On Friday, Queen Máxima was in Zoetermeer to officially open the new Koninklijke Kentalis care education centre for people with disabilities. For this event, she repeated a headpiece of beige folded straw. The piece, which has a very organic and natural feel to it, has a lovely delicacy and sense of movement to it.  I admire that Queen Máxima consistently wears hats for official openings and and while I’m not usually a fan of all beige outfits or hats worn with trousers (and I don’t like choice of blouse with her jacket), I think there is something that works about they way she has dressed down this hat for this informal event.

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands spent a busy day in the region of Zeeuws Vlaanderen today with visits to Terneuzen, Hulst, and Sluis before officially opening the Sluiskiltunnel. For this event, Queen Máxima wore a new picture hat in pale pink straw.

Trimmed simply with a wide ribbon and bow around the base of the crown, this hat was all about scale- scale gained from a large brim that gently curved upward on one side. It’s a lovely hat that unfortunately, did not wow as Máxima’s hats usually do. And why not? Colour issues. The peachy pink hue of this hat is so close to Maxima’s skin tone that the two begin to oddly blend together. While this could be balanced the right outfit, the clash between the pink hat and the golden yellow skirt and tunic (which, to be honest,is a disaster on its own) does nothing to help. Pink and yellow can be a beautifully fresh combination when done right but this is so very, very not right.

Designer: Fabienne Delvigne
Previously Worn: This hat is new

It is not often that a royal picture hat doesn’t work for me but I’m afraid, this one is one of the few. Queen Maxima has a similar hat with a smaller brim in a slightly different shade of pink that I think is a better hat for her. What do you think?

Photos from Patrick van Katwijk, Patrick van Katwijk, Patrick van Katwijk, Patrick van Katwijk, Albert Nieboer, Patrick van Katwijk, and Albert Nieboer via Corbis

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima attend the National Remembrance ceremony at the National Monument on Dam Square in Amsterdam yesterday. Queen Máxima repeated a felt rounded pillbox hat with bow for this occasion.