'All the clothes I wore people would regard as shocking, I wore them because I just thought that I looked like a princess from another planet.' - Vivienne Westwood
Dame Vivienne Westwood, a genius indeed. Being a teenage punk meant I copied lots of Westwood looks, buying up children's tartan kilts from charity shops and layering them over trousers or with thick black rights and Doc Martin boots with tartan laces. You just can't be into punk without paying homage to Viv.
I had the pleasure, along with Queen Marie, of seeing the first ever Vivienne Westwood runway show to be held in Scotland about 10 years ago. Suffice to say both your Monarchs were left speechless. It was a breathtaking spectacle indeed. Her use of Harris tweed and her clever manipulation of our traditional fabric made me proud to be Scottish at that moment in time.
Whilst I may have left my punk days behind many years ago, I am still at heart a punk rocker! So it's quite surprising that I don't own any actual Westwood clothing. Well I didn't...until yesterday.
The charity shops didn't give us much by way of haul, so Queen Marie and I poked our heads into a little boutique, just down the from my palace, which stocks lots of stuff by the likes of French Connection, Diesel, Religion and other bits and pieces, but they also happen to sell one of Westwood's diffusion lines, Anglomania. Whenever we do go into the shop it's to coo over the fabulous dresses, kilts and jackets and usually we have the resolve to leave it at that. But yesterday I couldn't resist the Bargain Of The Century - the most perfect, fitted, wool blazer, made from with various tartans, reduced from £250 to £100! Well, it would have been rude not to buy it!
Worn with tweed shorts (my only pair of shorts); some high waisted corset jeans; my Balenciaga look with jodhpurs (are you bored of me going on about this yet?!); a homage to punk with some shiny black leggings and strappy sandals.
If there is one thing I get lots of wear out of, it's my myriad of blazers. They are perhaps the most staple of my wardrobe staples. I simply can't function without them. For me, blazers are worn as others wear cardigans. I layer them under everything.
A patchwork of tartan may not at first seem terribly wearable, but I found it to fit perfectly with so many of my clothes I actually had to stop at these four outfits! It of course works superbly with my current Balenciaga obsession, which is a real bonus.
Overall this is totally £100 well spent!
Queen Michelle
