A thing of beauty is a joy for ever:— John Keats
Its loveliness increases; it will never
Pass into nothingness; but still will keep
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.
Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing
A flowery band to bind us to the earth
From The Literature Network
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A week after the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton, our absorption in the Ascot-esque hats and fascinators worn by their guests has endured, and Princess Beatrice's hat has outdone all the rest.
A confection by Philip Treacy, it stood at her forehead, a beige ring with a loopy bow and rippling ends affixed to its top, placed on (from what one could tell on photos) a rounded foundation like a flatscreen computer monitor. I didn't think it was too bad, but it has generally been deemed incredibly ugly. Now it has acquired immortality by virtue of Photoshop.
The masterpiece of the genre is undoubtedly the photo where the hat is 'shopped onto President Obama, Hillary Clinton and the other American officials in the situation room during the military operation against Osama bin Laden. But the rest of the photoshopped oeuvre is also worth a look:
Princess Beatrice's royal wedding hat goes viral [Daily Telegraph] (May 6, 2011)
Princess Beatrice's Royal Wedding Hat: Birth of a Meme [Gawker] (April 29, 2011)
Etc.
Princess Beatrice Royal Wedding Hat [KnowYourMeme]
The milliner has defended The Hat in the press. But Hilary Alexander's article in the Daily Telegraph today implies that Mr. Treacy has decided to stop swimming against the current; he promises that whoever wins the newspaper's competition will receive an extra-special item of his headgear.
Win a 'mystery' hat by Philip Treacy inspired by Princess Beatrice [Daily Telegraph], by Hilary Alexander (May 6, 2011)
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Postscript: the 3-year-old bridesmaid covering her ears with her hands:
"Royal Wedding Girl" [KnowYourMeme]
