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Being a working royal like Kate Middleton is a big job. There are endless engagements and events to attend, many rules and protocols to follow, and lots of hats to wear, both literally and figuratively. The Princess of Wales is an absolute expert at tucking her hair up under a fascinator at this point, and her latest updo is so intricately wrapped and positioned that I need a magnifying glass to fully understand it.
The mystifying updo made an appearance at a recent ceremonial visit, with Middleton wearing a head-to-toe burgundy hat, dress, and coat, all from Alexander McQueen. Her fascinator hat covered only a portion of her hair, with the crown teased for a “pouf” effect where the hat ended. (No, I'm not talking about the 2000s pouf, don't worry!) Then it gets confusing! The Princess's hair was wrapped into a low, full chignon at the nape of her neck, with the top sections criss-crossed and pinned and the rest of her hair woven together and pinned, with nary a hair out of place. It looks like there was probably some teasing involved here too, given the thickness of the style. Honestly, it kind of looks like a loaf of bread or a pastry—and I mean that as a compliment.
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Here's a side view so you can fully appreciate the plumpness, and the criss-crossed detail:
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Given that royal women have to wear hats for such royal engagements, Middleton has worn tons of similar low updos, but none quite like this fascinating fascinator style. At first glance, it looks like it may have been braided together, but when you zoom in, it's clearly a complicated system of wrapping and weaving. How many bobby pins are hiding under that updo?
That doesn't mean Middleton only wears buns under her hats. For Christmas Day 2023, she wore her hair long and loose with a subtle braid detail right at the base of her hat. What's next? Maybe a croissant-inspired chignon or another Princess Leia-inspired cinnamon-roll side bun?
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