THE WEEK IN FASHION: A QUEEN SPECIAL

 Posted by Bethan Holt, Fashion Junior at Large

Our usual round-up of the week's news is taking on a new guise today. In celebration of the Diamond Jubilee, we're talking all things Queen related, from her corgis to the new look Donatella is proposing for her...

In a recent interview with The Sunday Times, Stewart Parvin, the Queen's dress designer for the past 11 years, has given some fascinating insights into the behind-the-scenes operation which ensures Her Majesty never has a wardrobe slip-up.

“[The shoes] have to be immediately comfortable . . . She does get someone to wear them. The Queen can never say, ‘I’m uncomfortable, I can’t walk any more.’ She has the right to have someone wear them in.”

“She does drop on the shoulder slightly, as people do, so we put an extra pad in one shoulder,that’s the kind of thing we do for most people.People have one arm longer than the other, one leg longer, so that’s what the fittings are for, to make sure everything’s as perfect as it can be.”

“Every dress has got a name — we’ll get that in an email. It’s the only way we know which is which. There is one called Buttercup, which is a really popular one. So they can ask, ‘Have you got Buttercup?’ ‘Oh it’s that yellow dress!’ The one thing that she likes, so she wears it a lot.  Then they catalogue where the outfit has been worn — so if she was going to meet President [Barack] Obama, she wouldn't wear the same dress. That’s why people will think she wears things once, because there’s such a system.”

The Queen in her favourite yellow hue (image from royal-splendor.blogspot.com)

“She does like quite an outrageous print. Things that are bold suit her, and she knows that”

Her Majesty's version of 'outrageous' (image from thetimes.co.uk)

Donatella Versace appeared at the Oxford Union this week where she was interviewed by the brilliant Tim Blanks. Among the questions he asked was who the designer, known for her sexy, skin baring designs, would like to dress. Her answer? "If I could dress anyone I'd like to dress the Queen - she can handle anything. I'd put her in black - she never wears black - and add a little leather, maybe. A little rock 'n' roll."

Could this be the look the Queen works at Monday's Jubilee concert?

The Queen wears Versace AW12, with a little help from FEAL

In the run-up to Jubilee weekend, many of the Queen's secrets have been uncovered. Ok, so we're not talking hard-hitting scandals here, but more answers to niggling wonderments about how on earth everything seems to always run so smoothly for Elizabeth II...

In The Queen's handbag- a Launer, of course, a handkerchief, lipstick, a tiny mirror and a copy of the day’s programme. However, a Lady-in-Waiting is always on hand with the 'brown bag' which holds a spare pairs of tights, gloves, sweeteners and a moist, lavender-scented cloth in case of extreme heat.

Her Majesty travels everywhere with sixty vials of homeopathic medicine

She drinks only Malvern water- still only. If she is forced to go without then she apparently suffers withdrawl symptoms. 

The royal hairdo has barely changed throughout its sixty years as the Monarch's crowning glory. But ever noticed that there is never a flyaway hair or loose curl? Well, that because 'liquid concrete', so her staff call it, is applied to the Queen's hair to ensure that it remains perfectly styled, even in gale force winds.

Forever loyal to her 'liquid concrete', Her Majesty's style has been almost as
long serving as the woman herself (image from Tatler, June 2012)

And how does Her Majesty avoid Marilyn moments? Well, first of all, the linings of each of her outfits is a size smaller than the outfit itself which keeps everything firmly in place. In addition, small lead weights, usually used on curtains, are sewn into the hem of the Queen's skirts to prevent them flying up in the wind. Genius, non?

If you haven't seen enough pictures of the Queen yet, then The National Portrait Gallery is now hosting The Queen: Art and Image. The exhibition features 60 portraits which sum up her reign up to this weekend's Diamond Jubilee. One of my favourites is this one from 1952, the year of the coronation, by Dorothy Wilding and hand coloured by Beatrice Johnson.

The Queen in 1952 by Dorothy Wilding (image from the times.co.uk)

We all know that the Queen is owner of a full on hareem of corgis (I know that's the wrong collective noun, but it sounds good). Thus, the breed has become inextricably linked to royalty. Anya Hindmarch is celebrating the Jubilee by stationing corgis Linnet and Willow outside her stores around London this weekend. There are also special edition Maud clutches (pretty sure Duchess Kate has a few of these) which come with paper tiaras and guides to being Queen for a day. Hindmarch has also recruited @Queen_UK- the twitter account which sends tweets as if from her Majesty- to post tweets for her throughout the celebrations. Example tweet:

"Gary Barlow's popped over. He got one a "new song" for one's Diamond Jubilee. What part of "new handbag" wasn't clear?"

Corgis take up residence at Anya Hindmarch (image from Anya Hindmarch on Twitter)

After sixty years on the throne, Tatler decided it was time the Queen had her own cartoon...

Cartoon from Tatler, June 2012

It looks like the amazing weather might be over so Pimms this weekend won't be quite the same. Never fear because we can now make our very own cocktails with Her Majesty's preferred tipple, Dubonnet. Here's how to create a Diamond Dubonnet

INGREDIENTS

25ml Tanqueray gin
50ml Dubonnet
2 drops Orange bitters

Top sparkling English wine or champagne

Garnish: Edible diamonds (available here)

METHOD

Shake gin, Dubonnet and orange bitters together and then double strain into glass. Top with sparkling English wine or champagne and drop a handful of edible diamonds into the flute

A diamond dubonnet (image from dailymail.co.uk)

One of my favourite tweeters, Derek Blasberg posted this yesterday: "I'm so sad to miss the Jubilee celebrations this weekend in London. I mean, imagine all the puns about queens and crown jewels I could make" Oh Derek, our weekend will be all the poorer for not having your witty commentary on events. However, let's be cheered by the fact that Karl Lagerfeld will be letting us all know his thoughts on French TV channel France 2

King Karl's jubilee illustration (image from fashionista.com)

To round off our Queen news special, we have a video for the proper royal obsessives amongst you; it shows Her Majesty enjoying one of her horses race. A very sweet look at the Queen as a real person and an excellent representation of how brilliant lilac and baby pink look next to one another. We also wanted to put up Cassetteboy's amazing mash-up of Andrew Marr's The Diamond Queen documentary, however I've just seen that it's been taken down due to copyright issues- boo too. Keep checking YouTube to see if it gets reposted, it's most witty. In the mean time, Happy Jubilee weekend from Melanie and myself at FEAL!

JUBILEE FASHION FUN

Posted by Bethan Holt, Fashion Junior at Large

The Queen at her coronation by Cecil Beaton (image from the V&A)

If by any chance you hadn't noticed, this weekend Britain will be in party mood to celebrate the Queen's sixty years on the throne. The streets are already bedecked with union jack flags and shops crammed with cupcake cases and celebratory tablecloths. We're loving the ways our fashion friends are getting in on the action with limited edition t-shirts and special exhibitions. So today we thought we'd bring you news of our three favourite royal related projects to get you even more excited about the weekend's festivities...

ASOS DIY CROWNS

Feeling a bit jealous about the major lack of precious jewels and tiaras in your possession?  ASOS are coming to the rescue with some very fun crowns designed by House of Holland, Preen, Julie Verhoeven and Danielle Scutt. The perfect headgear for street parties, fetes or river pageant watching over the Jubilee weekend. And ASOS want us all to get involved. You can download your preferred style here and then email the most imaginative portrait of yourself possible to irule@asos.com or tweet it with the hashtag #irule. ASOS will show the world the best pictures they get. Eat your heart out, your Majesty...

Me (looking a little sun drowsy) in my Preen crown

HARRODS DO JUBILEE BIG TIME

If anyone was going to go Jubilee mad, it had to be Harrods didn't it?  There's hardly a department left untouched by the occasion. True to form, everything has been done in a very tasteful yet properly patriotic way. The store kicked off their festivities by gathering the entire staff- thousands of them- to sing the national anthem and wave flags as they were showered in confetti as the store opened one morning back in the middle of May.



As well as the constant national anthem playing which will dominate this weekend, Harrods have a very special ball gowns display which is running in conjunction with the V&A's Ballgowns: British Glamour Since 1950 exhibition. A huge window is taken up with the gowns by designers including Erdem, Alessandra Rich and Valentino- all very stunning. Looking into the display conjures visions of debutante balls and state banquets.

In similarly regal fashion, Harrods have also commissioned a collection of 32 crowns from a huge variety of brands such as Jo Malone, Prada and Faberge- definitely one for every taste. The crowns and ball gowns are available to buy in very limited quantities I hear. Should you be interested, Harrods' personal shopping people are the ones to contact.

Lanvin's jubilee crown

And Valentino's... This is almost nicer than the Imperial crown itself, dare I say it. 

The fashion projects have linked up with the patisserie where William Curley has made special 'couture cakes' to complement gowns from the V&A's exhibition. They look far too good to eat, don't they?

And if you were wondering about the party bit of the occasion, then Harrods asked their Pinterest followers to make pin boards depicting the perfect Jubilee tea party. The winner, Fay Martin, now has her own window bringing the pin board she compiled to life... I think what I'm trying to say is that if you're not feeling the Jubilee happy vibes then you need to get yourself to Harrods pronto.

THE QUEEN'S JEWELS

The Sovereign's sceptre and the Imperial Stae Crown which have the largest cuts from the Cullinan diamond (image from dailymail.co.uk)

If you thought it couldn't get much grander than ball gowns and designers crowns then you obviously haven't heard about the mega diamond display which Buckingham Palace is putting on this Summer. I love that any jubilee comedowns can be cured come 30th June when a lots of the Queen's personal collection of jewels will go on show. One of the highlights is set to be seven pieces all cut from the same diamond- the Cullinan. It's the biggest ever found and was so huge that at first it was cast aside as nobody believed it could possibly be a real gem- we're talking major rock age here people. There are 9 pieces in the world made from the the Cullinan and the 7 on show will mean the biggest reunion to date. I still can't get Elizabeth Taylor's collection out of my mind but I have a funny feeling the palace's diamond exhibition could become my next obsession.

The Queen wearing the Imperial State crown early in her reign (image from dailymail.co.uk)

WHAT TO WEAR TO MEET THE QUEEN

Posted by Bethan Holt, Fashion Junior at Large

The Queen's diamond jubilee year is well and truly under way and we are just 13 sleeps away from the pinnacle event in the celebrations; the river pageant. Here at FEAL, we'll be bringing you a few special royal posts in the next week or two to celebrate Her Majesty's 60 years on the throne. For today, Melanie has allowed me to indulge my love of all things Hello! worthy. This year, Elizabeth II is out in force, meeting her citizens which means plenty of people are facing the dilemma of what to wear to meet the Queen.  We have carefully examined the tricks employed by other members of the world's royal community to style themselves at the sovereign's lunch in Windsor on Friday and so we bring you the rules which we think got some of the most notable attendees through the day...

#1: IMITATE THE QUEEN HERSELF

Over her sixty years on the throne, the Queen has honed her personal style into a highly recognisable formula: matchy matchy bright colours, sensible courts and a small, boxy handbag. So it was a fail safe combination for Princess Charlene of Monaco to adopt on one of her first visits to the UK as Prince Albert of Monaco's new(ish) bride. Charlene went for head-to-toe duck egg blue , sensible heels and a bag just a perspex handle away from a very Queen-like shape. Charlene even had her hair cut short in time for her jubilee visit, perhaps to mirror Her Majesty's own practical perm.

#2: TAKE YOUR USUAL LOOK, AND REV IT UP

Although our very own Duchess Kate has worn her fair share of designer attire, she is better known for her love of a high street bargain. Last year, she chose a Reiss dress to meet the Obamas. So she could so easily have gone for another low budget statement. Instead, she brought in the big guns and splashed out on an Emilia Wickstead dress. It still ties in seamlessly with the Kate look we've become so used to- pretty, safe and very lady- but perhaps the knowledge that there was a bit more structure and design care to what she was wearing helped Kate hold her own amongst the royal guests.

#3: GET OUT THE GLUE GUN

Sometimes you just can't find what you're looking for and if you have something specific in mind, it could just be easier to do it yourself. That's exactly what I reckon Inkhosikati LaMbikiza, the third wife of King Mswati III of Swaziland did. I hugely admire the King's favourite wife for rocking a look so totally her own. It looks quite safe until your eyes meet the knees, at which point the eruption of a feather hem and jewelled, sequin heels let's us know that Inkhosikati is setting her own style agenda entirely for the event. This is definitely the attitude to follow if you're worried that you may not have much to talk about with the Queen- the shoes are a winning conversation starter.

#4: COVER-UP

If the whole thing feels like far too much of a bother, not to mention the worry about the Human Rights protesters who are campaigning against your invitation due to your husband's questionable policies, then do like the Princess of Bahrain and cover up in a full on black get-up. Of course, the Hijab is her go-to garment but Sabeeka could have jazzed it up a bit for Her Majesty I'm sure. Instead, she's the poster girl for keeping it as low-key as possible.

All images from www.dailymail.co.uk

COLOUR.... MY EYES ARE DANCING

Posted by Bethan Holt, Fashion Junior at Large

Bright eyes... Meadham Kirchhoff beauty looks from AW12 (image from www.lloyd-evans.com)

Maybe it's the sudden turn in the weather from bright to dismal, or perhaps it's the amount of time the FashEd and I spend looking at the specifics of colour in our consultancy projects, or it could be that walking into most stores at the moment involves being confronted with such powerful, undiluted palettes. Whatever it is, my eyes have become addicted to complete overdoses of rich and saturated tones, whether it is the tangerine neon of the jumper I bought the other day, or the bloody rich maroon in J.W Anderson's AW12 collection, the picture of which I just cannot stop looking at. I feel like the pastel trend which so dominated the SS12 catwalks hasn't quite hit my consciousness yet. In fact, in a few weeks time these could become a diluted antidote to the intensity which is pervasive in my mind right now.

My colour obsession... JW Anderson AW12 (image from catwalking.com)

The road to York through Sledmere by David Hockney 1997 (from www.hockneypictures.com)

It was on a visit to the Royal Academy's David Hockney exhibition (a few days before it closed) a couple of weeks ago that I felt like my colour channel was  properly attuned. The only way I can even begin to describe the feeling of looking at a Hockney painting is that it makes your eyes dance, so vibrant are the colours and the ways they're combined. The images which I have included here do not even begin to visually describe the effect of seeing a Hockney original. I would love to know how he achieves this insanely concentrated bouncing-off-the-canvas-it's-so-bright effect.  His eye transforms the gentle browns greys and greens of the natural landscape into cyan blue leaves, lilac roads and pink skies. They're delicious and unexpected combinations.

More felled trees on Woldgate by David Hockney 2008 (from www.hockneypictures.com)

And the book I most want to read right now? A Pantone Colour Book. Odd, I know given 
that I'm more often found with my nose buried in classic literature but the thought of looking
 at that faded, brownish paper and uniform black type just makes my heart sink, especially
 when I could be poring over seven pages of 'pink' representations. 

I like to think that this new found colour obsession might be my version of patriotism, 
given the upcoming Jubilee, bear with me here. One of the highlights of this month's 
Vogue is the back page on which the magazine charts Her Majesty's colour choices 
over the course of a year. It looks to me like The Queen might also be a fan of the Pantone 
book, so considered are her head-to-toe choices of hue, from the palest of lemon curd 
yellows to the rubiest of Wizard of Oz reds she seems to have worked her way through 
them all. I can imagine her handing her circled colour choices to her dressmaker Angela 
Kelly as reference guide to her latest outfit creation.  

Devastatingly, I don't have my own Angela Kelly to rustle up something in my latest
 colour whim so I will amuse myself a while longer looking at my new favourite Tumblr,
 RAINBOW C-O-L-O-U-R-S

The Queen in colour (image from www.dailymail.co.uk)

THE QUEEN BY CECIL BEATON AT THE V&A

Posted by Bethan Holt, Fashion Junior at Large

Yesterday marked the 60th anniversary of the Queen's accession to the throne. For me, and for most of you reading, we've always known her as the head of the Royal Family and a stalwart of British life. I can't quite imagine life without her. But as a 24 year-old, I only know a few 'versions' of Her Majesty. Growing up in the 90s, she was just 'The Queen'- a distant, almost unreal figure. Later, I started reading my Mum's Hello! magazines and she became a matriarch, quietly looking over the dramas which were playing out in the lives of her children and grandchildren. Of course, the Queen is a real person with a real family, but hers is a unique situation because millions of people feel a kind of claim over her. This means that the Royals have to develop a way of communicating who they are, or who they should be, to the nation. Official photographs are a pretty key way of doing that, and tomorrow the Victoria and Albert Museum in London celebrates the Jubilee by opening the doors on Queen Elizabeth II by Cecil Beaton. 

The Official Photo released yesterday to mark the Diamond
 jubilee, by John Swanell (image from thediamondjubilee.org)

The image above is the 2012 way of doing an official portrait, but in the early years, Cecil Beaton was one of the family's favourites for that job.

Cecil Beaton by Curtis Moffat, 1930

The shows curator Susanna Brown splits the 100-image exhibit into several sections, and in so doing demonstrates how Beaton adapted his imagery from fantastical, fairytale portrayals of the young Princess to relatable, intimate images of the Queen as a Mother. These are yet more 'versions' of the Queen for us to compute. 

Brown pointed out that Beaton's images served a very particular purpose as 'great PR images' for the Royals. These are not simple photos like those that you and I might take to record the birth of a child or a special family occasion. No, these were published in papers to be be lapped up by a public who, in a pre-internet age, were made to get their fix from a few carefully selected portraits. There were no pap shots as there are now of Duchess Kate shopping on the King's Road or Harry on the lash. The Royal family had a great deal more control over how they came across. Although, the exhibition notes do mention that the press would often break the embargoes which they were given, such was the demand for a new picture of the Queen and her family. 

A proper Princess- The Queen at Buckingham
Palace, 1945, by Cecil Beaton (image courtesy of the V&A)

Beaton's talent as a photographer  was to 'rise to the occasion', as Brown puts it, knowing the appropriate mood for the sitting. Indeed, perhaps he knew what the public wanted from their royal family a little better than the family themselves. A letter from Queen  Elizabeth, The Queen Mother suggests that they were quite aware of that fact, 'as a family we must be deeply grateful to you for producing us, as really quite nice and real people'. I got the impression that the Queen Mother might have been the real driving force behind the Royal Family's relationship with Cecil Beaton. On the day of the coronation, Beaton wrote in his diary 'All at once and because of her, I was enjoying my work’. She was also the one who initially recruited him.

Beaton's cuttings book

In fashion, things move fast. Working with Vogue and Vanity Fair meant that Beaton was acutely aware of that. The exhibit describes how Beaton befriended David Bailey in the early 60s. That could be quite surprising given that by then, Beaton had a well-established style which now so beautifully recalls the fantasia and escapism of the post war period. The decadence and sweetness of his floral backdrops (put together with cuttings from his own garden) and demurely posed women in the most ostentatious of ball gowns became the antidote to real-life rationing and austerity. But Bailey called Beaton 'Rip Van With-it' because of his willingness to try a new way of doing things once the 60s ushered in a less stylised approach.

The Queen's coronation, June 1953, buy Cecil Beaton (image courtesy of the V&A)

Vogue's coronation special is on display at the exhibition

After the grandeur and obvious royal-ness of Beaton's portraits up to the coronation,  the images of Her Majesty with her two younger children, Edward and Andrew, highlight how Beaton responded to a new hunger for seeing the royals as real. They are more simple, allowing the emotion of the subjects to take centre stage rather than the paraphernalia of props and costumes.

The Queen with Prince Andrew in 1960 by Cecil Beaton (image courtesy of V&A)

Despite Beaton's apparent ability to move with the times, his relationship with the Queen seems to have come to an abrupt end. Before he took the iconic portrait of the Queen in the admiral's boat cloak in 1968, he wrote in his diary, ‘the difficulties are great. Our points of view, our tastes are so different. The result is a compromise between two people and the fates play a large part’. It seems like a sad end to a partnership which produced so many images which will become some of the most enduring of the 20th century.

Cecil Beaton's last portrait of the Queen, in 1968 (image courtesy of the V&A)

Queen Elizabeth II by Cecil Beaton is on at the V&A from tomorrow, 8th February until 22nd April. It will also be touring to Leeds, Newcastle, Norwich and Dundee. Another 'version' of the exhibition is going to Australia and Canada

FW11 TREND #3: HERITAGE

Posted by Fashion Junior at Large.

Next up on our menu of FW11 trend reports is Heritage- think blue-blood, aristocracy, crumbling stately homes and wholesome country pursuits. This trend encompasses a lady in two very different, but equally glamorous and elegant guises. In the first, she is hunting, riding and shooting thus requiring riding coats with practical elbow patches, a warm polo neck and some jodhpurs. When the horses are stabled and the guns stored, the skirts come out, but are still tweed-centric, and the addition of a decorative silk shirt  transforms the gutsy equestrian to Lady of the Manor. This is our muse.

Celine's riding inspired opening look for FW11(Image from catwalking.com)

Margaret Howell FW11

Two women who sum up this trend are Wallis Simpson and The Queen (we are very sorry Your Majesty, to mention your name in the same sentence as a woman's we can imagine you are not mad keen on but fashion needs must). The Queen is the ultimate country pursuits poster lady, always resplendant in custom made riding jacket and neatly knotted silk scarf. Even at 85, recent pictures show she is still able to pull off this look with aplomb.

A young Princess Elizabeth riding with her sister, Princess Margaret (Image from telegraph..co.uk)

Softened with a silk scarf. A lesson for Ronald Reagan from The Queen (Image from wikipedia)

 There is a great deal of buzz surrounding Wallis Simpson at the moment. Most notably, Madonna is preparing to release her biopic W.E which examines the life of the woman who remains somewhat of an enigma; there is still great intrigue surrounding her relationship with Edward VIII and the reason why he would choose this woman over the God, country and duty he had been brought up to believe in. Sartorially, Wallis represents our archetypal Lady of the Manor. A legendary hostess, Wallis always dressed exactly as the occasion demanded and her look was invariably accessorised with a cigarette.

Wallis with Edward. Her suit is ladylike AND tweedy (Image from englishtap.com)

Let's not forget that not so long ago, Madonna herself developed quite an obsession with all that is English and Aristocratic. She rode, she shot, she had the Gloucestershire acres and she wore the tweeds. The manifestations in her look and lifestyle may have now worn off, but her involvement in W.E indicates that something of this story had a great resonance for her. To celebrate the film, Vanity Fair's September Issue features a shoot with the actors playing Edward and Wallis, James D'Arcy and Andrea Riseborough respectively. Arianne Phillips has done a sterling job collaborating with the likes of Dior, Dunhill and Stephen Jones to create bespoke pieces for the shoot. Very handy too that they also provide perfect inspiration the Heritage look.

Lady of the Manor does evening in Dior and Cartier (Image from www.fashionista.com)

Andrea Riseborough wears a brilliant Dior twist on tweed  (Image from www.fashionista.com)

Dashing (Image from www.fashionista.com)

So those are the muses... How did the catwalks do it? Here are some of our favourites.

A careful concoction of tweed, elegance and modernity at YSL (Image from catwalking.com)

Gucci. Perfect for Afternoon Tea. The stole adds glamour and keeps you warm in blustery big houses! (Image from catwalking.com)

Tweed, deconstructed. Modern day Girl of the Manor at Erdem (Image from catwalking.com)

Mulberry make it modern with crinkly socks and long hair (catwalking.com)

Celine's Pre-Fall collection pre-empts this trend. The trench is a good transition alternative to full on tweed (Image from style.com)

Celine makes riding the tube as elegant as riding a stallion. (Image from style.com)

Now, do it yourself. As we have previously said, don't take these things too literally otherwise you may end up looking like a walking anachronism. That said, I have been fantasising about my own riding coat from Savile Row and some custom made riding boots. Equestrians and Ladies of the Manor alike are all well catered for. Here is our curation of what's available NOW.

Fedora £55 from Reiss

Skirt £170 D&G at Net-A-Porter

Shirt £270 See by Chloe at Net-a-Porter

Riding Pants £64 American Apparel

Elbow Patch blazer ASOS £65

Chelsea boots £62 Topshop

Pretty, pretty dress £175 Whistles