Hats Off to Fascinating Royal Wedding Fashion!

From Pippa Middleton’s figure-hugging cowl neck gown to the Queen’s daffodil yellow ensemble to the Princess herself in a stunning Grace Kelly inspired wedding dress designed by Sarah Burton, there were plenty of fashion statements made at the royal wedding.  But looking at the audience as they filled the seats in Westminster Abbey, it was clear that one overwhelming trend was making a splash at the day’s events.  That trend?  Millinery, of course.

 It was no surprise that hats and fascinators would play a role in the day’s celebrations given Princess Catherine’s penchant for fun Philip Treacy toppers.  However, it was a bit unexpected that with the headwear would come such adventurous fashion statements.  Wedding guests’ chapeau styles ran the gamut from classic and sophisticated to outrageous and over-the-top.

Mr. Treacy himself designed a number of the looks that were seen on the day of the wedding.  Mother-of-the-bride Carole Middleton chose an elegant sky blue Philip Treacy hat accentuated with pretty ruffle details to top off her matching outfit.  Victoria Beckham also went with a chic Treacy look, choosing a petite midnight blue pillbox number embellished with two coiled crystal spikes.  On the more dramatic side of the Treacy-designed spectrum were Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie of York, who wore a taupe fascinator in the shape of a stylized bow and a royal blue number topped with a plum colored rose and downy feathers, respectively.

Other notable looks included Miriam Gonzalez Durantez’s black head wrap topped with coral colored flowers, Tara Palmer-Tomkinson’s shocking blue boat-shaped chapeau adorned with a matching blue rose, and Princess Letizia’s mauve birdcage veiled cloche.

 The royal wedding, as a whole, provided wedding inspiration to plenty of brides-to-be and is likely to set a number of trends for this year’s crop of celebrations.  The millinery trend is no exception to this prediction.  Already, a number of retailers and websites are publishing their own versions of royal wedding headwear.

For the bride who wishes to ditch the traditional veil and instead don a royal wedding inspired headpiece, there are plenty of options out there.  From Sara Gabriel’s stylish vintage-inspired toppers to the flirty fascinators of Project Runway alum Kenley Collins, there is something out there for every bride.  These headpieces also make great accessories for your bridal party.  Though you may want your bridesmaids in matching dresses, a unique fascinator or hat may be the perfect touch to allow each of your ladies’ personalities to shine.

It will most certainly be exciting to see how this fun and fashion forward trend will manifest itself in the world of weddings in the coming months.