There aren't many accessories in the world that can successfully be worn by both schoolchild and adult. But, the simple hair band has long been the exception to rule when it comes to sartorial elegance.
After all, some of the most iconic women in history - Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Frida Khalo - have worn the accessory while fighting evil (who wants a whisp of hair getting in the way of that?), and proudly celebrating social traditions and the beauty of nature.
Now, it appears Kate Middleton is picking up where these ladies left off, and using our favourite hair accessory to elevate her royal looks into the realms of high fashion.
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Last night, the Duchess of Cambridge was seen wearing a chic Jane Taylor silk velvet black hair band, designed as a crescent moon, at Westminster Abbey to mark the Centenary of the Armistice.
The mother-of-three teamed the look with a Catherine Walker green coat that she previously wore with an Irish Guards brooch on St. Patrick’s Day in 2017 and a pair of black velvet stilettos.
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However, this isn't the first time the royal has opted for an oversized hair band instead of a hat or fascinator.
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For Prince Louis' christening earlier this summer, the royal wore a Taylor-designed band made of a wicker-like texture with small and tasteful embellishments, and a bouquet of flowers on one side.
The royal also wore a blue floral hair band designed by royal favourite milliner Juliette Botterill to her friend Sophie Carter's wedding in September.
Taylor has designed several of the duchess's hats in recent years, including the pillbox accessory she wore for Princess Charlotte's christening in 2015.
However, it appears Kate is opting for more head bands in recent months, perhaps taking inspiration from Princess Madeleine of Sweden and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway?
Princess Madeleine wore an intricate pink and orange floral headband for her daughter's Princess Adrienne's christening in June.
Meanwhile, Crown Princess Mette-Marit (as well as several members of the Norwegian family) opted for a floral crown for King Harald and Queen Sonja's 25th anniversary in 2016.
Oversized hairbands were also seen across the SS19 catwalks in September, with the likes of Rodarte dressing the hair of its runway models in an array of brightly-coloured roses and petal crowns.
The looks followed the brand's sensational couture show in 2017 which featured flower crowns made up of gypsophila (also known as baby's breath), created by A-list florist Joseph Free.
Meanwhile, at Tom Ford's NYFW show earlier this year, models wore thick leather headbands.
Orlando Pita explained to Harper's Bazaar backstage at the AW18 show: 'I want the girls to look as if they’ve done the hair themselves, so I whipped their hair back and pinned it, wrapped the band around the head, and left a little ‘mullet’ out the back, as if they’d left it out by mistake.'
Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
