One of the most well-known upper-class traditions: large, intricate hats and fascinators are worn to formal events. Often they are part of the dress code, and when the formal event in question takes place in the sun (like the Kentucky Derby), these accessories serve a practical purpose as well. But this seemingly archaic tradition has evolved over time: hats and fascinators have become larger and more creative, but they are also the product of intense craftsmanship and can push the limits of headwear.

Hat-watching at any royal event is fun, but at royal weddings, guests show off some of the coolest and most innovative accessories on the scene. So let's enjoy some of the most magnificent hats and fascinators in the history of royal weddings.

At Eugenie's wedding, Emma Louise Connolly wore a nosepiece (love the heart on the belt - weddings are about love, right?) in a fabulous way. I like it. But sometimes that's a good thing.

I already like Sabrina Dowle's casual-but-not-really cardigan coat, but add a sheer navy topper with pretty detailing above and below the brim and a small angle on one side, and you've got Harry and Meghan's wedding-ready The look is fancy enough for Harry and Meghan's wedding. Hi, Idris

The Duchess of York's style is always a bit idiosyncratic. The ribbon on her hat looks like it has bunny ears as it floats through the air in celebration of her daughter Eugenie's wedding.

These fascinators would probably make my "wildest royal wedding hats" list, but I applaud the audacity of wearing such architectural (and vertical) contraptions. Eugenie and Beatrice (who also appears again on this list) loved really wacky headgear back in the day.

In her early days of attending royal functions (this was Camilla and Charles' wedding), Kate was a bit more ...... adventurous, you might say. And in fact, I love it. This feathery combination looks a bit like a hedgehog, but with a youthful conviction that I appreciate.

I really like that this fascinator is so carefully crafted. The feather and rope accents are impressive, but my favorite is the veil.

Yellow: not the easiest color. Amal Clooney pulled it off beautifully. The hat has a lot of cool design features: the folded brim, the angled placement, the veil over half the face. The effect is to elevate the entire outfit.

Oprah, I will take care of you. The Mad Hatter-esque Philip Tracy hat and bouquet alone are over-the-top enough, but there's an explosion of feathery fluff erupting from one side. And it's stunning. If only she would wear it just right from time to time.

Back in the day, Empress Dowager Wang was a frequent wearer of a bubble hat that enveloped her head like a halo. By today's standards, the effect might seem a bit voluminous, but it also suited her personality (she looks happy at Charles and Diana's wedding).

At the wedding of then-Prince Charles and Diana, Queen Elizabeth chose a floral hat to match her cornflower blue outfit (she often wore bright colors to be visible to the audience). This is an old style hat, but still delicately and precisely made.

I really like this photo of Sophie and Anne with matching smiles and matching floral toppers. Of course, I don't mean matching in the literal sense (I might prefer Anne's slightly more in terms of color and structure), but more in general volume and mood.

At the wedding of Viscount Linley (son of Princess Margaret) and Selina Stanhope, Princess Diana blessed us with this inverted bowl. She can make anything look great, but I like it on its own merits.

Proving that headgear doesn't have to be big to make a statement, Serena Williams wears a beautiful, minimalist fascinator that looks like sheer petals reaching for the sky. She is taller than expected, which is part of her charm, but she doesn't look wild.

We probably weren't going to get through this story without a dinner plate joke, so here it is. This hat by Pippa Middleton looks a little like a dinner plate (fun fact: it almost blew off her head on the way in). But of all the hats that look like this, hers looks the best.

At the wedding of her mother and then-Prince Charles, Laura Parker Bowles wore a gold fascinator (which is an unusual and welcome color) with lots of leaf detailing extending in all directions. Coupled with her cheerful demeanor, this was a fun choice of headgear.

Models can do more unusual, edgier looks, like this futuristic, horizontal hat. (It must have been a bit of a challenge to keep it on. So I'm lending a hand to stabilize it.) I appreciate the form, which is clearly a fascinator, but in a novel and counter-intuitive way.

Kate Middleton has been an active royal even longer, experimenting with the occasional big hat. At Meghan and Harry's wedding, she wore a wide, flat hat by Philip Treacy (much like the one she wore at Zara Tindall's wedding), with all the floral details ingeniously placed under the brim.

To be clear, they both wore solid headgear, but Maria-Olympia chose an unusual color (silver) with a delicate vine-like floral pattern blossoming delicately from her head. It has a strong Medusa vibe. Yes, a mythical woman with snakes in her hair, but in a good way.

Yes, this could absolutely be on the list of "weirdest royal wedding hats," but I refuse to apologize for its inclusion here. At the wedding of Peter Phillips and Autumn Kelly, Princess Beatrice adorned us with a swarm of butterflies. Yes, please.

Poppy. I'm not a big fan of this dress, but the hat is the key. (This was from Eugenie's wedding, and her sister Kara, who is also on this list, went for a menswear look with a top hat.) Objectively, it looks very silly, but it is also smiling. Mission accomplished.

This looks like a cloud and a jellyfish having a baby. This was from Harry and Meghan's wedding, and in a sea of colorful hats and fascinators, this rugged choice was wise (proof that a topper doesn't have to be colorful to stand out).

Princess Diana's sister-in-law really leaned into color at Harry and Meghan's wedding. The petal-like folds of her dress look cool, and her hat has similar curves and serious height, giving her the impression of a chic maximalist.

At William and Kate's wedding, Victoria Beckham of Posh Spice wore this half-smiling fascinator. It looks like a hat she tilted forward to wear on her forehead, don't you think? I love her forever for this.

At the wedding of Charles and Princess Diana, mother (Princess Margaret) and daughter (Princess Anne) used deliciously frothy toppers that matched each other nicely. I like Princess Anne's just where it hits the top of her head, while Princess Margaret's looks better with her hair.

Queen Elizabeth preferred bright colors to be visible to the onlooking crowds, and Harry and Meghan's wedding was no exception. Admittedly, there was no lime green on the bingo card that day, but when combined with the contrasting purple, no color made more of a statement.

Camilla Your hat. Royalty tends to favor wider and taller hats than others, and the history of her headgear is worth looking back on. But this feathery pink circle takes the cake (and, let's be honest, looks like cake). Very bold.

For Eugenie's wedding, Kate chose burgundy. And she was a bit daring with her fascinator (as she sometimes does at weddings) with a strong bouquet of burgundy, wine, and fuchsia flowers and a very pretty veil to match.

For William and Kate's wedding, we got these absolutely exceptional fascinators (I insist that those blue ones are like the eyes of Sauron turned sideways. Please prove me wrong). No one intended to outdo Beatrice and Eugenie's fascinators, but these two certainly rose to the challenge.

All three of these women wore fabulous headgear at Harry and Meghan's wedding, but I believe Hattery's gold medal goes to Priyanka for wearing a hat as bold and expansive as her personality. And she matched the earrings, which is a professional move and difficult to pull off successfully.

Strictly speaking, I don't think this is a dress code violation (although women are supposed to wear hats and fascinators, this being one of them). Normally, wearing menswear at such a conservative royal event might be frowned upon, but Kara pulled it off (and asked Eugenie for permission to wear it, which she did).

Naomi Campbell knows how to pull off any intense look, but this hat is a masterpiece (pun half intended). The fluffy fabric effect is very chic shark stuff, and the flowers make it all the softer. Frankly, I love it, though I feel sorry for anyone who sat behind her and didn't see it.

At the wedding of Duke Felix of Luxembourg and Claire Rademacher, Beatrice Borromeo could have gone for a traditional hat or fascinator with flowers and ribbons. Instead, she opted for the most striking and minimalist designs.