Kingdom Of Style

an unreasonable season...

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, a time to reap that which is planted;

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

A time to sell Easter Eggs, a time to sell chocolate

A time to sell sun tan lotion, a time to sell snow shoes...

 

Retailers never pay attention to the Bible

Whether through studpidity, desperation or greed, the net result is the same - stores filled with unseasonable merchandise.

Not slighty unseasonal

Massively unseasonal. Epic, rage inducing unseasonable.

Before Santa had even started loading this sleigh with gifts for all the good girls and boys , the buffoons at Marks and Spenscers saw fit to start filling the shelves with Easter Eggs. Feckin' Easter Eggs!

I screeched so loudly, shop assistants came running, convinced I had been crushed under a falling pile of Christmas puddings...

 But worse was to come.

Much worse .

I went  into Boots the other day, and as I stood there, with the snow melting off my boots onto the tiled floor,  what met my unbeleieving eye was stupidity as far as the eye could see.

Row after never ending row of sodding sun tan lotion...

It's unacceptable. Totally feckin' Unacceptable.

I also can't see how it makes economic sense. It's still Janauary people.

I'm sure they  sell a couple of bottles to simpletons but not sufficent quantities of it, to account for all the valuable shelf space it was taking up.

What happened here?  could they not find anyuthing else in the stockroom...

I'm thinking we should have some kind of "Scale of Seasonal Acceptability"

On that scale, the stocking and displaying of any product  shall only be deemed acceptable one month before the event. Any event!  be it Valentines, Easter, or Mothers Day. 

Any period longer than a month shall result in a visit from The Palace Guards, who will quite simply trash your shop and confiscate all of your products.

So Boots, you are kicking the arse out of it, to say the least, trying to punt this stuff almost six months ahead of time.

Sort it out retailers. Sort it out.

You have been warned.

A very cross Queen Marie

 

Bone Collector

As discussed on Sunday, I have decided to explore wearing swimsuits as bodysuits, taking the plunge (no pun intended) and getting a Black Milk Ribs swimsuit.

I had my eye on this since James first designed it, but for lots of reasons never felt I would be that comfortable wearing a bodysuit. But, as I always say, the heart wants what the heart wants, and that usually means all good sense goes right out of the window. I bought the black Ribs one and James very kindly included the white one in there too, for maximum ribbage.

Any apprehension I had about physical comfort disappeared the second I slipped it on, because this is comfort x100. I can hardly believe how soft and well fitted these swimsuits actually are.

No VPL, no wedgie and no need to continually pull and rearrange it - it's like a second skin in the best possible way.

And do I even need to say how awesome the print is? No, I didn't think so.

I can see me developing a collection of these, and I'm currently harassing him about getting me a white skull one from the archives.

They are also perfect for donning one for ballet class too, due to the comfort level and coolness of the fabric. The white one looks especially good for this purpose.

Queen Michelle

Neon Once More

Sometimes, some shop just really hit the mark and currently, for me, it's ASOS. I prowl that shop almost every day and almost every day I find something that makes me sign with longing.

It's gown into a monster shop now, with so many labels in it's inventory it's literally becoming a one-stop-shop for everything fashion related. But I doubt I need to tell any of you readers that, as I'm certain most of you have shopped there at one point.

But indulge me whilst I share this neon loveliness by Cameo Nomad with you all. Yup, still searching for perfect neon and I reckon this comes damn close. The layered pleats in cream and black makes it feel dramatic and somewhat 30's in feel.

I'd happily wear this all day, every day....

Queen Michelle

talking to the choir...

Can I have an amen?

Print $9.00 from here

 

Queen Marie

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The Ombre Effect

The walk to and from work from the bus stop is a 40 minute round trek alongside the windy and cold Clyde, so flat shoes have become an absolute necessity. I have become a bit lazy and tend to wear these ugly, big nubuck boots, which although amazing in the rain, snow and ice, are deeply unattractive. I do carry 'proper' shoes with me and change at work, but I have been trying to buy flat shoes that still look stylish, but allow me to make the walk each day without ending up in copious amounts of pain.

I was thrilled and surprised, simultaneously, when Stephanie from ASOS sent me the ombre creepers I rather loved. These combine both awesomeness and practicality. Double trouble! The dip dyed effect and the brogue style makes them feel preppy but with an edge.

I wore them the very next day to work and can report that the foam sole makes you bounce, rather than walk, which is always a good thing!

To go with the preppy style of the shoe, it requires something quite simple so I wore them with a relatively restained outfit of Primark blouse, Kooples blazer, Zara coat, Kos x Mati Hari bag and this old fringed leather skirt, which I rediscovered quite recently.

In keeping with the colour of the shoes, I stuck to monochrome in my outfit. This coat is many years old now but has truly served me well. I really hope my leather sleeved coat, also from Zara, lasts as well.

Queen Michelle

who said romance was dead?

Examining The Kingdom mailbox this last past week, you would be forgiven for thinking that -

Valentines Day = Viagra

Never ending emails, all of which confidently offer to help increase the performance, of my non existant penis!

Thankfully most of them go straight into my spam folder.

But this week, much to my annoyance, lots of them have been getting through to my normal inbox.

They join the endless other emails trying to peddle some kind of valentines tat.

As you can imagine, we get rather a lot of emails here at KOS and it means that real proper emails are getting lost in the flurry of sheer utter nonsense.  So if you have written recently and have not heard from me, please be patient until I try to sort it out.

When it comes to a gift for valentines day, just like on any other occasion, it is worth prowling around until you find that perfect little something for your loved one.

The Hidden Art Shop is a treasure trove packed with lovely things sure to melt even the hardest heart... 

 

Loving Budgies Silk Cushion £55.00

 

Lovesick Bunnies Cake Plate £75.00

Sleeping Beauty Pillowcase £26.50

 Queen Marie

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Going Forward Is The New Going Back

Generally speaking, not much good can come from going back the way.

People you thought were awesome when you were young are never awesome when you are grown up; clothes that looked cool in the 80's, look horrific worn now; hairstyles we thought made us look sexy in 1990, envariably make us looks  a bit silly now. We all have a tendency to look at the past though the rose tinted glasses we all own.

It can be nice, of course, remembering things as being perfect, when in reality they probably weren't. In my head, I could replicate my 80's tight black jeans and stiletto boots combination right now and look amazing - but in truth I wouldn't. The jeans would be the wrong cut, the boots slightly 'off' and I would look like a stepped out of 1986.

So whilst I am a bit of a throwback, I like to do loosely inspired by versions of the looks which worked for me back in the 80's and 90's.

In 1989/1990, my life no longer revolved my hometown.

My best friend had moved to Glasgow and every weekend I spent at her flat. I had a new group of friends, leaving behind old boyfriends and old wounds and starting afresh. It was an exciting time. Pretty Hate Machine had not long been released and it changed my life.

Out went the old look, which spoke of heavy metal, and in came the industrial goth look. I had three main looks: 1/ tight, sheer top and leather trousers 2/ black combat trousers and a corset or 3/ vintage slip dress or nightgown and combat boots. Armed with one these outfits, I would hit the Cathouse of a Saturday night with my crew, stomping to Ministry and Nine Inch Nails.

Happy times of course, but I could never go back to looking like that exactly. However, I can be inspired by some of those elements. To get the tight, sheer tops I needed to wear with my leathers, I ended up with a collection of black swimsuits, which were perfect. Tight, with a range of sheer panels and cut outs details.

It was this memory that led me to finally take the plunge and buy a couple of Black Milk swimsuits. I will share those with you next week, but getting back to wearing swimsuits as bodysuits has led me to wonder about other brands doing cool swimwear, which I could integrate into my every day wardrobe.

We Are Handsome are becoming quite a well know brand now, with their amazing digital printed designs. We recieved an email recently about their new collection, The Vintage. It's what the label do best - beautiful prints extended across swimsuits, mini dresses, leggings and bikinis.

The only decision is which one to buy? I thinking the deer or bear swimsuits and dresses are the most beautiful.

We Are Handsome have of course realised that swimsuits can be worn as bodysuits too, and market them as such.

Which one do you like?

Queen Michelle

The coral call

 It's no secret I am a total magpie.

I love me the shiny stuff.

Yes I know, it's totally simplistic, but shiny stuff always makes me feel happier .Every day feels a bit better to me with some sequins in it.

At first glance this Branch Coral Bangle may not seem especially shiny.

But look at the inside!

Ahhhh behold the glittering and golden glory.

 I am so taken with this bangle that I have been wearing it every day. Obviously my workload has suffered greatly as a result ,due to the fact ,that I spend an inordinate of time each day admiring it. Bad Queen that I am.

 It goes without saying that I now want a matching necklace. I also have a hankering for a white branch necklace too. So if anyone has spotted any such things on their travels, please do point me in the right direction. Thank You.

When it came to taking some shots of my precious bangle, I took it for a day out to -

The National Museum for Rural Life In East Kilbride...

A unique partnership between the National Trust for Scotland and the National Museums Scotland, the museum combines an award-winning exhibition building, which houses the National Country Life Collection, and the historic working farm of Wester Kittochside.  It features a 50,000-square-foot  museum and visitor centre, the Georgian buildings of Wester Kittochside farm, the species-rich fields and hedgerows around it and a 60 acre events area

 A visit to the farm, gives you a unique opportunity to get back to the land and experience the traditional way of life on a Scottish farm. The farm itself is still worked using techniques and equipment from the 1950s.

The  farm was gifted in 1992 to the National Trust for Scotland by Mrs. Margaret Reid who had run the farm for many years with her late husband James, the last of ten generations of Reids.

The Reids, as Lairds of Kittochside, farmed the property over a period of 400 years from 1567 to 1992.

While it is wonderful that the farm continues and now educates future generations, it  still makes me  feel really sad that after all that time, the lineage of the family was broken.

But then I remind myself, it's all part part of life's rich tapestry and I feel a little brighter.

Now someone pass me something shiny...

Queen Marie

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Sobering Thoughts

As part of the digital panel of Lookk's OneHundred competition, I've been looking through designers' lookbooks, trying to to chose the ones which I feel show the most innovation, skill, understanding of their market, creativity and forward-thinking.

At each stage we have to narrow our choices further and further until, eventually, a winner will emerge. Currently we are down to the last round so a winner will soon be announced. I have no idea who that will be, as each of the finalists have shown exceptional talent and skill in the creation of their product.

Along the way though, I've seen some amazing designers, which I want to feature on here over the next few months - some made the list and some didn't but all of them warrant a feature of some sort.

In keeping with my recent need for simplicity, I have been very drawn to the work of Studio Sober in the Netherlands.

The label cites "its Dutch origin and the Calvinistic spirit as a source of inspiration for shape, color and mood...".

Calvinism as a design inspiration? It's certainly unusual. I was interested in this since Calvinism was practised widespread in Scotland in the 16th century, and was described by Donald MacLoud as: "a dark, repressive force". So, as a history buff, I really wanted to see how such things translate into a collection.

Sober is slightly misleading, as it suggests it's dark, brooding and somewhat miserable when, in reality, it's far from any of those adjectives. The collections, even the autumn one, are simple in silhouette yet light and positive. There is a slight austerity about Sobers's work, but even that word feels too harsh to describe it. I suppose subdued and calm are better words.

Overall, I am attracted to the classic elegance of the creations, which is not a the expense of modernity, which can often be the case, as lazy designers sometimes confuse classic with staid.

Studo Sober do have a refreshingly pragmatic approach to their label though, stating that, "the philosophy behind the company Studio Sober is to employ the brand in order to create, produce, sell and communicate using a clear concept, good quality and an attractive price".

I think those clear goals have translated perfectly into what they do.

Queen Michelle

never too young...

In life, they always say, your're never too young too start!

Too young to learn a musical instrument, to learn to dance , to learn to paint ,or even to ride a horse.

I'm sure we can all agree with that. But with some other things in life, I can't help but think, you would be better  waiting until later in life to try them.

And blogging would be one of them!!!!!

I was cutting through Zara kids the other day, when these t shirts stopped me dead in my tracks.

Some of them were sweet, some were borderline, some were godamm awful.

But these were t shirts for 2 - 3 year olds.

Yes you read that right ! - 2 - 3 years old...

Oooh it's just not right!

Now some of you may say I'm just overreacting and banging my modestry drum again and that they are just a bit of fun

Ok, in some ways they might be , but my concern, is on a slightly deeper level than that. 

I want children to play with, be surrounded by and aspire to childish things.

The grown up world will find them soon enough. Too soon in many ways.

So let's leave them alone for now shall we.  Let them be innocent children, surrounded by innocent things.

Now pass me that t- shirt with a rainbow, a unicorn and a little deer in the forest.

Queen Marie

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