Whilst I wouldn't go as far to describe myself as a 'fashionable' individual, I do enjoy keeping an eye on the trends, who's wearing what, and most specifically, when the trends are hideously mis-interpreted. My BFF's favourite saying, whilst people watching, is the scathing comment of; "just because you can get it on, it doesn't mean it fits you". And don't even talk to me about top-to-toe Topshop.
We're all guilty of it - I recently purchased a gorgeous pair of 6 inch, patent nude court shoes from New Look, simply because they
looked fabulous on Audrey Rogers, aka Frassy. They make me a good three inches taller than my manfriend, I can't even stand up in them let alone walk, but they do look pretty sitting on my dressing table. Next was a
rust coloured jumpsuit a la Lydia Bright of Essex fame. 'String of sausages' springs to mind. I would continue, but seeing all those fashion faux pas written down in one place might induce a panic-ridden ASOS splurge.
Similarly, brands that continually reinvent themselves as the fashions change in order to gain recognition from the current purveyors of cool always make me chuckle. In my opinion, from both an individual and company point of view, being a 'fashion victim' is simply a statement of insecurity with your own personal sense of style. This isn't intended as criticism, as I think we all learn to become more comfortable with our choices with maturity.
Being the owner and designer (and hell, sole employee) of a brand means an awful lot of emotional investment into each and every piece. Quite tellingly, both myself and Louise of
Wallpaper Rose profess to only creating pieces we would wear or enjoy ourselves. Whilst my own sense of style is particularly scattered (today I'm wearing tough checks, studs and flamboyant florals...less fusion fashion, more car crash couture), what I particularly admire about Wallpaper Rose is just how secure Louise is with her sartorial choices. From a personal point of view, I continually marvel at how effortlessly put together Louise appears (the girl can rock a blazer like no-one else I know), which has ultimately resulted in the creation of a brand that holds its' own at a time when the world and his wife "owns a jewellery company".
Charming without appearing twee, vintage-inspired but carefully selected to ensure consistency with quality and aesthetics, Wallpaper Rose is a year older than Crown and Glory. With acclaims from the likes of Models Own, Motel Clothing and Little Fille, I can only hope we've found our feet and matured to a brand in its' own right by this time next year.
(With a seamless link like this, I should be in radio) In an attempt to develop Crown and Glory further, we're currently undergoing a re-brand and re-launch. Biro drawings and flocks of birds weren't quite cutting it for me anymore - I didn't feel like the old branding represented what Crown and Glory do best. As we turn one this month, we're overhauling the main site, having a makeover and launching lots of exciting things. Please bare with us whilst this change is happening - our
Folksy and
Etsy shops do remain open during this time, and if you (like many others over the past few weeks) would like a custom order for a wedding or ladies day, drop me a tweet (@crown_glory) and I'll get back to you to discuss your requirements.
Crown and Glory readers can get 10% discount on all
Wallpaper Rose items between now and the end of June, when you enter 'crownandglory' at checkout.
