Kingdom Of Style

A girls best friend?

Diamonds?

A little black dress?

Maybe that's what works for other girls.

But not this Queen!

My best friend is a roll of gaffer tape!

I use it all the time.  To secure things in the garden, stop decks from jumping, hold up lights and decorations. Tomorrow I may even use it to put up hems on new curtains given to me by my mother.

It is almost unheard of for me not to have a couple of rolls knocking about but I discovered much to my shock last night, that I was down to my last few strips...

So today I took Queen Michelle somewhere she had never been before - Bills Tool Store at The Barras.

When we walked in, conversation stopped.  It was as if they had never seen girls before. The boy serving us was so rattled he got all mixed up with the price. Oh how we laughed!

If you have never used it before, it's high time you did...

Queen Marie

x

The word is 'likeable'

www.twentythirtyforty.net

I like this little site.

I like it a lot!

It is run by Arlene Matthews and Brandon Frein out of Chicago ( on my top five places to visit in the next couple of years) Arlene says -

"Brandon and I first decided to do this because a)  we were frustrated by the
fact that nothing like this was coming from Chicago, and b)  so many shopping
websites out there are so unartistic and uninspiring. We wanted to offer an all-encompassing fashion experience which presents fashion as a fun, creative,artistic and accessible lifestyle."

They have done just that. Clean, simple, friendly, aproachable, informative and fun, it is somewhere that I happily nosed around and will be happy to visit again. The fact that they have lots of lovely Loeffler Randall on sale also helps...

Ruffle Collar jacket  (Sale$273) - loving the shape and the swing

Cascading Coat  (Sale $348) - Audrey Hepburntastic

Some shoes for Queen Michelle, the Yvette Pootie ($288)

And the best thing of all, very often, like turns to love...

Queen Marie

The word is 'nonchalant'

I never thought that I would be using the word 'nonchalant' to describe a bag!

But trust me it is the perfect word.

The most perfect word in the world for the work of Edward de Lacy

Edward dropped me an email earlier in the week to tell me about his bags.  Based in Manchester he designs, makes and sews the bags himself. I love his work.  The bags look nonchalant, unforced and easy.  I don't know his process but it looks like he lets the leather talk to him to find it's most natural form and way of being. The resulting folds and draping are organic, creating bags that you could carry every day, everywhere...

Considering the fact that each bag is a unique one off, Edward seems to be practically giving them away.

The blue clutch above is a mere $59 in his sale.

I would get over to his website or etsy shop pronto, before they are all snapped up...

www.delacyonline.com

Queen Marie

PS. If you are anything like me, you may find yourself singing the old DeLacey track 'Hideaway'. All day and all night. Once it is in your head, it won't go away...

Happy Feet Happy Queen

So in a week where my naughty hound Amber chewed her way through a shoe, a boot, a silk covered gift box and a pair of Armani sunglasses I am one cross Queen!

She goes rifling through every space in the house for things to eat and no matter how well you try and hide them she sniffs them out and chews them!

However, I think my pain could be eased somewhat if these clunky, off-white, futuristic wedges from ASOS came my way.

Queen Michelle

RIP tDR

 

Uber design agency The Designers Republic, creative heroes to millions of graphic designers the world over, purveyors of unique, fun and challenging design, anounced a few weeks ago that they were closing their doors after 23 years in business. A great loss for the creative industry.

 

The founder, Ian Anderson, stated that the closure was due several events taking place simultaniously; the loss of several clients, a terrifying tax bill, several pitches not being won and a major client who refused to pay their bill - all served to put the nail in the DR coffin.

It saddens me that agencies likes this, who made a difference to the way many people thought about design, are forced to close their doors when there are agencies out there who treat their staff badly, pay them poorly and churn out the same old crap yet remain open. The mind boggles.

So goodbye tDR. You will be missed. Although, like a pheonix from the ashes, I hope you will rise again and show the young 'uns how it's really done!

Queen Michelle

Lick Me

I am in desperate need of some new cool t-shirts. I used to wear obscure printed tees all the time, paired with demure skirts and high, high heels. It's a look I've loved for a long time. But good tees are hard to find. Lucky for us, well me at least, Lick My Legs have the very thing.

The designs are reminescent of those fabulous shirts Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren used to make for SEX on the Kings Road back in the 70's - bondage imagery, high contrast photos and, too a degree, deliciously obnoxious. I want, no, NEED one of these T-shirts.

Of course, loving the Lick My Boots one!

Queen Michelle

Inside Insiders

Nom*D's latest collection, entitled 'Insiders', is one which made me gasp when I saw it.

Short sleeved masculine blazers layered over delicate slips which have been infiltrated with zips and then tie dyed; waistcoats which are attached to skirts; band t-shirts; a stunning oversized biker style waistcoat in rayon; all loosely layered and generally a bit dishevelled.

The origins and history of each garment is dismembered and dissected yet still referenced, whether it's the dresses rendered in pinstripes normally seen in classic mens shirts or the structure of the blazers. And of course their signature interjection of pretty prints - all serve to make this one of the Nom*D's best collections in my opinion.

I'll have one of everything please!

Queen Michelle

Juicy Segments

When I was told that the latest issue of Fashion156 was going to be the Segmentation issue I jumped up for joy. It's all about panels, sections, texture - everything I love!

It was time to dig out some of my favourite pieces and get layering up in texture and shape. Of course, I could have played dress up all day long but stopped myself at 3 outfits!

Carvela boots; PVC paneled leggings from charity shop; Customised top; necklaces from charity shop; Bubble top worn as skirt from the Urban Collection; DIY belt

Topshop Unique shoes; Jean Pierre Braganza trousers; DIY bandage dress; M&S t-shirt

Topshop paneled leggings; Style Stalker dress; Carvela shoes; DIY peplum; DIY belt

Yup, the obsession with all things segmented and paneled continues and this F156 only serves to feed my addiction more.

Queen Michelle

ManBitch on Amy Winehouse

Manbitching in my Palace has become a bit thin on the ground lately. Infact, not only have there been very few they have actually morphed into the new, more disturbing DadJoke. Coming thick and fast, my Prince is as shocked as me when they just tumble out of his mouth with no prior warning. Is this what happens when a man reaches his mid-forties? Even sans children there is a built-in mechanism that makes them sprout DadJokes? Is it a genetic thing?

But one ManBitch did slip out at the weekend. He was flicking through my Dirty Little Secret (aka Look magazine) and on the cover was Amy Winehouse.

"She's looking much better isn't she" he says.

"Yeah, she doesn't look like she's two syringes away from death now", I replied.

After a long silent pause, he came back with " Aye, I still widnae touch her wi yours!"

I hope this marks the return to his former ManBitching glory because we all know that where there are DadJokes...DadDancing is sure to follow!

Queen Michelle

Fashion Sharing Or Stealing?

I get asked quite frequently how bloggers feature in the fashion industry.

It's a very hard question to actually answer since there is no concrete evidence to suggest an answer either way. I always say that bloggers and their commentors are a good way for fashion bods to gauge what's creating a buzz at street level - after all, we represent the average customer. So in that respect, blogs are probably quite a helpful resource.

Although I sometimes wonder if it goes a little deeper.

Recently a reader alerted Susie Bubble to the more-than-coincidental styling of a pair of Margiela inspired ripped jeans, which Susie had worn over blue tights. And low and behold - the shop in question has the very same idea.

A while ago I too has a similar experience. I had made this really random skirt from thick elastic, black heavy satin and a big, blue zip. It was especially random because of the draping detail at the front. I didn't know what I was doing with that, I just thought it'd make interesting puffiness. Then about 6 months later, Fashion Fake commented that she'd gone into a shop in Melbourne and there was an exact replica of my skirt!

It made me laugh. I'm not at all precious about anything I make, but good god they might have least tried to make it slightly different!

So perhaps blogs are serving a bigger purpose than we think - namely, raiding our DIY's! That said, we can't complain because most of our DIY's are raided from designers. Oh well, what goes around comes around as they say.

Queen Michelle