What Does Queen Elizabeth Do With All Her Hats?
In her 93 years as a member of the royal family, Queen Elizabeth has worn a lot of hats — like, hundreds of hats. But, if you haven’t noticed, she rarely wears the same hat twice, at least not in the same year that is. What does Queen Elizabeth do with all her hats? Find out, ahead.
What does Queen Elizabeth do with all her hats?
If you didn’t notice, Queen Elizabeth is quite the fashionista. Not only does she rock a monochromatic look like no other, but she’s also never afraid to stand out in a pop of color. In fact, that’s exactly why she wears such bright colors to begin with. As the monarch and head of the royal family, it’s important that the queen distinguishes herself from the rest of the royal family. And, she does so by rocking bright, sometimes neon-colored ensembles with matching bright hats.
While many people might wonder what the queen does with all her old clothes, we can’t help but think about her hats — those beautiful, hand-crafted works of art that tie together nearly every outfit she has ever worn. Here’s a closer look at the queen’s wardrobe habits, including what she does with her hats and clothes after use.
She repeats outfits … and hats!
You might not realize it, but Queen Elizabeth isn’t afraid to repeat her outfits. However, she typically waits years before wearing the same jacket, dress, or even hat again. According to her milliner Phillip Somerville, she repeats her favorite hats from time to time “People say, ‘What does she do with all those hats?’ Wear them out, I say. They get damaged and they wear out. She’d probably wear hats at least 10 times, and that’s a long time. Most people only buy a hat and wear it once and then they put it away in a box,” he once revealed.
Like many of us, she also repeats favorite outfits. However, she won’t wear them as close together as her granddaughter-in-law, Kate Middleton, who is also known as an outfit repeater. The queen will wear an outfit once and then typically won’t repeat until at leave a few years later. She might even wear it a third or fourth time years after that, depending on the ensemble (and how much she loves it).
How many hats does Queen Elizabeth own?
The exact number of hats Queen Elizabeth owns or has owned in her lifetime is unclear. But, at the height of his work with Her Majesty, Somerville admits to making at least 40 to 50 hats per year for the queen.
She secretly donates her clothes
What does Queen Elizabeth do with her old clothes? According to Brian Hoey, the author of Not Infront of the Corgis, Her Majesty donates her old clothes to her dressers, who are then allowed to either wear it themselves or sell it. That said, if her dresser wishes to sell an item, she is not allowed to disclose information about its former owner. In fact, all labels and any other evidence that might point to the queen are removed so that no one can trace its origin. One time, one of the queen’s garments ended up in a secondhand sale near Sandringham, but it failed to sell. If clothes could talk!
Some clothing items, of course, are never sold or donated. It’s unclear which outfits and dresses the queen has held onto, but we imagine she has her extra important garments locked up for future exhibitions and showcases.
She saves her hats
While it’s not completely clear what Queen Elizabeth does with all her hats, it appears as though she might save them. According to information on DPA Lighting Consultants website, she once showcased her hats and handbags in a London art exhibit. The information states that the showcase featured “all the queen’s hats and handbags that Her Majesty has used in public engagements since her coronation.” And “it was the first, and only, time that this collection was seen together.”
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