Queen Máxima was in Den Bosch this morning to open her new new namesake waterway, the 9 kilometre long Maxima Kanaal. As she does for all official openings, Queen Máxima wore a hat (and gloves) for this event. While we have seen her in several ‘slice’ picture hats with sharply diagonal folded brims, this particular hat, in camel felt, is new. Trimmed with  a simple monochrome grosgrain ribbon around the crown and small felt bow on the back brim, the lack of embellishment makes this hat all about its strong shape.  Its pairing with Máxima’s black and white dress was a surprising but very elegant and modern choice – the simple neckline was a great compliment to the hat and the muted accessories kept the whole outfit from veering into “too much” territory.

My only qualm about this hat is the way the huge hat pins look like a pair of knitting needles stabbed through the back of it. While hat pins are necessary, this pair really disturbs the smooth, clean lines of this hat.

Embed from Getty Images

Designer: Fabienne Delvigne
Previously Worn: This is a new hat

I suspect some of you might have preferred a hat in a more vibrant colour with this dress but I loved the way this hat was such an  unexpected choice. The dress kept the hat from looking dull or boring while the hat and other tan accessories restrained the dress from looking too much like a bar code on steroids. For me, this beautiful balance is what makes this ensemble work. I look forward to hearing how you, dear readers, weigh in on this new hat!

Photos from Patrick van Katwijk via Corbis; Getty as indicated

King Willem Alexander and Queen Máxima visited the north eastern Dutch provinces of Groningen and Drenthe yesterday. For this visit, which included stops at the Veenkoloniaal Museum and the Wedeka social labour centre, Máxima repeated her charcoal grey picture hat with rounded crown and diagonally raised ‘slice’ brim. There were some wonderful photos taken that give us a view of this hat’s marvellous brim from all angles.

I adore the orange and grey colour scheme of Máxima’s outfit and thought the grey hat and orange shoes balanced the ensemble very well.

Designer: Fabienne Delvigne
Previously Worn: January 30, 2014; October 16, 2013; October 5, 2013

These photos made me realize that part of the success of this hat relies on the great vibrance of Máxima’s personality. On many others, this large grey hat would overwhelm but, as we often say about her millinery, Queen Máxima is able to carry it off. That, my dear readers, is why we all can’t wait to see what she wears next!

Photos from EPP / Pictures News via Paris Match and Getty as indicated

Queen Máxima of the Netherlands was in Almere yesterday to lend her support to the opening of ‘Almere On Stage’, an interactive program that provides knowledge of vocational and education possibilities to high school students. For this event, Maxima debuted a new calot hat. Made of an open weave fabric combining the colours of her tunic and skirt, this calot was covered in long folded ‘leaves’ that wrapped around the circular hat. These leaves provided lovely movement and dimension to the hat and unified each element of the ensemble. I also thought Queen Máxima wore it to great effect, placing it slightly off centre around her chignon and choosing small but vibrant earrings. It’s a modern hat that fits so well with the modern way Máxima wears hats to daytime engagements.

Designer: Fabienne Delvigne
Previously Worn: this is a new hat

This makes me wonder, dear readers- if 2013 was the year of the toque hat and 2014 was the year of the pillbox, is 2015 shaping up to be the year of the calot?

Photos from Albert Philip Van Der Werf and Patrick van Katwijk via Corbis; Patrick van Emst / Pictures News via Paris Match; and Patrick van Katwijk via Corbis