Animal Instincts

Being in your mid-late 30's is a funny age to be. Actually in some respects it's a nightmare age to be.

Mostly because of the 80's.

If you're over 40 the chances are all the dreadful 80's fashions passed you by because you were old enough to know better and not indulge in them to any great degree, and obviously under 30 you were too young to remember, or not even born. But us 30-somethings, well, we were teenagers in the 80's and essentially sponges for all the hideous fashion that era spawned. Oh yes, we soaked up all the 80's fads with gay abandon.

Then, like now, I was more than happy to try anything at all in terms of fashion. I left no stone unturned, no fad unexplored. I tried it all. Sometimes all at once. You know it's bad when the best you ever looked in the 80's was when you wore pointed stiletto ankle boots, drainpipes and a too-big, patchwork, biker jacket.

I was thinking about this the other night. I was talking to Prince B about sweets I loved when I was young and he is the only person I have ever met who remembers Pink Panthers - a strawberry flavoured chocolate shaped like, you guessed it, Pink Panther. It got me thinking about what I wore too. There were those green, blue or red transparent plastic visors everyone used to wear for some stupid reason (no, I don't welcome with open arms their current moment in the limelight), Scholl sandals, quilted body warmers, maaaaasive batwing jumpers and then there were the jeans. Oh the jeans.

For a, mercifully, short spell there were blue jeans with patterns woven through them in darker denim. But it lasted long enough for me to get some with pinstripes, roses and snakeskin patterns. Thinking about those jeans it came to me that that's perhaps where my fear of the animal print comes from. That, and the fact that me wearing animal print could veer dangerously into two possible territories: prostitute or crazy old lady. Neither especially appealing.

Put me in leopard print and I know I'd look like a scrawny crack ho. This is why my sudden reconsideration of animal print is so disturbing. I realise that currently it's only the zebra print that has made any real impression on me, but really that's Animal Print Lite as it's just warped stripes.

Imagine my shock when I recieved an email from Brooke Roberts showing me her collection which has snakeprint...and I liked it! It's not just subtle snakeskin (if there is such a thing) but full-on, pointy, 80's, in-yer-face, snakeskin print.

"Hi My name's Queen Michelle and I fell off the wagon and had some Snakeskin after being sober for 30 years".

So one of two things is happening here: either I'm suffering some mental degenerative disease which sees me regress back to my teens (I'm listening to Jump In The Fire by Metallica as I type this) or, Brooke has created the print to have some kind of hypnotic device installed into the garment which makes me think I could really wear a pointy, 80's red, snakeskin jacket and look..not like a hooker or OAP. 'fess up Roberts.

Maybe this special device the devious little minx has definitely deployed has given me some kind of sartorial equivalent to beer googles - animal print googles? But whatever it is I want that red jacket and I want to wear it with drainpipe jeans, pointed stiletto ankle boots and a too-big biker jacket of patchwork.

Oh yes.

Queen Michelle

Comments

[Hannah]

That first jacket is made for saving the world. Perhaps you're just attracted to it because it's AMAZING.

[Dana]

Oh dear. I'm 40, and all those 80s fashions conjure up nightmares that I actually lived!

What I like about the 80s revivals is they're using subtlety in tailoring that was missing then. And I think the designers now have better fabrics to work with.

[Suzanne aka Punk Glam Queen]

Muahahaha welcome to the dark side! We'll have you in animal prints in no time now! That red jacket is so lovely and sculptural as well as fabulously snaky!
XXX
Suzanne

[C]

i kind of love it.

PAST IS PROOF [ACCESSORY STORE]

[Isabel]

Scrawny crack ho? No way! Your could totally ROCK the animal prints if you let them into your heart!

[Alicia]

I loved reading every bit of this. And you could definitiely pull off that jacket without looking hoe-ish or old lady-ish. LOL

[sd]

ooo i really like the last pants
w/the snakeskin going around the hips
wow those are beautiful

[carly]

excellent writing too. x

[Louise]

Pink panthers? You see, to me, a pink panther is a grossly refined wafer biscuit in a baby pink colour, with pink cream in the middle. Perhaps that was the nineties equivalent?

[CHICKDOWNTOWN.COM Sarah]

I love the red jacket. Its very fierce.

[Stella Mayfair]

ahhh, the 80s. believe me, i wore every single fashion nightmare back in the day... early 80s asymmetrical debbie harry hair – check. pink leopard skinny jeans – check. big shoulders and stiletto winkle pickers – check. sheer lace midi skirts over leggings plus old tights in my hair like madonna – check! this is so weird.

[blanaid]

loving the white top...

[e]

Come on, you so look 26. No one will ever know you lived it the first time. I just hope I look as good as you do when I'm in my 30s!

[Julia]

Hello! I want to tell your that your blog very interesting and creative, i like it so much. And i like your style and your looks.
My name is Julia, and i want to make a friend with you))) I'm from Russia.
In fact i want to send you a present, leggins, i need to know your address and size. You can send all information to my mail - juliabosak@bk.ru

[jennine]

i adore snake print.. and these dont' look retro at all... so i think you're safe.

and at least you didnt wear british knights hi tops and rock out to milli vanilli...
:)

[dreamsequins]

If you don't rock the retro from head to toe, you can definitely get away with these looks. After all, weren't these silhouettes what the designers thought were futuristic shapes anyway? With the alien like shoulder pads and the crazy prints? So it's really quite modern if you think about it-- we're culling inspiration from the 80s, which were then trying to design in a futuristic way-- which should, on balance, through my sheisty math, balance out. :)

[WendyB]

Leopard print absolutely rules and I will beat anyone who denies it. That said, love the first jacket here.

[Brigadeiro]

Ooh! 80's, but futuristic! Love it! Especially 3,4, and 5. Somehow, living in Brazil as a teenager in the 80's I don't think I was heavily affected (barr side ponytails and rolling up my jeans late 80's)...

[Louise]

Oh, yes! can't beat a good old eighties side pony tail!

[mosey]

I think Brooke is just so good that you can't help but like it!

[Sister Wolf]

I know just what you mean about an animal print coat. But python boots are always good and more than good, since they were good enough for Kieth Richard.

[fashion roadkill]

These pieces are stunning. I love the red snakeskin print jacket.

http://fashionroadkill-halifax.blogspot.com

[Mie]

"sartorial equivalent to beer googles" :D trust me, it was no better beeing a teen in the 90s - we all desperately endeavoured to look like the spice girls (but miserably failed, it must be noted), and I distinctly recall wearing a cotton candy pink crop t-shirt with marble print flared turquoise jazz pants with white chunky legwarmers UNDERNEATH poking tragically out in folds over my chunky black Buffalo platform sneakers (I wanted a pink pair with snakeskin details, but luckily my mother refused), sporteing pigtails accessorized with enormous bobble elastics with actual water and glitter in them. To me, a patchwork jacket seems positively classic and elegant in comparison... and, by the way, I would NEVER have guessed that you were in your thirties

[Queen Michelle]

OK Mie you win - that sounds worse than anything I ever wore on the 80's!!

[Lucy]

Go Brooke!! I love her stuff, its great to see her on here!