinburgh in his well worn Panama hat for a carriage drive at Windsor Castle
It has been a very quiet two weeks of royal hats- something that will change next week with a Te Deum mass for the new Swedish princess born this morning and the Cheltenham Festival. In the meantime- any thoughts about these hats?
Photos from Asahi; Sankei; social media and Getty as indicated
The Imperial royal ladies have been on a vibrant and creative streak with their millinery the past week and a half, something I thought we needed to admire in a dedicated post. Brace yourselves, dearest readers, for some saturated colour!
On December 1st, the Imperial House Council met to set the date of Emperor Akihito’s abdication for April 30, 2019. Princess Hanako attended the meeting in the most unusual and unique of hats. The design builds on a silk covered helmet shaped base with a very short, flat brim over which lies a voluminous wrap of loosely pleated dark green organza. The design is further trimmed with a vine of green silk leaves wrapped over the crown. It’s a little out there in terms of royal hat designs we’ve seen this year and that it appeared on an Imperial royal head makes me happier than I can express. We’ve called for Imperial royal millinery experimentation and dearest readers- THIS IS IT! Yes, the shape is odd and not terribly flattering but it’s not a standard bowler hat in a pale pastel. The colour is lovely on Hanako and while don’t particularly like the avant garde design, I absolutely adore that Hanako wore it. Happy claps.
Designer: unknown Previously Worn: I believe this hat is new
Last Tuesday, December 5, another jewel toned hat appeared at an Imperial royal function. For a Tokyo ceremony honouring individuals making significant contributions in support for persons with disabilities, Crown Princess Masako donned an deep purply-burgundy felt hat with oxblood pleated hatband in the same fabric as her suit. The brim on this design is a little larger than Masako usually wears and the larger scale is a great change on her. It’s a simple hat but the classically elegant shape is one that works really well for Masako. More happy claps!
Last Thursday, December 7, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko attended a ceremony marking completion of Tokyo’s new public square New Square in front of Tokyo Station. For this event, the Empress repeated an apricot hued flat saucer hat with hound’s tooth bow and silk flower. It’s not my favourite colour on her but it’s also not grey, something I’m always happy to see! The link between the hat base, the lapels and sleeve panel on the jacket and the skirt does make for a characteristically unified ensemble and the high contrast pattern adds a bit of punch. Happy claps again.
Last Saturday, on the occasion of her 54th birthday, Princess Masako paid a customary visit to the Emperor and Empress at the Imperial Royal Palace. For this visit, she repeated a simple bumper hat covered in blue silk. This style and colour is a more traditional choice but there’s something so calmly beautiful about the subtle sheen on the smooth edges of this hat that makes me really like it on Masako.
And finally, yesterday Princess Hisako attended the 130th anniversary of the Japan Red Cross Society Aichi Prefecture Branch. For her visit to a blood collection center and keynote address at the celebration ceremony, HIsako topped her ice blue jaquard patterned suit with a matching bowler hat variation covering in the same fabric. The hat is trimmed with a slim blue silk hatband that links to the collar on her suit, and a blue net veil wrap studded in blue silk leaves. The leaves on the veil is make an interesting textural addition that I’ve not seen closeup before and their effect keep me going in for a closer look- not something that Imperial royal hats often inspire me to do. I’m not such a fan of the repeated pattern on both the suit and hat but the leaf studded net wrap somehow makes it work.
Dearest readers, there is much here to discuss. We’ve got interesting shape, different proportions and unexpected colour. I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on these hats!
to this day in 1985 that saw Empress Michiko in a flower embellished tam ‘o shanter, worn during a visit to Ireland.
Royal Hats 