Kingdom Of Style

Shop Drop

Ah, don't you just love when all the lookbooks start to come into your inbox? That sense of anticipation as you scroll through the PDF, soaking up every image, every possibility for a perfect wardrobe addition.

When the AW09/10 lookbook for Amelie Boutique landed in my inbox I was tres excited! With the shops roster of labels getting more impressive each season, I can see my 'buy less, buy better' money going there rather often. Whilst I await the arrival of my Tristan Blair wedges, I am already warming up the credit card for a few select pieces from the look book.

My favourite pieces from the lookbook:

The Finsk wedges are sculptural gorgeousness as are the Camilla Skovgaard knee high boots.

Heimstone stuff always looks enticing, but I really loved this strappy dress.

If those J Dauphin leather panelled leggings don't make their way into my closet then just I might as well just give up now. The perfect way to update the leather leggings trend that shows no sign of disappearing, but is getting rather dull, dare I say. This is fresh approach and I imagine these will truly come to life when they are on. These are a definite purchase.

Now all I need to do is await the arrival of these delicious items which will involve visiting the shop approximately every hour on the hour.

Queen Michelle

No Slacker

Gemma Slack has been getting quite a bit of love of late. This young lady has really hit the spot with her AW09 collection for me personally. Show me armour and I'll show you undying devotion. Top it with a model in a monk-like bowl cut and we have a recipe for perfection.

Her smoke prints remind me of her hometown, the industrial city of Sheffield. Considered bleak by many this large city gave the UK an impressive steel industry, The Human League, Warp Records and the sadly no defunct Designers Republic (RIP).

I suspect she didn't intentionally channel her birth city, and it's just me who's thinking that, but I always believe good design, like art, leaves the viewer an opportunity to translate and interpet their own meanings. There is no denying the futuristic element inherent in the collection too - the mix of past and present is powerful and well executed.

Obviously loving the chain waistcoat thing there.

Queen Michelle

Designer Affairs

For the past few years I've been having a love affair with Indesign. I actually dumped my long term lover Freehand for him.

Freehand was great. He was easy to work with, he understood my needs and he had great tools, but I needed more. Then I met Indesign. I didn't fall for him right away, but soon his charisma shone through and I could see that although he didn't have quite as many talents, the ones he did have gave me much more pleasure.

Of course, I will always be married to Photoshop. I'll never leave him. Applications come and go but Photoshop is my partner for life. But we have an arrangement. He understands that when I use Indesign I learn some new tricks which I can use on Photoshop. He knows that spices things up, so he doesn't complain. He likes to get busy with Image Ready and Flash so it works both ways - it's a mutual understanding we have.

Sometimes, when I'm alone, I think about Indesign and Photoshop and even Freehand (we shared some good times).

Since I don't have photos of them I reckon these pillows would be the next best thing.

Queen Michelle

Chronicles Of Never....

Never getting their site to work more like!

I stumbled upon an Australian label today called Chronicle of Never as I was looking for some cool tees. I am all about t-shirts right now and am scouring everywhere for nice ones. So I find myself on this Australian labels site.

Their printed t-shirts are so simple but absolutely perfect, and their basics fit the bill of simple with an edge beautfully too. Wouldn't kick the Rectangle bag out of my closet either.

The Another Logo vs The World one reminds me of an old Dead Kennedys shirt I used to own as the, er logos, are similar. Wore it until it actually fell to pieces. This would be a great replacement, in fashion terms.

However I found myself completely enraged by their website which, although very atmospheric and all, seems to not function very well. I tried it on several browsers but to no avail - silly type sitting over images, which stays there even when you enlarge the images. It annoyed so much I can't even be arsed finding out who the hell they are. Whatever happened to good old fashioned, non-Flash sites where images are big and clear? Really, Flash is kinda boring now. Yes images move and it's all very fun to play with and you can create a nice 'mood' but I don't want to buy a 'mood', I want to buy a freakin' t-shirt!

Rant over.

Queen Michelle

Hits The Markey

Louise Markey, the talented lady behind label LF Markey, knows how to work colour. I can safely say, other than Dries Van Noten, Basso & Brooke and Marni, I haven't seen colour used quite as well until Markey showed up on the scene with her SS09 collection. Although Markey had previously designed for Burberry, it was her work for her own label that cemented her place as 'one to watch'.

The girl certainly proved she knows her way around a Pantone book, exploring all those slightly 'off' combinations that most might not think to wear, or assume would actually work.

Her latest collection however sees her navigate the opposite end of the spectrum with a somewhat darker palette, though none the less vibrant. It's certainly autumnal but not in the slightest bit sombre. She also, rather bravely it has to be said, opts to use velvet, among other heavy fabrics. Velvet is a tricky little bugger as it has a tendency to turn grown women into stunted 12 year olds. Yet Markey approaches it with humour and exaggerates the silhouettes so that there is not hiding from the velvet!

Her Tudor influence is clear, especially with the faux Tudor art style of presentation, as if the subjects are waiting to be committed to oil paint. This of course goes some way to explaining the use of velvets.

Markey is confident in doing her own thing and this collection exemplifies this beautifully.

Queen Michelle

In The Nude

I was delighted when the lovely Guy from Fashion156 told me that the latest issue was going to be the Nude issue.

I haved waxed lyrical so many times about my love these fleshy tones. Not everyones cup of tea colour-wise, but for me they are flattering on my strangely coloured skin (vaguely yellow toned gray - nice). Perhaps it harks back to my love vintage lingerie and corsetry, but every time I see something in a soft peachy colour I am drawn to it in the way a magpie is drawn to shiny things.

I was very excited when one of our wonderful readers pointed me in the direction an Etsy with some things I "might like". No kidding! The shop is freakin' amazing! Artlab creates all manner of deliciously distressed pieces with plenty coming in those gorgeous, naked hues.

The ruffled bibs satisfy my love of intense ruffles.

These are beautifully refined and make my attempt at massive ruffled action look as ridiculous as it actually was (seriously - shower flowers?? What was I thinking?!)

After much pondering I settled on this gorgeous peplum/harness/bustle hybrid thing. It's perfect in many ways. I will get endless wear from it.

It is being created as I type and should perhaps arrive early next week or so.

Queen Michelle

Head Candy

It's all about heads in the Kingdom just now. Queen Marie scooped a box of tiaras when we were out thrifting on Saturday. That's right -  a box of 'em! The excitement she experienced with her box of bling could have gone some way to contributing to her dizziness! Because Queen Marie does like a tiara...or ten.

Anyway, my Prince's chiropractor's receptionist (still with me?) happens to be a rather talented milliner. He had told me that she had made hats but he didn't have her website and hadn't gotten the chance to ask on his last visit. Then their newsletter popped through our door at the weekend and she was their top story because she could be off to Paris since she is in the semi-finals of the Milliner of the Year Awards 2009.

Paula Cooper, when not talking about backpain during the day, is making rather delightful headpieces and hats by night.

The last one would be the perfect accompaniment to the Hussein Chalayan bubble dress, non?

I love the teal and red pieces in particular. She has to create three designs to submit. I hope she goes far in the competition as we need some more Scottish talent making waves in fashion.

Queen Michelle

Which Bee would you be?

Doing something worthwhile doesn't need to be dull and dreary.

The charming site Help the Honey Bees tells you how to plant bee friendly plants in your garden or window box and even lets you build your own bee!

Behold Queen Bee Marie...

Although it has to be said, that my bee fringe is in dire need of a trim!

x

If Bumble Bees couldn't fly...

and they had to walk everywhere instead, I think they would choose these sneakers by Mihara Yasuhiro for Puma available for £85 from Browns 

I'm not a Puma kind of girl but I really love these, especially the detail on the bumper...

which for some reason, are making me think of melted ice cream...

Yum Yum Yum

Queen Marie

Save the Bees...

 If it wasn't for the bees, where would we be?

If you haven't asked yourself this question, you should! and the sooner the better!!!

The world's honey bees are disappearing at an alarming rate, declining by 30% between 2007-2008!  Now, this might seem like it is a trivial matter but if the honey bee disappears completely, so might we. We rely on the honey bee to pollinate a vast amount of our crops, over 90 of them in Europe alone - Albert Einstein once said that if the bees disappeared, "man would have only four years of life left". China having lost over 90% of their bees have had to resort to hand pollination.  It seems unimaginable that the natural world has got so far out of order, that human beings are being used to do the work of the humble bee.

The UK once had 25 species of bumblebee,but the last few years have seen 3 of them become extinct and 7 of them are under threat.

Tonight Optimo 

will be hosting a SAVE THE BEES PARTY where they will be handing out some literature and encouraging us to think about what we can do to help. However small it may seem...

For starters you should buzz straight over to Save Our Bees  and see what you can do!

Queen Marie 

xxx