Tag Archives: Queen Elizabeth

Day Four of Royal Ascot, Part 1

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Royal HatsI’m so thrilled to have milliners Christie Murray, Fiona Mangan and Jill Courtemanche joining us this week to dish about this year’s royal hats worn at Ascot. The fourth day of the races today saw five royal hats- here is a peek of the first two.

Queen Elizabeth in a new hat by Rachel Trevor Morgan

Queen Elizabeth, June 19, 2015 in Rachel Trevor Morgan

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Jill: I quite like this hat, the texture is beautiful with her suit and the simple flower trim is elegant. I particularly like that the flowers have a realistic, fresh picked from the garden look to them. This pale yellow has been the color of the week and this is a very smart look for the Queen.

Royal Hats: Rachel Trevor Morgan’s silk flowers always look amazing. This ha shape is a standard one for Her Majesty and while beautifully done, I’m on the fence regarding the colour.

Fiona: I find this colour of yellow  a little harsh against her colouring though the flatter brim seems to be less severe than the hat she wore yesterday. I love the detail in the trimming and the layering over the parasissal on this hat is quite interesting.

Christie: What a lovely hat! Again, a beautifully colour balanced look for the Queen. I love how Rachel’s made her hat more textural by adding the weave to the beautiful straw base. Those silk flowers are light and just gorgeous. It just oozes femininity. The broach is so delicate and it plays with the softness of the trim. Paired with the necklace and earrings, it’s all just right.  She is such an incredible milliner.

Zara Phillips Tindall in a new hat by Rosie Olivia

Christie: I’m loving the outfits today so far! I love how Zara Phillips has dressed up a bit today, she looks just gorgeous in those heels and in French Navy! Rosie’s headpiece is just gorgeous. Beautifully finished and crisp sisal base, and you really get a sense of the flow of the trim from the side shot of the piece. The feather trim works well texturally with her tweed jacket, whilst the clean lines keep it modern and elegant. This is my favourite look of Zara’s for the carnival so far.

Fiona: Zara: Absolutely love this whole look on Zara. I have worked with similar type swirls so immediately am a fan of her hat. Love the delicate two-tone going on in the swirls, it’s quite a feat to get the positioning of them to look perfect, which they do. The beret style is such a good look on Zara. Love the outfit – the floating waistline of the jacket sitting above the waistline really suits her. And the ankle cuffs on her shoes just fit in with the whole look perfectly.

Royal Hats:  I’m a sucker for navy and white and this hat is a beautiful modern take on this classic scheme. The beautiful white crin trim takes the hat from great to astounding! It’s one of my favourite hats this week.

Jill: This hat is tailored with just the right amount of frill for her suit. I agree- Zara looks great in this shape, it suits the angle of her profile perfectly and the soft, dark flowers are a lovely compliment to the full skirt of her dress and adds a little height that takes her up out of the high collar. The small pop of white in the crin trim is a nice accent and bring the whole outfit together.

It seems that the royal hats worn today for the fourth day of Ascot races are off to a great start! We’ll weigh in on the remaining hats later tonight.

Photos from Mirrorpix / Splash News via Corbis; and Getty as indicated

Ladies’ Day at Royal Ascot, Part One

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Royal HatsOne of the most anticipated days on the millinery calendar ear year is Ladies’ Day at Royal Ascot. To help me review the royal hats we saw today at the Ascot Racecource are talented milliners (and enthusiastic hat wearers!) from American Jill Courtemanche, Ireland’s Fiona Mangan and Australian Christie Murray. 

Queen Elizabeth in a repeated hat designed by Angela Kelly, made by Stella McLaren

Queen Elizabeth, June 18, 2015 in Angela Kelly | Royal Hats

Jill: I love that the queen has chosen to go with a completely different hat silhouette today! The color combination is light as air and it is fun to see that the straw which was chosen for the crown has a texture, it makes the whole thing a bit more interesting. I am not a fan of the tight organza loops in the trim but I do like the feathers very much and overall I find this hat very pleasant and cheerful

Christie: I quite like Her Majesty in pastel mint. It’s quite a delicate colour, fitting for Ladies Day. The material on the crown could nearly pass as vintage American blocking material ~ It’s quite lovely. I don’t quite think this hat is balanced though.  The drape around the crown is lovely from the front, I’m not the biggest fan of the ostrich feather trim.

Fiona: I definitely prefer an upturned brim on the Queens hats, this is a little harsh for her with the flatter brim though the woven straw on the crown is quite interesting. Mint green overall is very fitting for her colouring and quite classic. Overall a nice ensemble save for the flat hat brim.

Royal Hats: Queen Elizabeth débuted this hat last year in Northern Ireland and I was wondering when it would resurface! It’s not my favourite shape for the queen and I find it over-trimmed. Jill and Christie both suggest removing different trims… if you gave me scissors, I’d snip off the feathers as they are lost against the textured straw crown.

Princess Anne in a repeated hat of unknown design

Royal Hats:  This feels like another version of the hats we have seen each of the past two days. Has Anne entered a brown phase? I really hope not.

Fiona: I have to say this is a nice outfit today and I much prefer this hat to the last two days. Similar in shape and size, it seems to be a better fit and the lighter colour is far more appropriate. I can’t seem to pinpoint why I like the coat with its fleur-de-lys type pattern – It does remind me somewhat of the embroidery on an Irish dancing costume, but I think it is quite subtle and overall a very elegant look. Well done Princess Anne.

Royal Hats:  I honestly did not notice the coat in my disappointment over another brown hat. It really is beautiful.

Jill: Well, this is a much better look than we have seen so far this week for Princess Anne. The open-weave straw is airy and light and the feathers are festive and perky, I still find the crown a bit heavy for her but this brim angle is very flattering. Overall it is very lovely with her embroidered coat and quite pleasing for the occasion.

Christie: It’s nice to see that she’s broken up the brown today with… nude.  Although the pattern on her jacket is really beautiful. It’s good to see that the crown is in nude, even though they’ve managed to work pleated brown dupion and sinamay in to the look.  I am just not a fan of brown and fluff, I’m sorry! The shape of the hat is beautiful, I love how the sweep in the brim is balanced with the angle of the crown but this is Day 3 of brown now. Will we see any other colour?

Princess Marie Chantal of Greece in Philip Treacy. Coat by Chanel

18 Jun 2015, Ascot, Berkshire, England, UK --- Ladies Day at Royal Ascot at the Ascot Racecourse in Ascot, Berkshire, UK on June 18, 2015. Pictured: Crown Princess Marie Chantal of Greece --- Image by © James Whatling/Splash News/Corbis    Ladies Day at Royal Ascot

Christie: What can you say about this. It looks so gorgeous – very signature Philip Treacy. I am just absolutely in love with this hat. What is there not to love? That colour.. the shape.. the swirls. Those silk flowers. Absolutely divine. Love it, by far my favourite hat of the day.

Jill: This hat is divine and even though it is large, Princess Marie carries it nicely. The trim is incredibly sculptural and full but still seems light and airy which is perfect. My issue is I don’t think it’s a great match for her Chanel suit which feels more edgy while her hat is decidedly more feminine.

Royal Hats: The hat is an amazing statement piece that Marie-Chantal wears incredibly well. I suspect this hat could easily overwhelm many wearers but she has it in firm control!  With this coat, it’s a very editorial fashion / haute couture look. I couldn’t pull it off in a million years but since Marie-Chantal is all about high fashion, it works.

Fiona: Beautiful from head to toe. The hat obviously is a faultless Philip Treacy and I love the offset domed crown. The coat with crackled graphite colour detailing on the edges is exquisite. I would love to see the dress underneath, the collar looks very interesting. Really beautiful outfit on her today.

This is certainly a trio of most diverse royal hats, isn’t it? We’ll look at the remaining three royal hats from Ladies’ Day in the next post. For now, what did you think of these three hats?

Photos from James Whattling/Splash News, James Whatling/Splash News and James Whatling/Splash News via Corbis; and Getty as indicated

Second Day of Royal Ascot, Part 1

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Royal Hats Day two of Royal Ascot 2015 saw another parade of lovely (and mostly new!) royal hats. It is my pleasure to again welcome royal milliners Fiona Mangan, Christie Murray,  and Jill Courtemanche here to chat about the royal hats we saw today. Let’s kick things off with three new pieces we have not seen before:

Queen Elizabeth in a new hat by designed by Angela Kelly, made by Stella McLaren. Coat and dress by Karl Ludwig.

Jill: The Queen looks lovely and classic. The short, up-turned brim is a great shape on her and the and the crown has a nice height to balance the look. Angela Kelly is a master of the fabric covered crown and the finish quality is seamless. If I had to find an issue it would be the trim, it’s a little too sweet and compact, she definitely could have gone larger but she makes up for it with that divine sapphire broach!

Royal Hats: The colour is lovely and the trim is restrained- I was all set to like this hat until I saw it from the back. I don’t like the oddly shaped crown (with one flattened side) and the seam at the top of the crown is not straight.

Jill: This does not bother me, the center back seam is finished nicely and I think what you are seeing to the left is one of the angles of the block. It looks like a six sided crown and that angle line is unavoidable and I would guess there is probably another once centered on the right that we are unable to see in the picture. I have to say that Angela Kelley has the fabric covered crown technique down flawlessly.

Christie: I love Queen Elizabeth in royal blue.  Understandably she knows what she likes in the shape of her hat and her outfit is beautifully colour balanced. Although there is lovely detailing in the flower trim, I’m not sure that I like it’s placement or it’s juxtaposition with those trimmed feathers. It’s as if the feathers are more of a tropical theme and the flowers are more summer, they both seem to be fighting each other. Regarding the back shot, I’m more of a fan of doing a rouleau with a tip and sideband, it tends to give it a better finish. I would also think, with a felt covered hat, that you could sew the sinamay on to the inside of the crown instead of through it, which would avoid the puckering stitch marks that are visible at the back.

Fiona: The Royal in royal blue – quite pleasant. The hat crown is very understated and quite plain but I do like the white inner sinamay brim which just lifts what could be a very heavy colour against the Queen’s hair and complexion. The rear of the hat has a vertical seam on the crown, this doesn’t sit too well with me. It should have had a bias seam with a diagonal line which would have been more subtle. Or indeed the seam could have been hidden under the floral trim. Again she has her classic collarless coat on with a little hint of a delicately patterned dress visible underneath, matching the delicate trim on the hat. Overall this is a nice outfit, but pales in comparison to the fuchsia outfit and hat yesterday.

Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein wore a new hat (a bespoke version of OC 873) by Philip Treacy. Suit by Chanel.

Fiona: What can I say here, Philip Treacy really does no wrong, the hat is perfect in its simplicity and sculptural lines. Her outfit is quite appealing, though the bouclé is a little heavy looking for the occasion and I think a smaller neater collar would have worked better to offset the rather large hat.

Jill: This out fit is simple and the hat with it’s soft dramatic curve is very feminine and lovely. I think the hat would have been better matched with a more open neckline and a fuller skirt, but in reality I believe I am just disappointed that I am not seeing more here. Princess Haya is one of may favorites and this look falls short of what I know she can bring to an event. I will say, I really like this soft yellow trend we are seeing this year, it’s not an easy color to wear and everyone has really pulled it off nicely.

Royal Hats: The hat is so creative- it’s truly a wearable sculpture. The yellow suit is divine on its own but I’m not sure about the two together. All I see is bumble bee.

Christie: I struggle to fault anything that this Millinery Master does. I just love it! I love his sense of line and flow in block development. This really is quite an exquisite, sculptural shape. It’s also lovely to see her in colour today!  I can’t say that the boxy shape of the skirt is the most flattering, and I’m not 100% on that yellow, but a big improvement on yesterday’s look.

The Countess of Wessex in a new hat by Jane Taylor. Dress by Emilia Wickstead

Christie: Firstly, I’m a big fan of Jane’s work.  I’m assuming that this is a layered crinoline brim/swirl on a sisal base? I like the sweeping crinoline brim and the feathers, I’m just not 100% on the swirling trim around the feathers. I think it dates it somehow, and that it would have been more of an elegant look for the Countess with the feathers as a stand-alone trim on the hat.  I this it’s a beautiful piece otherwise.

Fiona: Again she is wearing a fresh neutral colour today. Love the Jane Taylor hat, beautiful shape on Sophie. The crin brim is really delicate with the little fold at the back. I also think that less would have been more here and would have omitted the narrow swirls around the feathers. The feathers alone would have been sufficient. Her coat with the fine horizontal lines is ever so elegant especially with the perfectly-fitted neckline. Overall very elegant, as always.

Royal Hats: This is a smaller version of a similarly shaped hat Sophie wore to Ascot in 2013. It is a lot of white again but there’s something very sophisticated about it.

Jill: Very nice, again I think Sophie (and thus jane Taylor) is my pick of the day! My favorite thing about this hat is the added loops at the back so there is a softness going on from all angles. The curved lines and loops are very feminine and the angular feathers to keep it modern. Overall I think the outfit could have used a pop of color but she looks beautiful and her brooch (clearly another trend this year) is fabulous!

The Duke of Edinburgh looked most handsome in his black antique silk top hat- a piece that is over 50 years old.Queen Elizabeth, June 17, 2015 in Angela Kelly and Karl Ludwig | Royal Hats

We will be back in a few hours with the second group of hats from Ascot today!

Photos from MK/Splash News via Corbis; and Getty as indicated

Ascot Day 1: The Monarchs

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Royal Hats I am thrilled to be joined by three royal milliners, Christie Murray, Fiona Mangan and Jill Courtemanche, to review the royal hats appearing at Royal Ascot 2015! Let’s get right to our first pair of hats.
Queen Elizabeth  in a new hat designed by Angela Kelly, made by Stella McLaren. Coat and dress by Peter Enrione.

Christie: How lovely does Queen Elizabeth look! I love how her milliner has gone for a mixed medium piece – fur felt crown and brim bind with a sinamay brim.  The fur felt works with her coat, yet the sinamay keeps it summer-racing appropriate and light.  It’s a very interesting detail in her crown block, which frames those incredible silk flowers beautifully. It also balances the neckline in her jacket and the colour is just divine on her.

Jill: Not really unexpected, but this classic silhouette looks lovely on her and the color is a lively shade of fuchsia (a nod to the new princess perhaps) which is very flattering on her. I also like the combination of open straw with the fabric crown and edge, it’s finished seamlessly and the flowers are a perfect compliment to her ensemble.

Royal Hats: It’s another one of Angela Kelly’s Split Crown hats (the best one we’ve seen in this style, I think). I also love the colour and the use of the straw brim to keep the hat light. I’m thrilled to see more restrained embellishment than many other Kelly hats and agree that the flower trim is perfect.

Fiona: The Queen is one of the few people that seems to be able to pull off any colour and what a beautiful fuchsia bright colour she has on today! Her simple, safe hat with the classic style that she always gravitates to, works so well especially with the split in the crown at the front. And a floral dress, very nice! Very classy – she takes no chances, but she is the Queen and can’t afford to take risks at her age!

Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein in Philip Treacy OC 867. Dress by Dior.  

Jill:  I love that Princess Haya is always all in with her outfits, if this is where her week is starting, it’s going to be fabulous! That said, this is not may favorite hat, the detail work is amazing, all those individual flowers hand sewn with crystal centers are dreamy but the exaggerated back is not my thing, the profile looks a bit like it is going to take flight but to me this is an Ascot hat, it’s big, it’s gorgeous and just the right side of overdone.

Fiona:  I love that hat shape, quite quirky the way the brim swells at the back. The texture of the little flowers is very cute and works well with the whole outfit. A little unsure of the sparkly feather and flower, think they are a little fussy and plainer would have sufficed. Overall beautiful hat and a nice overall ensemble.

Christie: It’s difficult to comment on this hat as I’m not sure it’s on quite properly? I can see the look she was going for, but I think, for me, there’s just a bit too much going on.  I think you’d probably be able to get away with something this textural in a different colour but, in black, and with it’s size, I find it to be too heavy paired with a black jacket and her colouring. I would have loved to have seen this in a deep red or brighter colour, to colour-clash with her outfit.  It would be quite a striking hat with either no trim, or something clean and chic to break it up, like some simple, sculpted ostrich spines. With the encrusted ostrich spine and flower, I just feel like there are too many heros in this piece.

Royal Hats: Jill- Princess Haya IS always all in with her fashion, isn’t she?! I adore that. She has a long history of choosing the most dramatic hats in Philip Treacy’s collections and here she goes again! The diamanté studded flowers covering the brim prove that simple trims in vast numbers make a huge impact but I think the bath bath pouf on the side really needs to go.  While I adore the Ikat skirt, it seems at odds with the hat. Put this hat with a a tailored red Dior suit and I suspect we would all swoon.

Let’s not forget the handsome royal men- Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum in an antique silk top hat above and the Duke of Edinburgh in a grey felt top hat below. The quirky brim shape on Prince Philip’s hat always makes me smile.

Prince Philip, June 16, 2015 | Royal Hats

What do you think of these first two Royal Ascot hats of 2015?
Photos from Steve Finn/Splashnews via Corbis; and Getty as indicated

British Royals Celebrate Order Of the Garter

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As they do each year on the day before the start of Royal Ascot, members of the British royal family and distinguished guests gathered at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, for the annual Garter Service. This service, which celebrates The Order of the Garter (the highest order of chivalry and one of the most prestigious honours in the United Kingdom awarded at the Sovereign’s pleasure as a personal gift) dates back to 1348 and remains a highlight on the royal calendar each year.

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Members of the Garter wear elaborate robes and accessories for the Garter Service including a special hat. The hat, in the style of a Tudor bonnet, is made of black velvet and trimmed with a glorious plume of white ostrich and black heron feathers. Queen Elizabeth, who is Sovereign of the Garter, the Duke of Edinburgh, who is a Royal Knight of the Garter, and the Prince of Wales, who is Knight Companion of the Garter, all appeared today in the procession to St. George’s Chapel in this regalia and hat.

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Numerous other members of the British Royal Family have been welcomed into the Order as Royal Knights and Ladies – they also attended the service in Garter robes and hats.

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The Duchess of Cornwall repeated another one of her cream picture hats with wide, curving up-swept brims. This piece, in sparkling metallic straw, is trimmed with a large ruched band that circles around the perimeter of the hat. It’s a lovely piece, particularly with Camilla’s streamlined gold and cream jacket, but she has several hats in this shape she as worn in the past few weeks and I am more than ready to see something different.

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Designer: Philip Treacy. Dress and coat by Bruce Oldfield.
Previously Worn: June 15, 2013; September 16, 2012; June 19, 2012; June 3, 2012; 

The Countess of Wessex repeated her black velour cocktail hat with draped silk twisted bow. The hat coordinated beautifully with her other black accessories to provide the perfect contrast to her green silk dress. I adore this dress on Sophie and thought the hat was paired very well to it.

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Designer: Jane Taylor. Dress by Suzannah.
Previously Worn: March 26, 2015

The Duchess of Gloucester repeated a grey straw beret hat. While I have oft’ mentioned my desire to remove the hat’s “stem”, this piece is well matched to Brigitte’s grey and blue dress and she wears it well.

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Designer: unconfirmed. My guess is Lock & Co.
Previously Worn: November 6, 2013; June 19, 2013; June 5, 2012

It is always wonderful to see the British royals enjoying an event together and such seems to be the case today. One of my favourite parts of the Garter Service is that it heralds the coming of Royal Ascot, which starts tomorrow! Stay tuned early Tuesday morning for a review of the hats seen at the first day of the races.

Photos from Getty as indicated