Kingdom Of Style

The Black Tie and The Dress...

A drama in two parts!

I have just waved Queen Michelle off to the Awards and very stylish she looked in her French Connection sequin dress.
Yes, you did read that right.  The original and homemade dress sits abandoned on a hanger in her chambers.

It all started with a panicky sounding Queen Michelle on the phone this afternoon about 3, when she had been told again that it was "full on black tie tonight ie the guys are wearing kilts"  She had visions of girls in gowns and upswept chingnons and she started to get the fear. Now the fear is a bad bad thing but wardrobe fear is totally crippling. The only thing to get you going again is drastic action and that is exactly what she did.  She marched straight into French Connection and snatched up the dress.

So all we have to do now is send out winning vibes and hope she comes back to the kingdom triumphant.

If i needed a black tie dress and money was no object it would have to be this miu miu from net-a-porter black, flowers and a bustle.  It couldn't be any better...

Queen Marie

Rich And Skinny? Yes I am!

Rich and Skinny jeans are a not-yet-launched jeans label founded by Michael Glasser (of Seven and Citizens) and Joie Rucker (of Joie) offering no less than 13 different skinny styles in a variety of colors.

Whilst there is no official launch date as of yet, they are expected sometime in December but as far as I know will only be sold in the shops in the US but hopefully they\ll appear online too.  Allegedly they will cost roughly $100 which in my opinion makes these very reasonably priced jeans, and I have been hankering after a pair if skinny red jeans for quite some time now, so hopefully they will have the expert fit of Seven, which will make me very happy indeed!

Queen Michelle

LiLo Lay Low!

So I get Elle today and on the cover is Lindsay friggin Lohan! Why?? OK, I'm going on a bit of a bitch fest here so those LiLo lovers please avert thine eyes...

I'm one of those strange people who likes my fashion magazines to have models on the front not 'celebrities' and certainly not a Rachel Zoebot - a fully functioning, production line, mini Rachel!

If they must put a celebrity on the cover then why not choose someone with some sense of their own style? Chloe Sevigny, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Sofia Copola? All these stylish ladies are far more worthy of being on a fashion magazine cover than tanorexic Lindsey. Believe it or not Elle, not all of us worship at The Church of Celebrity and having her freckled face on the cover actually makes me re-evaluate why I buy this mag in the first place. Not to mention the fact the spread itself is horrific, she doesn't suit any of the clothes and has as much charisma as my left sock.

And seriously you too Karl, what were you thinking! Is this what Chanel has become? Coco will be turning in her grave!

Queen Michelle

Winter Of Love

When it comes to fashion I go through phases. Much like playing a character, sometimes I dress a certain way for a while then I change it and dress another way for another while. Lately I've been all about the smock, baby doll and swing dress. It's grey and pared down and minimal. But I feel a shift happening. Today I am wearing a printed silk dress over a long vintage red and black slip with turquoise tights and grey shoes with lots and lots of big beaded necklaces. My hair is poker straight and I have the slightest parting in my usually heavy fringe...I look all hippy. And I feel I'm entering (or at least flirting with) another phase consisting of autumnal graphic prints on empire line dresses with balloon sleeves.

I'm regressing one could say as this was what I used to wear during a portion of my teenage years (post punk), when I used to go to Glastonbury Festival every year (when it was good) along with wearing bloomers and Victorian corsets as outerwear and listen to The Levellers. And I'm feeling it all over again.

I'm very inspired by the FW06 Missoni collection with it's bold graphic prints, which has thankfully made the look a lot less 'boho' (scary visions of Sienna Millar in cowboy boots spring to mind).

This may be a flirtation rather than a full on phase but there's something very spirited about floaty dresses in prints that makes you feel all winsome and young.

The good thing about the new season prints is that they are modern and bold and in subtle colours, so you can keep wearing your grey ribbed tights, plus you won't look like you shop in Laura Ashley which is always a good thing.

Easton Pearson; Mulberry; Lauren Moffat

Tibi; Free People

In order not look too hippy I'll make sure I always carry a great bag and keep my coats relatively short (a long coat would look way to retro for me). I may even mix it up by wearing my civil war style jacket.

The autumnal colours will make sure it's not too summery, afterall the Kingdom is getting severe weather warnings so I won't be in a field making daisy chains any time soon...

Queen Michelle

All White

Fashion. She be a fickle filly. Just when you think you've tamed her she goes all crazy on you. Let me set the scene. Late one Friday night/Saturday morning after DJing -
Prince to Queen:
"I definitely heard a sax in one of your records. You like jazz"
"I DO NOT LIKE JAZZ! That was NOT a sax!"
"It WAS a sax. You like JAZZ."
"I DO NOT!!! Besides, I don't mind a sax it's a TRUMPET I hate and there are no trumpets in ANY of my records"
"You like jazz"
"Be quiet"

This is a typical 'discussion' post club my Prince and I have about my records. I dislike Jazz intensely. Where he sees soul and feeling I just see 'noodle'. And of all the wind instruments, trumpets offend me the most. It's a silly instrument. So any thing to do with jazz and you'll see me shuffle right out the door and my fingers will not be in the 'jazz hands' position...

It's this dislike of jazz that put me in a pickle. I have been looking for alternative flat shoe to ballet flat's and just couldn't find anything until some many months ago I happened upon jazz shoes. I denied it at first. I couldn't bare the thought of me actually liking anything jazzy and I knew it would leave me open all sorts of stick from the Prince. I'd never live it down.

So the hunt continued for more months until eventually the truth became clear - I had to have the jazz shoes. They were perfect for my purposes. Damn! I did indeed buy the jazz shoes last week, I could wait no longer and I reluctantly admitted my purchase to the Prince and oh how he could barely contain his joy! In an instant he began a full on assault of a combination of jazz dancing and jazz hands with demonic laughter. "JAZZ BABY! JAZZ BABY!!" Shouting and shuffling across the living room floor! Damn that dark Prince!

But that is not the end of this cautionary tale.

I bought a black pair. Sensible. Will go with all my coloured tights and even grey jeans. But deep inside I knew I didn't want the black pair. What I longed for, ached for was something much more sinister, disturbing nay terrifying! -  I WANTED THE WHITE PAIR!!!!! In my head I visualised the white pair. It was as if the fashion grim reaper had come and stolen my sartorial taste. But there it was. A fully formed desire for white jazz shoes. Suffice to say I refrained. A re-occurring image of Nick Cave kept popping into my head and that was enough to make me resist the temptation....for now.

My shoes came from Office (I could not find a single pair elsewhere) but for those in the US I think the Steve Madden ones are nicer...and yes in white. Some of you will be braver than I and indulge in the fashion pariah that is white shoes.

Queen Michelle

Burfitt

All I know is that they are Swedish and based in Paris, but as to who 'they' are I'm clueless. I just love all their stuff and they even make me want those leggins (in the photo above), which is a rare honour because I don't actually like leggins, but these are extra long with stirrups and look great.

You can purchase Burfitt from one of my most favourite sites Creatures Of Comfort

Queen Michelle

My Makeup Shame

Queen Marie posted her paltry makeup wears in response to an article by the Telegraph, which tells us that x amount of women buy truckloads of makeup, worth hundreds of pounds. I'm ashamed to say I am one of those statistics. To say I buy alot of makeup is a slight understatement. I buy it by the barrel load. But here's the irony - the only makeup I wear on a day to day basis is mascara, lipbalm, concealer and shadow (but only for lining my eyes). I never do full on eye shadow, I only wear foundation on special nights out, I never wear lipstick and I rarely wear blush and never wear powder. Yet I just keep buying it all.

This is my everyday makeup bag (or should that read makeup suitcase):

In my defense however, I don't carry any makeup out with me, only lipbalm. But here's the rest of my makeup, kept in various dedicated drawers around the house.

Mascara:

Foundations/Powder:

Lipgloss/Lipstick:

Blush/Bronzer:

Eyeshadow:

So there you have it, my makeup. Not bad for someone who wears so little...mmm, I think I have a problem...

Queen Michelle

Christmas has come early to the Kingdom...

It arrived on Friday night!  Queen Michelle and I had been on a shopping trip to Braehead and were back at her palace chambers drinking tea.  We were feeling a bit giddy and decided to give each other our Christmas gifts there and then.

This was a great idea because we don't usually see each other until about the 27/28th during the festive season. Also because I am totally useless at keeping presents for people.  I love buying presents and when I know I have scooped a peach, I can't wait to give it to the person.

We were both enchanted with our gifts.

I got the Queen the perfect Belt Bag ( which I'm sure she will post details of shortly) and she got me the sweetest Reindeer Necklace on a delicate silver chain.
I LOVE Reindeers.  If I won the lottery the first thing I would do would be to buy a house with a walled garden and buy me a reindeer.  I have reindeer necklaces, rings, hairclasps, brooches and if I could wear them all at the same time I would

But this little mirrored deer is a joy.  To look at him is to love him...

muji.co.uk

I love Glasgow, but every so often I go off on a rant about why some of my favourite shops no longer have a store here.  I'm talking mainly about Liberty and Muji.

They both opened to a fanfare, and I always thought they were doing well enough but within a couple of years both had closed.  The closure of Muji especially, has forced Lady Lisa  to beseech anyone on the way to London to bring her back her favourite stationery items.  Unacceptable!

muji are the original no brand, brand and the ethos of "elegance is refusal"* is central to everything they do.

They have some super cute, super affordable christmas things. I LOVE the little woollen finger puppets.  They look like Missoni but are made from reclycled yarn and are only £2.95

i also love the organic bunny 

but am a bit disturbed by the eyes.  Maybe I have read too many comic books, but when I see eyes like crosses, it usually means someone or something is dead!!!

I don't know about you but a dead bunny hardly shouts happy holidays!!!

Queen Marie

*Dianne Vreeland

Bound by the blogging ties of fickle fashion...

Oh what an amazing thing this information highway, my mother calls the "interweb" truly is!

Gradually you travel further and further until you feel quite at home, thousands of virtual miles away from home and slowly people from the ether cross over into your every day 'real' life.

This came up when last night, I was explaining to Queen Michelle that I was quite vexed because I had been trying to post to Winona, Lady of the distant Lands of Likey and had only suceeded in getting myself into a fankle.

I kept thinking about her sweet little jacket

Lady Likey please note that A Royal Decree has been issued instructing you to buy it immediately.

Happiness and joy are not prizes easily won and if they can be your for the paltry sum of $28, then the jacket must be yours.

It matters not a jot if you ever wear it!  Some of my most treasured things lead perfectly fulfilling lives on hangers just being gazed at. 

So on this thanksgiving holiday treat yourself, or we shall be forced to send over the Garment Guards to escort you to Nordstrom.

The shopping fairy will watch over it until you get there...

Hurry Winona, Hurry...

Queen Marie