Tag Archives: Princess Nobuko

Catching Up On Two Imperial Hats

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Late last week, Princess Nobuko of Mikasa was in Wakayama  to celebrate the 120th anniversary of the city’s Red Cross Society branch. The princess, who is Honorary Vice President of the Japanese Red Cross, wore a in a smart navy boater hat trimmed with a fan bow at the side for the event. It is a simple hat that was greatly elevated by the stylishly jaunty angle that Nobuko placed it on her head.

Princess Nobuko, November 5, 2015 | Royal Hats

Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: March 28, 2015

On Sunday, Princess Mako of Akishino fulfilled her duty as Honorary President of Japan Tennis Association by attending  the National Tennis Championships in Tokyo. For this, she wore a chocolate brown bowler hat which looked to be trimmed with a slim bow at the back. This simple hat is less successful in my mind, perhaps because it’s a shape regularly favoured by Mako’s mother Princess Kiko. I’d love to see her in more youthfully styled millinery.

Princess Mako, November 8, 2015 | Royal Hats

Princess Mako, November 8, 2015 | Royal HatsDesigner: unknown
Previously Worn: November 29, 2013

Photos from WBC and Yomiuri

Imperial Family Attend Birthday Concert

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Last Friday, members of the Imperial Royal family gathered at the Peace Flower Music Hall inside Imperial Palace to attend a concert in celebration of the Empress’ birthday. As might be expected, the Imperial Princesses wore a bevy of petite hats in light colours.

Imperial Royal Family, June 26, 2015 | Royal Hats

Crown Princess Masako topped her pale beige suit with hat in the same hue (presumably, made of the same fabric!) The crown of the hat, with straight sides and a domed top, was surrounded in a tightly upfolded brim. The only embellishment on the piece was a wide stripe of silk ribbon which edged the brim and gave the piece subtle contrast.

Crown Princess Masako, June 26, 2016 | Royal Hats

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

Princess Kiko wore a white silk calot hat trimmed in a wide pleated cuff and flat bow at the back. Her youngest daughter, Princess Kako, wore a pale blue bowler style hat trimmed with a white band and back bow around the base of the crown. Both hats are overly sweet for my liking but are very much in keeping with these Princesses’ millinery styles.

Princess Kiko, June 26, 2016 | Royal Hats Princess Kako, June 26, 2016 | Royal Hats Princess Kako and Princess Kiko, June 26, 2016 | Royal Hats

Designers: unknown
Previously Worn: I suspect both hats were new

Princess Hisako (below right, behind Princess Kako) wore a white bowler-style hat with upturned brim around the back. The jaunty brim, similar to that on a Trilby, downplays the dowdy shape of the bowler crown and gives the hat some personality. Hisako’s daughter, Princess Tsuguko, wore a simple apricot coloured hat with embroidered band around the base of the crown. The colour of the hat is quite pretty with her colouring.

Princess Tsuguko and Princess Hisako, June 26, 2016 | Royal HatsDesigners: unknown
Previously Worn: Princess Hisako wore this hat July 3, 2014. I believe Princess Tsuguko’s hat is new

We can usually count on Princess Hanako and Princess Nobuko to bring some variety to the Imperial royal hats and they did not disappoint. Both wore hats with lace overlays –  Princess Nobuko’s lilac-grey toque style hat was covered in the same grey lace as was used on her dress while Princess Hanako’s pale sage green hat featured a flared brim wrapped in monochrome lace. The use of lace on the brim of Hanako’s hat gave it some much needed textural contrast from the rest of her ensemble and the unusual shape of her hat was a welcome surprise.

Princess Nobuko, June 26, 2016 | Royal Hats  Princess Hanako, June 26, 2016 | Royal Hats

Designers: unknown
Previously Worn: Princess Hanako first wore this hat May 19, 2015. I believe Princess Nobuko’s hat is new.

What did you think of this group of Imperial royal hats?

Photos from FNN News and Asahi

Imperial Royals Support Red Cross

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The Japanese Red Cross Society’s annual convention took place in Tokyo yesterday. The event was attended by Empress Michiko (Honorary President),  Princess Kiko, Princess Hanako, Princess Nobuko and Princess Hisako (all Honorary Vice Presidents). Empress Michiko used the occasion to bring out a new white saucer hat trimmed with white flowers and grey leaves.

Empress Michiko, May 13, 2015 | Royal Hats2015-05-13 Red cross

Princess Kiko wore a white silk rounded pillbox (it looks to be this one) and Princess Hanako repeated her smart ecru  hat with square crown and linear, upturned brim. Princess Nobuko wore a white pillbox with navy crown and side flower trim while Princess Hisako topped her elegant blue suit with a small hat in the same shade that looks to be sporting a stylish, Trilby-esque brim. In 2015 we have seen the Imperial royal ladies step out in some in some more interesting hats than we have seen in years past and I’m so pleased to see this trend continue.

Photos from Yomiuri and Getty as indicated

This Week’s Extras

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Royal Hats

More on Prince Charles and Prince Harry’s visit to Turkey to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Gallipoli (BBC). A photo gallery of this event can be seen at Getty here.

Wonderful look back at many of Princess Nobuko’s hats on the occasion of her 60th birthday (Imperial Family of Japan)

The Crown Prince and Princess of Norway braved very cold visits to the Svalbard archipelago and to the research vessel ‘Lance’ this week (Royal House of Norway)

Prince Harry on military patrol and exercise in the outback last weekend (The Daily Mail)

Royal Hats

A look back at Queen Elizabeth’s 89 years (The Telegraph)

Queen Sonja’s celebrated the success of her international art prize with an exhibition in New York (Royal House of Norway)

Princess Nobuko Is Guest At Graduation

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Last Saturday, Princess Nobuko of Mikasa attended graduation ceremonies at Jikei Nursing School in Tokyo. For this event at the oldest nursing school in Japan, she made a rather bold millinery statement in a grey hat trimmed with large pink and grey silk cabbage roses and grey feathers all the way around the hat. It’s not particularly stylish and I’m not sure it’s very flattering but it is great fun, isn’t it?! This hat looks more suited to a tea party than an academic graduation but since it’s an Imperial hat with personality (something we do not see very often), it gets a thumbs up from me.

Princess Nobuko, March 14, 2015 | Royal Hats  Princess Nobuko, March 14, 2015 | Royal Hats

Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: unknown

Photo from Sankei