Kingdom Of Style

Psycho Klein...

There is nothing new under the sun! and this is especially true in fashion and design.
When does inspiration become a 'homage' and when does that homage become an outright copy?

Taking a stab in the dark, I'm guessing that when Calvin Klein were putting together the advertising for their 'sinful lipstick' the art direction was to create a strong sexy image inspired by the iconic images from the Robert Palmer, Addicted to Love video

This video had in it's turn been inspired by the work of the artist Patrick Nagel.
Nagel who died in 1984 is remembered for his work for Playboy and the album cover for Rio by Duran Duran. Nagel would start with a photograph and work down, always simplifying and removing elements which he felt were unnecessary. The resulting image would look flat, but emphasized those elements which he felt were most important. While Nagel's work is mostly represented by aloof, if also seductive women, they are rarely, if ever, presented in a submissive relationship with men. These are highly sexual, but empowered and intelligent, women...

So far, so good.
So now we come to Calvin and we come to the problem!
The image they have created is not so much an aloof empowered woman, as much as a psycho bitch from hell...

Putting it plainly this woman looks like she has murder on her mind. Maybe it's because someone has stolen her eyelids!

Sexy? No!
Psychotic? Yes indeed!

Queen Marie

Make it precious please...

In true Princess and The Pea fashion* I can only have precious metals next to my skin.
Any base metal will play havoc with my skin. It will cause itches and blisters and most dramatically of all it will turn my skin green. Sometimes I forget until I take the offending item off.

Last night I popped down to the club for Subcultures 14th Birthday (Happy Birthday x) and when I got home and took off my 'gold' choker I looked like someone had tried to throttle me. The jolly green giant perhaps...

Just as well I have a palace full of scarfs, this will take about three days to fade.
Bah!

Your Green Queen

*The Princess and the Pea
Once upon a time, a handsome prince decided it was time to take a wife. But only a real princess could marry him. He travels about the world searching for a real princess but returns home disappointed. One evening, a young woman claiming to be a real princess seeks shelter from a storm in the prince's castle. The Queen Mother decides to test the validity of her claim by placing a single pea on a bedstead and piling twenty mattresses and twenty feather beds atop it. There, the young woman spends the night. In the morning, she tells her hosts she endured a sleepless night, being kept awake by something hard in the bed. The prince rejoices. Only a real princess possesses the delicacy to feel a pea through twenty mattresses and twenty feather beds. The two are married, and live happily ever after.

Take me to Toronto...

This year should see a long overdue Royal Visit to Canada and I think I'll start with Toronto.
That will let me kill two birds with one stone - a visit to up to you toronto and Niagra Falls.

If it was up to me, I would buy almost everything in 'Up to You' where Bill and Dimitra encourage & embrace individuality by sourcing and selling the most wonderful things.

Things like these...

If I don't get my tea, bet your ass there will be an emergency situation
Porcelain Cup $40

The most darling Deer Coat Rack $300

A world of wildlife on your finger. Perfect perspex rings from $13

The notion for Niagra falls is the result of this...

It was the setting for the wonderful TV show Wonderfalls. Like almost all the shows I love, it only ran for one season. If you have never seen it, I urge you to track it down. It's available now on DVD on Amazon etc and is well worth a watch

Wonderfalls is quirky without being precious, sardonic without being bitter, and smart without being a show-off about it. Jaye (Caroline Dhavernas) is a graduate of Brown University who's opted not to put her education to work, and instead lives in a trailer and works at a tourist shop in Niagara Falls, to the consternation of her affluent, successful family. All seems to be going well for this self-proclaimed slacker, until one day a small toy lion speaks to her in enigmatic epigrams, commanding her to help people. Loath to deal in any compassionate way with the rest of humanity, Jaye warily obeys, if only to make the voices stop. Soon, though, she finds herself to be an unwilling humanitarian and accidental hero when more inanimate objects start talking to her, and more people turn out to need her help.

Maybe if I'm feeling brave I could go over the falls in a barrel.
Mmm maybe not, best to stick to the shopping...

Queen Marie

Don't eat the socks...

When the charming Aaron pointed me in the direction of Pantherella I told him the zingy colours made me think of sherbet and sweeties

He said -
I am glad to hear that you like like the Pantherella socks! Whilst these socks are admittedly very fine indeed I would advise against trying eat them as unfortunately they're not really made of sherbet?! :-P

See what you think...

Knee High Cotton Lisle £9.50

The Richard James ones are also fruity and delicious

yum yum yum

Queen Marie

bow wow, bow wow

BOW WOW 1

Not all doggies are naughty and want to chew your shoes.
This little puppy wants to help you...

This is the deskdog, made of red leather and a bargain at $80 (Canadian), you can find him here

BOW WOW 2

Much like our esteemed Wendy B, I am very partial to a bow. So you can imagine my joy when Queen Michelle gave me a wee present last weekend to cheer me up and it was a Hilary Laing 'bow' scarf. Wow!
When you put it on, the coloured crayon print lines up to make one perfectly darling little bow.
Wowser...

BOW WOW 3

'Less is more' is a fine credo when applied to style, but when it comes to wrapping presents... 'More is More'
Tissue paper, wrapping paper, bows, butterflies - I like to pile it all on.
Today is my mums birthday and she is a big fan of the floral...

Happy Birthday Mum!
x

Queen Marie

Have you seen her?

A good Queen, is a helpful Queen.
People often write to us looking for help. About shoes, bags, hats and we like to help where we can.
Sometimes however we hit a brick wall and it is then, we turn to you, dear friends...
We got this letter through the week

Hi there,

This is probably a big shot in the dark but I thought Id give it ago.

I saw someone on the tube with a Miu miu bag – and I wanted to get hold of the name or even a picture and see if i could get hold of it somehow. I believe its from AW06 but its not on any of the runway shots but the colour palette but similar.

I went into the store on bond stree but all the old look books have gone back to Italy!

Basically its like miss marple type bag, fits underneath the arm – its structured with 2 Zippered top compartments – big enough to hold a book. Has two handles – black leather. The bag is framed with about 2cm width black leather.

The bag itself is made up of cream background fabric with this jacquard/brocade shape repeated on the sides in olive green, black and muted yellow. Heres my attempt at drawing it.

If u have any idea what its called id be most grateful! If u know where I might be able to get id love u forever!

Many thanks

A distressed person

If you have seen this bag, know her name or where we can find her, please contact The Palace with details.

Thank You

Queen Marie

Topshop Hearts Margiela

So much so they have created an 'inspired by' version of the Margiela horse print teeshirt.

Queen Michelle

So, Like, Cool!

A designers' best friend is a Type Foundry. It's like eye candy for us. We get to peruse and gawp at beautiful fonts all day long.

I have a list of amazing foundries the length of my arm and try and check them regularly to see what fabulous new designs they have created. On a recent check of the Village site, where Mário Feliciano creates some real purty fonts, I noticed that he'd turned his fabulous For Like Ever poster into a tote!

I adore this poster and it makes me chuckle whenever I see it - I can just imagine a Cher in Clueless type of voice saying it. So to have it on a tote is insanely cool!

Unfortunately the shipping costs to the UK are actually more expensive than the bag, so perhaps I'll give it a miss. But it doesn't stop me from looking for, like, ever!

Queen Michelle

Strapless Forever?

Just as Zara hates Queen Marie, it would appear that structured strapless dresses hate me. A few weeks ago I made a very rare trip to H&M and found an amazing leather dress. It was strapless with a glorious tulip shaped bottom and I think it may even have had pockets too (always a bonus). I quickly tried on the last size 8 but to my horror and dismay I discovered the bodice part to be several inches too short - the cups didn't even come close to reaching my chest! The dress itself was also too short to wear as a dress, but that's beside the point. Oh the horror! How dare it!

In the spirit of research I then tried on some other strapless dresses in H&M, and some other high street shops, only to discover the same thing. Now, either size 8 is equated with very short people, or I have a freakishly long torso. I'm guessing I have a  freakishly long torso. Damn! The thing is I love strapless dresses - they quite simply rock when worn over t-shirts.

I've never really had any issues with my body in adulthood - I mean, I am fully aware of it's many flaws but generally speaking it's never let me down. But this strapless issue is making me rather cross! How dare my body not allow me to wear something I want! Of course, as is often the case, when you are told you can't do something the more you want, nay need, to. So naturally all I seem to be drawn to these days is pretty strapless dresses. Go figure!

Queen Michelle

The Finnish Have Faith

Ok, ok I take it all back. There are good looking mid height shoes out there. Namely Finsk. Yup, those lovely shoes that were stocked in Topshop not so long ago have moved into Faith's online store. Beautifully crafted heels underneath quirky designs make the mid-height heel hot.

I eat my words.

Queen Michelle

The Cat Wants The Cream

Luella's Spring Summer 08 collection look has been well and truly snaffled by Topshop, and pretty much every high street retailer in the UK. The floral skirt/dress and leather jacket combo, though perhaps not exactly a rocket science combination, has been adopted like a pretty uniform for girls everywhere. And I have to say, I like it. It was a big yawn for me at first but then some of the best ideas are the simplest, and this look is pretty flattering on most bods, so for me it works. I even had a gander a little flowery tiered skirt the other day and remarked to Queen Marie about how much that Luella collection had grown on me.

However, what I really want is the cat glasses. Oh yes. Impractical and daft in the extreme but I want them because they make me laugh.

Queen Michelle

Middle Of Nowhere

If you haven't noticed before, I'm pretty much an all or nothing kinda gal. I don't like doing things by halves. Queen Marie will tell you that my most repeated mantra is "If you're in, you're in". It's for this reason my shoe addiction has become rather problematic. If I do heels, then I have to really do heels - they have to be as high as I can possibly get away with.

You see the problem is I basically hate flats. Hate them. I like Converse and other assorted plain sneakers, but ballet pumps et al are a major no go area for me. I can do flat gladiator sandals, but of course they have to be super strappy, not just a little bit strappy. The problem with this is twofold:

• Flats are pretty essential when you have to be zipping around town quickly (ie to get to work on time or to get home on time to stop the dogs peeing on the hall carpet).
• A shorter boyfriend means super high heels cannot be worn at times when we are in the same room at the same time. Ever.

Therefore I am often at a loss as to what to shove on my feet when heels just ain't gonna happen. I have been pondering this for several weeks now as a recent shoe check revealed my absolute lack of mid-height heels. Mid height heels, which I deem to be about 2-3 inches, are perhaps the best compromise for days when I will have to be rushing around (which is pretty much most days) but still want my outfit to be topped off with some decent shoes. Nothing puts me out of sorts more than having on an outfit I think is pretty rocking then having to put on shit shoes. It messes with my mojo, man. So mid-height heels are the obvious answer. But I have a mental stumbling block when it comes to actually buying them. I see them, I know they are there and I know I should be buying them as it's sensible, but my brain is always drawn instead to their higher, scarier sister.

It really hit home this morning as I fumbled about the closet trying to find some mid height heels so I didn't have to carry my high shoes in a bag and wear flat shoes until I get into work, but I literally only found 3 pairs. I eventually settled on a very old pair of slouchy ankle boots but it served to highlight my need for sensible shoes.

Ho hum.

Queen Michelle

Russian Revelation

Many of you will be familiar with Russian designer Vika Gazinskaya but I suspect it'll be more because of her striking appearances on The Facehunter and The Sartorialist than her work as a designer. And she herself is indeed exceptionally striking with her sharp bowl cut and flick of black eyeliner, often see wearing her own beautiful creations.

This young Russian started off as a stylist for the Russian edition of L'Officiel and from there her stellar career as a bona fide star in the making was launched.

Her work is impressive beyond her years, with exquisite tailoring, bold structure and volume, a palette of primarily black and white with pops of brights like red, blue and yellow and the addition of playful elements like massive neck ruffs placed over coats. Vika's work is a folio of a woman who is set to make massive waves in the fashion industry - particularly impressive considering her debut collection was only in 2006.

Queen Michelle

Nine Are Fine

Yet another pair of Nine West shoes which are set to totally rock my world. Again, a nod to Givenchy SS08, they have everything this Queen luurves in an accessory: straps and hardware. Come to mamma!

The shoes will lend themselves to having grosgrain or leather/PVC ribbon looped through the rings and tied up the leg in a haphazard manner. Even though I don't actually do stiletto's, for these I shall make an exception. Yum.

Queen Michelle

Knowing Me, Knowing You With: The Draped Dress

I've had another spot on That's So You moment. After the Ann Hagen tease, I received another email with the subject line "Thought you might like this!" by a girl going by the name of Shini Park. Yes. Yes I do! This time I was directed to a vintage seller on Etsy and shown a delicious drapey chocolate brown dress with a tulip shaped bottom.

It was love at first sight! Brown is a magnificent colour for acting as a neutral. I imagine wearing this dress with pops of brights like turquoise, pink and red as well as with darker hues like grey, navy and black. I will also explore wearing a totally brown outfit and hope I don't look like a giant poop. There's always that risk people.

The dress is calling out to me to create some kind of harness/strapping detail to be worn over the top - quite what I will create I'm not sure, but I definitely feel some kind of DIY stirrings...

So thank you Shini Park for the heads up and thank you for knowing me so well! Here's a clip of the excellent Steve Coogan as Alan Partridge doing Knowing Me Knowing You, where I have shamelessly stolen the name!

Queen Michelle

It Must Be The April Snow...

...that has been falling which may have contributed to my digging out my old, long forgotten faux fur jacket, and I think it also contributed to me snaffling another whilst thrifting on Saturday. This time the fur is darker and the jacket much longer so maximum warmth potential for freezing days.

I wore it with my red Rich & Skinny jeans, Nine West shoes, vintage lace gloves and Marc Jacobs aviators on Sunday to go to the fabric shop and it did indeed keep me mega warm.

I also managed to scoop a fabulous, olive green, 80's, leather tuxedo style jacket with puffed shoulders. This is how I'm wearing it today - with a cream pleated tiered dress, All Saints heels (yes, them again) and thick black tights.

I got them both for a princely sum of £15 which made me exceptionally happy!

I must admit, thrifting/second hand shopping really does provide a thrill unlike most shopping experiences. Infact, I'd go as to say it's my favourite kind of shopping. The uncertainty of whether anything awaits you creates a little expectant buzz because you know if the shopping fairy is on your side then the bargains you can scoop can be quite wonderful. I also think thrifting allows you to explore things you might otherwise dismiss if you are paying a lot for it - for example, the blue cape I bought during one thrifting excursion would not have come home with me had it cost me £50 in a high street shop, because I couldn't say for certainty how much wear I'd really get out of it - but for £4 it really doesn't matter if I never wear it out. That of course is much down to my own personal approach to shopping, and finances in general; I equate an items worth with how many wears I'll get out of it. Thrifting allows you to let go of your sensible head for a while and just buy things because they look beautiful. In the case of these two purchases however, I will definitely get lots of wear out of both.

Queen Michelle