Kingdom Of Style

LNA In My DNA

It seems my constant need for textural mixes runs in my blood. It is perhaps the desire for having two opposing things at once which displays itself in how I dress? It a reflection of a my typical Taurean brain which fuses the practical with the frivolous? Could be just because I'm a touchy feely person and I like to run my hands across garments which tingle my fingers with a mix of smooth and rough, shiny and matt, hard and soft. Prince B used to always say in shops "stop touching things!" because I would always have to run my hands along the rails of clothes, even if I wasn't wanting to take anything out an actually look at it.

LNA is an LA based label many of you will be familiar with. It works that whole laid back, loose tank vibe that's very popular stateside. Normally that look does bore me a little bit, although I do wear it when I'm walking the dogs, being lazy or heading to visit the old hometown and have to dress decidely down so as not to get lynched by angry neds who hate anything that isn't generic. However, what LNA do do is a nice pair or leggings.

Doing my usual daily rounds of ASOS I saw these LNA panelled leggings and thought to myself "ohh, hello!". I can see these working exceptionally well with everything I own and are ideal for when I'm giving my Black Milk Spartans a day off.

Sadly at over £100 they are little rich for my blood at present, but hopefully when the Job Gods get their finger out their asses I shall be able to find a wee leggings shaped space in my closet for them.

Queen Michelle

Doyle And The Goblins

Can't get enough of TAD
Wood Goblins:

Queen Michelle

Shoe Shaped Hole

Queen Marie and I were talking yesterday and she mentioned her almost overwhelming need to indulge in some seriously expensive shoes. Sometimes buying silly shoes is the only way to distract oneself! I similarly have been thinking about busting out the old credit card for new shoes.

I know it seems in terms of the incestious little world of blogs that every where you look people are loving these Jeffrey Campbell wedge boots, but I have to admit that I feel a big, empty, multi buckle shoe shaped void in my life without these. Unfortunately they are from OAK in New York, where I don't live, and are sold out on their online shop. Hurrumph.

I could stomp around in these all day long! Hopefully the Shoes Gods will see that these shoes need to be on my Royal feet and see to it that they end up being restocked in OAK.

Queen Michelle

The Ceremony Dress

The lovely Brandon from TwentyThirtyForty set me a challenge - to style up a dress from the shop in several different ways.

This was an interesting challenge indeed as the dress I chose was quite basic and actually a bit hard to style because it looked best worn pretty plain. I chose the Moto Dress by Opening Ceremony. I liked the shift silhouette and, of course, the zip up the front. I had to belt it as it's too big for me but it works really well belted anyway so it's all good.

I will be sending all my images to Brandon today and when it goes up on the site I shall be sure to post them here too. In the meantime here is one image. In my most natural state - with PVC!

Queen Michelle

Shades Of Summer

Even though I'm looking out the window at the torrential rain, even though I have been outside this morning and am still soaked to my skin, I am here admiring the whimsical and pretty SS10 collection by Neurotica.

Printed with images of winged insects in dusky hues, it's so light and floaty and completely inappropriate to even consider on days such as this. Although, as I have said many times before, seasonal dressing does pass me by as I simply take summer clothing and add them to heavier winter items. Clearly this tends to work only with summerwear since it can be used as a layer among many - you don't want to be wearing leather leggings in the middle of summer obviously! So I suppose this is why I can look upon the Neurotica collection and actually imagine wearing it now.

Coveting the beautiful printed over knee socks of course.

Queen Michelle

Plate Of Paperclips

Still fascinated by all things breastplate inspired I was quite pleased to see this pretty interpretation on Bona Drag by Manu.

I admit that the $200 is pretty steep, especially when she describes it as simply being made from "paperclips, silver rings and vinyl tape". Perhaps a trip to the hardware shop for materials to make my own version for less than $200 might be in order.

Queen Michelle

Cropped In

True to form there was no way I wasn't going to find a way to get my little hands on the Stolen Girlfriends Club cropped sheer top from Pixie Market. Very versatile indeed, it gets layered under and over all manner of things.

I haven't worn a properly cropped top since I was about 17, back in the days of a teenage flat stomach and smooth skin, but I feel I can revisit it when I wear it with high waisted vintage leather trousers. It's a little bit Mallory from Natural Born Killers.

Of course with sheer my natural state is to simply add more sheer!

Queen Michelle

Ring My Bell

There are times that I just want to throw on as many prints and colours as I can find, as hard as it may be to believe. I want to be an optical eyesore, a vison of 'wrong', a sea of 'don'ts'. I want to channel the old lady down the street from me who wears more colours in her outfit than there are eyeshadows at the MAC counter. It's the sense of complete abandonment that comes with with willfully mismatching that makes dressing like this so rewarding.

Admittedly I don't own a vast quantity of overly bright clothes so my print and colour clashing tends to be a little bit subdued. However, looking at Emma Bell's SS10 collection has made me want to head to the nearest charity shop and dig around for as many crazy, bright and full-on colours as I can get my grubby little paws on.

I can see why Emma's aesthetic appeals heavily to the Super Super kids, with it's childlike brightness, use of cartoon-like characters and lots of shiny materials, and whilst all these things are still very much present, I feel with her latest collection Emma has reeled it back somewhat and created clothes that could be put into a more subdued context if one so desired, made more adult if you will. For me, the way she has chosen to clash and mix her prints this season seems little more considered than previous seasons but without reliquishing entirely that sense of childlike playfulness.

Queen Michelle

perfect little presents - part 2

You can always turn to the mafia if you need to get something done.

And there is no mafia finer than The Glasgow Craft Mafia who will be holding markets to help you find just the most perfect Christmas presents ever.

The next one will be held at Mono on Sunday 29/11/09 form 1-6pm. 

I would like to get my hands on some of these samplers from members Miso Funky

Sniff Glue Sampler £18.00

Make Tea Sampler £19.00

Emergency Sampler £22.00

See you there next Sunday.

Queen Marie

wingtips at your fingertips

When it comes to perspex mirror necklaces, I can never have enough. Which is why, when I saw this old school sneaker one, complete with satin laces on the super duper supermandolini.com I was filled with desire...

Wingtip Necklace €28.00

They have lots of wonderful things including this unravelling cassette pin that would be perfect for Sir Midas!

Cassette Pin €15.00

Fun fun fun.

Queen Marie

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