Another outing for the Imperial Chrysanthemum Tiara ... every year, I'm still amused at how big this tiara is in comparison to Michiko's usual tiny tiny hats.

PHOTO CREDITS: yuko2ch.net

Thanks to lovely reader Brian for sending in photos from this year's Imperial New Year Gala!  It's one of the few Tiara Alert occasions that we get each year from the Japanese imperial family.

Here's Empress Michiko in the Imperial Chrysanthemum Tiara, the same tiara she wore to last year's gala.  Quite an impressive floral piece!

PHOTO CREDITS: yuko2ch.net

Aw, I've missed Empress Michiko and her tiny little hats!  Here she's visiting a memorial to World War II soldiers with the Emperor.  The little gray hat is an excellent choice for a somber occasion -- I actually genuinely like this one, it's so chic in gray!

(Thanks to lovely reader Eliza for sending in the photo!)

PHOTO CREDITS: REUTERS/Toru Hanai

More Tiara Alerts for the New Year!  The Imperial family of Japan held a gala to celebrate the New Year, and the whole family busted out the formal headwear.  In the center is our good friend Empress Michiko, wearing the Imperial Chrysanthemum Tiara.  How about the diamonds on this one, hm?  The "Chrysanthemum Throne" is one of the names for the monarchy in Japan, and the chrysanthemum flower is one of its most important emblems.

And we've got two more new princess standing behind Michiko!  Over her right shoulder, in the gold gown, is Princess Kiko, also known as The Princess Akishino (it's sort of like a "Princess of Wales" or "Princess of Asturias" title in a Western royal house, though her husband is not the direct heir).  Kiko is married to the younger son of the Emperor and Empress, and her son, Prince Hisahito, will one day likely inherit the imperial throne.  Kiko is wearing the same diamond tiara that she wore on her wedding day in 1990.  I'm not sure if it has a "title" or not, but if any experts on the imperial family know for sure, please pipe up and let us all know!

And last but not least, I believe that the woman standing directly behind Michiko is Princess Hitachi, who is married to the younger brother of Emperor Akihito.  Born Hanako Tsugaru, she's wearing the Pearl and Diamond Fringe Tiara.

Whew!  What a lot of royal bling!

Thanks to reader Kirsten for sending in info about this event!

Happy New Year, Mad Hatters!  While I'm sure you're all quite busy enjoying the bubbly and kissing your sweethearts at midnight, I thought a little hattery fun might be in order tonight as well.

(Well, this is Mad Hattery -- I'm sure you're all actually lounging on cruise ships in your Sunday best, wearing construction helmets and sipping champers just like Queen Silvia up there.  You are, aren't you?  I knew it!)

Anyway: everyone's doing year-in-review posts right now (heck, I just did two: The Top Ten British Royal Events of the Decade and 2009's Royal Romance Review -- check 'em out!), so I thought we'd join right in.

And so, without further adieu, I present: the Mad Hattery Awards of 2009, recognizing the wackiest, zaniest, and most completely out-of-control hattery worn this year!

And the winners are (drumroll please)...

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Hey, it's a new dinner plate hat from Empress Michiko! She's out in Tokyo celebrating the 20th anniversary of Emperor Akihito's accession to the throne.

This one's actually edging on oversized for Michiko, believe it or not.  I think I'd like it better without the flat bow embellishment.

Aloha, Your Imperial Majesties!  The Japanese imperial couple swung by Hawaii on their way back to Japan after more than a week touring throughout Canada, and a visit to a Honolulu park was on the agenda.

And Michiko wore this hat -- which, I swear, my grandmother has the exact pattern in her china cabinet.  But she tends to bust hers out for tea with the ladies from church, not royal Hawaiian visits...

Here's the first thing you need to know about Empress Michiko of Japan, dear readers: she loves a teeny-weeny hat.  Granted, she's a wee little lady, so it's probably good that she's not wearing Sophie Wessex-style saucers, but they're pretty comical sometimes in their tiny-ness.

Exhibit A: This little gem, worn in Vancouver during a lengthy visit to Canada.  Smaller than a beret, perched on the forehead, almost like one of the little fascinators worn by the younger British princesses.  It's also sort of got a brim, but not a brim that's going to do any kind of shading.  I'm not sure if those are supposed to be bows decorating the top or not...

One of our readers wondered in an e-mail if these itsy-bitsy little hats are somehow linked to traditional headwear, so if we've got any experts on Japanese imperial headdress history, any ideas?