Bolero Belle
My first real triumphant eBay score came in the form of this puff sleeved vintage bolero. Oh how I love it's huge, exaggerated, scrunchy sounding shoulders. Whilst it cannot fit under a jacket, I make do by taking it in a bag and wearing it once I reach my destination. It looks best when worn with other items which similarly play with shape or volume in some form.
It feels like I'm wearing giant black flowers on my shoulders. Twas money well spent for that alone methinks!
Queen Michelle
Allow me to gush and say that I'm consistently amazed by how you manage to make statement pieces look so much more fantastic and effortless than any other person could even dream of! The second to last picture is especially wonderful! To the point where I can only make exclamatory statements!
P.S. The new camera isn't disproving the Irina comparison very much ;)
Posted by: Honey Juniper | Monday, 12 May 2008 at 08:47
Oh, this isn't the new camera yet Honey Juniper. I got my old one to work, after a bit of shaking and taking about 100 pictures to get this lot that aren't blurred. But I did get a memory card for my new one, and have been playing around with it so next photo's will hopefully be taken with the proper camera :)
Posted by: Queen Michelle | Monday, 12 May 2008 at 08:53
VOLUME, VOLUME, VOLUME!! I LOVE IT!
Posted by: Vanessa | Monday, 12 May 2008 at 08:53
i love that piece!
Posted by: stella-mayfair | Monday, 12 May 2008 at 08:56
oh wow!!! I love the second look best, with the white and black thingy...what are they? braces, oh I dont know but I love the look. You look ever so lovely when you smile, also the second to the last look with the gray zip on the dress looks very nice too.
Posted by: Chic Looks | Monday, 12 May 2008 at 09:14
The first combination is the most dazzling.
I'm in love with that dress, where's it from?
Posted by: pretty face | Monday, 12 May 2008 at 09:18
it looks like it's made for the dress you created with the zip! you smile is so cute in that picture
Posted by: selina | Monday, 12 May 2008 at 10:28
holy moly! you look amazing with that bolero! i loove it!
Posted by: lady coveted | Monday, 12 May 2008 at 11:12
looks amazing.
Posted by: jen b. | Monday, 12 May 2008 at 11:24
Those are absolutely amazing! I love the striped dress in the first one and also that ?skirt? with the braces in the second - where is it from?
Posted by: Camilla | Monday, 12 May 2008 at 11:31
The striped dress is from a local designer here called Onno, which I customised by ading all the folds and drapes on the skirt part of the dress.
The second is a dress/top from Public Beware xx
Posted by: Queen Michelle | Monday, 12 May 2008 at 11:43
i love the second look - it's my favourite, but it was hard to pick! x
Posted by: Amy May | Monday, 12 May 2008 at 11:52
Wow I love the first 2 looks. The dresses are both so fabulous. FIERCE!
Posted by: Gwen | Monday, 12 May 2008 at 11:58
Great eBay-score!
You look great - i can't even decide which outfit I like the best - they're all beautiful.
/Maria
Posted by: maria | Monday, 12 May 2008 at 12:13
Well the drapes are what make it, did you you just sew in a couple of stitches or use pins or what?
xx
Posted by: pretty face | Monday, 12 May 2008 at 12:16
wow. belle
http://stylesnapshots.blogspot.com
Posted by: SpiegelEule | Monday, 12 May 2008 at 12:43
Never mind the Bolero (which is fab), I am totally coveting every single one of those gorgeous dresses. Aaargh!
Posted by: Dee | Monday, 12 May 2008 at 13:05
Wow that's amazing Queen Michelle! I have to leave a comment as I love your smile! x
Posted by: Sida | Monday, 12 May 2008 at 14:32
goodness gracious me! the first look is dang 'mazing.
Posted by: raq | Monday, 12 May 2008 at 14:46
oh god i would kill for that bolero. looks absolutely amazing. first look is probably my favourite but i pretty much love every item in every photo.
Posted by: poppy lee | Monday, 12 May 2008 at 15:50
Love it!
Posted by: WendyB | Monday, 12 May 2008 at 16:19
I am speechless. You rocked the shit out of that bolero!!
Posted by: LADIVASOSA | Monday, 12 May 2008 at 18:57
A-M-A-Z-I-N-G-!-!-!
Posted by: nicole | Monday, 12 May 2008 at 21:17
You own some incredible clothes, all these look amazing.
Posted by: Liberty | Monday, 12 May 2008 at 21:24
Wow you look incredible! It's so versatile!
Posted by: Lady Smaggle | Monday, 12 May 2008 at 23:38
holy shit, what i would do for ONE of these looks. INSANITY.
Posted by: belle | Tuesday, 13 May 2008 at 01:05
the third look is completely enviable.
I almost bought http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=11405265
that about 2 weeks ago and I am so disappointed I didn't after reading this.
Posted by: Amy | Tuesday, 13 May 2008 at 02:25
Queen Michelle,
Great looks! But I especially want to know who makes the black multi strappy bondagy sandals in the first picture? They are gorgeous!!
Posted by: andrea | Tuesday, 13 May 2008 at 02:55
wow, you've made it look even a million times better then it did on ebay! truly incredible looks!
Posted by: noelle | Tuesday, 13 May 2008 at 04:19
On me? I would be the frilly not-so-incredible Hulk. On you? Fabbuulust! As in, I wish I had some of that brilliant madness spinning inside your head..
Posted by: Leslie | Tuesday, 13 May 2008 at 04:39
The looks are all absolutely incredible (esp. in the third and last rows, the poof and textures are gorgeous!) And you still look model-esque, it doesn't seem to be dependent on cameras..
Posted by: Drusilla | Tuesday, 13 May 2008 at 08:52
love your look!
can i ask where do you get the shoes in the first picture??? i think i'm in love...
Posted by: cla | Tuesday, 13 May 2008 at 11:39
Shoes in the first pic are from All Saints xx
Pretty Face, there is a bodice on the inside of the dress, and I grabbed sections from the 'skirt' part and pulled them under and sewed them to the bodice and took other sections from the side and sewed them to the side seams. I played around with the position of the stitches until I got the folds and drapes I was happy with.
Posted by: Queen Michelle | Tuesday, 13 May 2008 at 11:50
That is a truly spectacular thing, that bolero! I love it in each and every outfit.
Posted by: Unicorns have whiskers | Tuesday, 13 May 2008 at 17:53
Oh I love it! It looks amazing with everything (I especially like it with the belted dress in the second to last pic). What a good find!
Posted by: Luxe. | Tuesday, 13 May 2008 at 23:24
Your Highness,
Thank you for the style tip re: the All Saints sandals! I ordered them today from their web site in a taupey brown (they are unfortunately out of the black) and can't wait to get them. Will probably take a while, as I am in New York city. But we two are of the same mind stylistically and I am so glad that I have found you!
Posted by: andrea | Wednesday, 14 May 2008 at 02:30
Wow this is freaking fantastic! Your style is bangin'! That bolero was a worthy investment, for sure!
Posted by: elissa/SpandexPony | Wednesday, 14 May 2008 at 03:59
Lovely! You have such a distinctive, personal style...and it's nice to see you smile in a photo too.
Posted by: ali | Wednesday, 14 May 2008 at 07:35
Thanks for the bolero love!
Amy the girl on Etsy takes custom orders for those lovely shrugs - she also has a lovely frilled shrug which is outstandingly beautiful.
Andrea, I have the All Saints shoes in taupe too and they are divine. You won't be disappointed.
Posted by: Queen Michelle | Wednesday, 14 May 2008 at 08:57
That is one gorgeous eBay find. Wouldn't it be great to see the bolero's former life...? I think it has had a fun ol' time.
Posted by: Rowena (RosiePop) | Wednesday, 14 May 2008 at 13:35
awesome
Posted by: Prêt-à-Porter P | Thursday, 15 May 2008 at 06:50
I've just come across your site and your style is truly amazing and so individual, i love it! I've just been searching on the net for that Public Beware dress you're wearing in the 2nd pic...do you know if there's anywhere at all that has anymore... i've gotta have it!!! Its fab!
I tried contacting the store but their number is out of use :(
Posted by: Mia | Friday, 16 May 2008 at 12:45
Oh Mia I don't think you'll be able to get the Public Beware dress anymore. I got this from ASOS, but they sold out ages ago. I'll see if I can find somewhere else online and if I do I'll let you know.
I could maybe actually do some kind of DIY version though....mmm,m could be a future post?
Posted by: Queen Michelle | Friday, 16 May 2008 at 13:49
Thanks for that, i appreciate it :)
Re the DIY version...Yes Please!!! I'm pathetic at sewing, i can barely sew on a button so if you would be interested in doing a DIY version of the dress, i'd be absolutely delighted!
You're an absolute star!
Thanks
Mia
x
Posted by: Mia | Saturday, 17 May 2008 at 18:17
All stunning as usual, but I'm particularly taken with your shoes! They're gorgeous.
Posted by: la femme | Sunday, 18 May 2008 at 21:05
Amazing. Lovely. Fantastical. As usual.
Posted by: enc | Thursday, 22 May 2008 at 05:19
This reminds me of a dress I found on asos.com
http://www.asos.com/Oasis/Oasis-Puff-Sleeve-Shine-Dress/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=226302&clr=Black&SearchQuery=puff&sh=0
You look amazing!
Posted by: danz | Friday, 23 May 2008 at 13:15
I love the silhouettes created with the large shoulders and tapered waists. They look very remiscent of spring Balenciaga. Great site!
Posted by: Cupcakes and Cashmere | Saturday, 24 May 2008 at 04:04
I actually saw the same thing on ebay! I thought it could work in the right way--- and you did an amazing job styling it!
Posted by: gloria | Saturday, 31 May 2008 at 00:55