Recently,The Kingdom inbox has been filled with emails from pr companies telling us that "collars are very on trend this season"
Queen Michelle has of course been ahad of trend and has been rocking them for months. Leather, spiked, studded, you name it. She has even done a DIY about it for another blog.
But the thought of me in a spiked collar is enough to bring a smile to the sternest face.
The only collar I have ever been able to wear with any conviction is a 'peter pan' one.
A Peter Pan collar is a flat, round-cornered clothing collar. It is named after the collar of the costume worn in 1905 by actress Maude Adams in her role as Peter Pan.
But last week the lovely Sarah from la la land surprised me with a present, which changed the thought of me in a leather collar.
Just add poppies!
Job Done.
Smart thinking Sarah...
Love Letter Collar £15.00 below Poppy Collar £25.00 above
Thank You Kindly....
Queen Marie
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My vintage fanlacer corsets are among my most prized possessions. It can be quite hard to come across really good fanlacer corsets, but after a few years of hunting I managed to source two blush pinks versions - one from the 50's and one from the 30's.
I wore one briefly last year with an outfit, but the other one hadn't seen any love since 2010. I decided to try it on again and was surprised to find that in 2010 I needed it laced as tightly as it would go to fit my waist and butt, but now I had to let it out by about, er, four inches. Crikey, who's been eating all the pies? That'll be me.
I just sucked it up, widened it, swore I'd eat less and put that bad boy over a long sheer knitted dress as a sort of belt, which is one my favourite ways to wear the fanlacers. In terms of an outfit, it's definitely in stark contrast to yesterday's Mod inspired look.
It is quite full-on I suppose, and isn't for everyone, but it's just too lovely to be gathering dust under the bed, which is what is currently happening to it.
The corset is the only opaque part of the outfit, everything else is sheer - AA dress, Madam V fringed dressing gown and Topshop knitted dress. But three sheers make an opaque.
Queen Michelle
I was delighted when a special invitation dropped through my letterbox on Friday inviting me to the upcoming wedding of our dear friends Craig and Anna.
Of course I shall be delighted to attend and with only six weeks to go, I shall have to think of a special present and of course a wedding outfit.
I don't know about you, but I always sort out what I am going to wear on my feet and on my head first.
The rest then usually falls into place.
I'm thinking these beauties from Amazon (of all places) should be perfect...
No I haven't finally lost my marbles or mixed my posts up.
This is no ordinary wedding.
Craig and Anna are two of the most clever, witty and most imaginative people I have ever met, so of course their Wedding Invite could only be as unique, surreal and unique as them.
I laughed so hard I thought I was going to do myself a damage.
This promises to be 'A Matrimonial Production' to remember...
Congratulations to you both and thank you kindly for the invitation.
Now if you will excuse me, I'm off to look at divers helmets and flippers on ebay.
Queen Marie
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| mod 1 (mɒd) | |
| — n | |
| ( Brit ) | |
| a. a member of a group of teenagers in the mid-1960s, noted for their clothes-consciousness and opposition to the rockers | |
| b. a member of a revived group of this type in the late 1970s and early 1980s, noted for their clothes-consciousness and opposition to the skinheads | |
| c. ( as modifier ): a mod haircut | |
I've been really into Mod style just now.
Prince B is a former soul boy and has his own Mod look going on, and I think that influence has rubbed off on me. We were recently shopping for a new Mod suit for him and I decided to dig out my very, very old Pringle parka and work my own Mod inspired look.
I was never keen on Mod girls style, it was always the boys looks that appealed to me and the one I wanted to try for myself. On Friday, I borrowed from Prince B's closet and snaffled his amazing vintage polo shirt to go with my cropped tailored trousers, The Kooples blazer and Pringle of Scotland parka. I slightly mixed my youth subcultures though and swapped up winklepickers or dessert boots in favour of my Teddyboy creepers, more for comfort than anything else.
It's quite a tailored look, but one I feel comfortable in as it doesn't feel like I'm wearing anything remotely 'office-y'. After last week's parka post, I think I need an M65 parka more than ever now. I must also say, this Kooples blazer has turned out to be one of the most useful things in my closet. I didn't expect to wear it it much when I got it, but I've actually had endless wear from it and it still looks pristine.
As a look, I make it look pretty scruffy though, which is entirely the opposite of what it's meant to look like! No matter what I wear, I seem to always end up looking like Pigpen in Peanuts, minus the flies.
I do intend on exploring the look further, swapping up the poloshirt for a shirt and skinny tie, so this won't be the last you see of my Mod inspired shenanigans.
Queen Michelle
Brave the new Pixar Movie opens In Scotland on 1st August.
In Brave, set in the highlands of 10th century Scotland, a skilled archer named Merida defies an age-old custom, causing chaos in her kingdom. After consulting a witch for help, her family becomes cursed and Merida is forced to undo the spell herself before it is too late.
The film features many familiar Scottish themes - there are clans, castles, lochs and red hair and the voices of Billy Connelly, Craig Ferguson, Kelly MacDonald and Kevin McKidd.
Scotland's First minister Alex Salmond was at the premiere and said the impact of Brave could be greater than that of Mel Gibson's Braveheart. Tourism bosses hope the film will generate millions of pounds of extra business for The Highlands and Scotland, with visitors flocking to our shores for their very own Brave experience. The tourism agency, VisitScotland, hope it will boost visitor numbers and revenue by around £140m!
Of course it's cliche central, thinking that we all have red hair and run around wearing tartan.
So in honour of our American cousins, here I am wearing Clan Lauren tartan here ( that will be Ralph Lauren of course...)
Oh arse! theyr'e right...
There can't be any doubt that one of the stars of the show is going to be Merida's hair.
"Merida's hair is made up of 1,500 individually sculpted curves, distinct points in a three-dimensional space, that are programmed to bounce and interact in relation to one another via a new software system, says Pixar simulation supervisor Claudia Chung. Another software program was created to make the hair react more realistically to the character's movements and surroundings."
As for mine, forget 2 new software programmes, all I need is a basin and a box of henna!
Queen Marie
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It may finally be heating up in England, but up here in Scotland I'm still having to sit with the heater on in work. It's official - summer has entirely bypassed Scotland.
The upside, if there really in an upside to wet, miserable weather, is that we're able to wear, and shop for, autumn clothes now.
New Underground creepers will be making their way into my closet soon, and I'm already on the prowl for my new winter parka.
Last year I ended up with a vintage army parka, but it's just not quite right as I really prefer them with furry hoods. My ultimate parka is a vintage M65 parka, but size extra small is rarer than a rare thing to find.
This parka has been on my fashion wishlist since I was a teenager. I used to endlessly prowl army surplus stores and charity shops hoping to find an uwanted one, but of course I had no chance of that.
I might be able to pacify myself with this lovely 5Preview version, form their latest collection, which I will be featuring very soon. It doesn't have a furry hood, but the fishtail goes some way to making up for it.
I have a designed a coat for my JNXKOS collection for autumn and tweed is a big focus, so I am rather loving this unusual Topshop parka. It's actually not very parka-like but the double tweed is very nice. It gives the illusion of being a skirt and jacket suit, rather oddly.
What's on your autumn wishlist?
Queen Michelle
As I'm sure you've already gathered, I'm in print place this week.
So it made perfect sense for me to revisit one of my favourite print makers Anthony Burrill. I first featured him away back in 2008 and again in 2010. Where does the time go?
It all makes sense £40
Don't say nothing £40
What do you mean £40
Double sided screen-printed poster, in collaboration with contemporary thinker Alain de Botton. Commissioned by GraphicDesign& (2011)
Gallery installation of multi-coloured geometric giclée prints, fabric hangings and furniture.
Conceived and constructed in collaboration with Michael Marriott and Wilfrid Wood .
and Outline Editions Gallery, Berwick Street, London (2011)
You know more than you think you do £60
I don't know about you, but sometimes I feel, like I know nothing about anything at all.
This is one of those weeks.
So I shall try to take Anthony's words to heart...
Queen Marie
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Sometimes, it's layering up of the simplest of things that gives me the most pleasure. Perhaps it's a mix of a couple of textures or prints, or maybe two opposing shapes that somehow compliment each other. It doesn't have to be ridiculous layering, like sequin shorts on top of tweed trousers with a floral dress thrown on for good measure, although that does sound pretty good actually.
The best layering is subtle layering, in my opinion anyway. Anyone can chuck a bunch of clothes on and call it layering, but it's all about carefully considered shape, print and colour and creating something pleasingly visual, not headache inducing. I see layering sometimes done in the most unflattering way, where bulk has not been taken into account, and the wearer ends up looking like they're wearing their whole wardrobe for a dare.
One of my most favourite layering combinations of all time is a simple one - sheer with leather. You've seen it about a million times on here. The juxtaposition between the two materials just works on many levels. It's also pretty damn sexy.
The simplest form of this combination I've been loving lately, is my vintage sheer black gloves with my leather half gloves on top. Well hello there!
My hands are so sexy right now.
Queen Michelle
So after what seems like years, the Olympic Games finally start this Friday in London.
It must be bedlam down there.
For some reason, endless people think that we are based down there, when in actual fact we are based all the way up here in Glasgow.
But if you are in London over the next three weeks and are looking for an escape from the sporting madness, then I have just the place for you -the charming print shop Elphick's,set up by artist owner Sharon Elphick
The shop is filled with whimsical and wonderful prints, displayed in a relaxed and non gallery like style and mood. You can find it at 160 columbia road, E2 or you can go online here elphicksshop.com
A much more civilised way to spend the day rather than watching Russsian shot putters grunt and groan...
Wayne Pate - London £ 65
James Brown - Magic £70
Hazel Nicholls - It's What's Inside that Counts (Blue) £50
Blanca Gomez - Thinking £30
Peggy Wickham - Foals£75.00
( Original vintage print. Medici Society (the publishers of the print) are unclear of the method of printing and date, but have found stock records dating back to 1937. )
James Brown -Way Out £50
Queen Marie
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