Fascinators: five things royal wedding fans need to know about the accessory
A fashion staple for big occasions since the 1920s, fascinators shouldn’t be mistaken for hats; they are less substantial, and are usually affixed to the front or side of the head
Britain’s Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie lit up the internet with their bold choices – an elaborate pale pink hat with a giant bow on top and a blue cap with an explosive spray of flowers and feathers – seven years ago at the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Beatrice, whose pink headgear was likened to a pretzel, afterwards sold it on auction site eBay for £81,100 (US$109,000) and donated the proceeds to charity.
While the two sisters opted for much simpler hats for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's royal wedding earlier this year, you can expect an extravagant collection of elaborate fascinators at the wedding of Princess Eugenie and businessman Jack Brooksbank at Windsor Castle on Friday.
Since women in the royal family must wear hats for formal occasions, it's likely that guests such as Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle will be donning dainty fascinators; however, celebrities such as model and actress Cara Delevingne, and singer Ellie Goulding, who are also expected to grace the event, may ditch headpieces and opt for something more low-key and subtle.
