I’m Fascinated By the Precise Interplay Between Kate Middleton’s Low Bun and Big Hat — See the Photos

Hats are a huge part of royal protocol; women must wear a hat or a fascinator to any formal engagement, so royal hairstylists have to get creative when it’s time to meet a traveling diplomat or host a dinner or attend a wedding. Kate Middleton’s team has had lots of practice with such a task, but I’m still completely fascinated at how they manage to pair the perfect hairstyle with so many different hat styles. Then again, she is the Princess of Wales, so it’s kind of important that she nail it every time.

Middleton’s father-in-law, King Charles, is currently hosting Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol at his home base in London, so there have been a variety of events requiring expert hat-and-hairstyle work. For a parade to welcome the president, Middleton wore a head-to-toe red ensemble that kicked off with a wide-brimmed crimson hat worn at a subtle angle atop her brunette hair. Underneath the hat nestled a full, low chignon pinned slightly over to one side to account for the hat, hugging her jewel-bedecked ear.

It seems so simple, doesn’t it? Just pop on the hat and go! However, there’s clearly a precise interplay between the unique shape of the hat, its precise angle and the exact location of the Princess’s bun. Does Middleton’s stylist choose the hat first and then her glam team gets to work, or vice versa? (I think it’s probably the hat, given its prominence in the entire look.)