Hat's Over!

Or, to those of you who aren't into hats: The subject of hats is just : too much , too many. For lovers, creators, and wearers of hats, it's the old sign from the LoneStar in NYC: "Too Much is Never Enough". We're drooling, we're in hat heaven. We're over the top with glee and childish excitement. Much like a love-starved guy on an internet sex site, hat fans are finally having their day in the sun.

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We all have our favorites, and not-so faves, of the Hats at The Royal Wedding. Let me point out which ones Ellen Christine loved, and to underline just why.

It's page after page of hats, hats, and more hats. How to choose the pick of the litter: knock off the boring, conventional, the blase. Are you getting my drift?

Nude reigned, with washes of color a close second, in the choice of ensemble, as well as headgear for the day. Navy substitutes black in many instances, but the occasional black hat snuck into the Abbey. Phantasmagorical, oh, yes indeed. Phillip Treacy? Not to be overlooked as the Head of State in the Hat World , and seen on at least 36 heads , according to the quotes online.

We loved Lady Sophie of Wessex in her Jane Taylor nude "headband". The sweep of straw base, wrapped around a headband base, was particularly well balanced by the trim of flower and feather. Loved the monochromatic tone on tone of her ensemble. So understated, and chic.

Lady Sophie Windsor, in her navy blue, off-kilter Treacy, led the way for the larger proportioned hats of the day. Her chignon finished her look perfectly, and brought Dior, in his "New Look" phase to mind . Yes it's got it's bow, in a space-age sort of way. Yes it's a large brim, in a modern take: balanced, in an unbalanced way.

The ashes of roses worn by Princess Letizia of Spain plays a safe game. this is the hat that most women will understand. It's a simple shape , in natural straw, with again, monochromatic tones. An Edwardian color, this pink, and it's echoed in her hat. Pretty, inoffensive, and practical: she won't be bumping her hat into the Archbishop's face! And you can see over her hat, if you've been seated behind her.

Ah, Mrs. Becks: Victoria Beckham resplendant in her pregnancy. She is wearing one of her lable's trapeeze dresses, clean lines, a hair sexy. Her glow is not in her smile, it's in her hat: Phillip Treacy. They say they worked on this hat until the second beforehand. And it's such a simple little pillbox, with a jaunty trim. Masterful.

We now come to our favorite hat of the day. Yes I said favorite: Princess Beatrice. Her stylized bow has caused incendiary remarks worldwide, but hey, it works! The color, again, the nude, soft tone, and after all ,it's just a simple bow. Read my separate article about this hat all it's significance to some of us. Bea's classic heels and oh-so-elegant Valentino balances the whimsical hat that Mr. Treacy made for her.

The Earl Spencer's Kitty worked the nude vibe as well. Her fascinator, as well as her sisters' choices, very age- appropriate, but punchy enough to stand out in a crowd of benign headgear in this category. The fascinator is a piece for women who can't yet handle a large brimmed knock- the -ball- out- of -the -ball -park kind of hat. The fascinator will help a whole generation come to love and learn the hat lore ahead of them (all puns intended).

The blue you have to love. Not just because it's Malan Breton's color, (we love Malan), but the uplift color, in the USA, is always seen at a wedding. This ensemble, on Tara Palmer-Thomkinson is topped with another mind-boggling Treacy creation. Yes, it has a name, according to the bible by Joan Rivers. But we won't go there. Again, a "cocktail hat", perched, like the hats of the WWII fashions. The vertical lines work with Ms. Palmer-Thomkinson's proportions, and don't turn her into an exclamation point.

Zara Phillips had on one of Treacy's most seen stylistic hats: the wide-brimmed, flower -tucked-under-the-ear idea. Spanish in origin, worn by centuries of Sevillanas, this style has been transformed by M. Treacy into haute couture. Indeed , we have seen a version on the runway. Ms. Phillips hat color choice is black, but with the airiness of the straw that was used, it doesn't read dense.

Jacqui Ainsley is wearing the "little " hat, that does compromise between the fascinator and the brimmed hat. Poised just to the front of the forehead, with the trim at the rear, this hat would work on any age , any coloring, any hairdo.

Princess Maxima of The Netherlands has been overlooked in the fashion press, with no nod to her perfectly draped calot. Her hat is an echo of hats favored by Princess Grace of Monaco, and millions of fashionable women in the 1950's. Another version of this would be the Juliet cap, oft favored by our brides here at Ellen Christine. Draping is an art taught along side construction and drafting in design school, but needs to be executed by a very skillful hand. Madame Gres is a name most known when draping is the subject matter, but Charles James loved it in his gowns, too.

Finally, The Duchess of Kent, chose palest pink, and on a woman of her advanced style, it might not work. But just look at her: resplendant in her (again!) monochrome. This Milady hasn't lost her stylish edge, and wore a small cocktail hat, with perfectly balanced trim.

There you have it. Now can we go on to other subject matter, please??????

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