I’ve been a Crown and Glory obsessive ever since I first saw her beautiful pieces on the pages of a glossy magazine. I distinctively remember being sat on a busy train flicking through Company and being stopped in my tracks (boom, boom!) as I saw her gorgeous flower crowns and glitter bows in one of their fashion editorials. So not to forget to check them out online later, I snapped a photo and tweeted “Note to self, check out @crownandglory_!”
After a few months of tweeting back and forth, Sophie and I finally met in real life at a workshop I was hosting. When she came in with that flash of purple hair, giant glitter bow plonked firmly on her head I knew we were kindred spirits.
So, about six months ago, when an email pinged into my inbox from her asking if I’d consider designing a range of headpieces with her… well, she didn’t have to ask me twice! She basically told me to let my imagination run wild and that she’d take care of making it a reality. Talk about my dream job!
I have been in my element with this project. An ombre glitter bow was my first idea… I’m obsessed with ombre anything and well, anyone who knows anything about me will be well aware of my infatuation with all things sparkly.
As it was Sophie’s flower crowns that first made me fall in love with her work, I knew we had to have a few in this range too. Firstly, a giant rainbow piece made of amazing multi-coloured foam roses and secondly a slightly softer piece, complete with ribbons and gemstones for some added sparkle!
I loved those gems so much that I asked if we could make some headbands just with them in a graduation of colour. I was utterly thrilled when she said “hell yes!” I just love how these start with the darkest shade in the middle and go through different hues of the same colour right through to the end. These babies let off some serious sparkle in the flesh!
And ears… well no collection of mine would be complete without them. My first idea was for some ‘subtle’ (ha!) lace ones. Obviously with the majority my readers being brides-to-be I’m particularly hoping that some of you might be brave enough to rock these on your wedding day… pretty please?! It would literally make my year to see a bride walking down the aisle in them!
“Could we combine flowers and ears?” I then asked Sophie. “Well I’ve never thought of that before”, she replied, “but let’s give it a good go!” I am so obsessed with the results of this idea. Cuteness overload!
When we met to go over the samples she’d made, Sophie had a little surprise for me. She reached into the bottom of her bag and out came the most incredibly glitter-backed and gem-fronted bunny and kitty ears. “I hope you like them”, she said, “I think they’d work really well with the collection.” “Like them?!” I squealed, “I flipping LOVE them… in fact they might be my favourite of all the pieces! They’re the Liberace of ears!”
So we had our product line decided on and now all I had to do was give each one a label. This was harder than I thought it might be, but in the end I decided to name each piece after a friend. I’ve put my heart and soul into these pieces, so what could be better that to call each piece I’d designed after a person that I adore?
The kind of gal who will wear these pieces is spunky, boisterous and treats everyday like it’s her birthday. She believes that life’s too short to wear the sartorial equivalent of a potato sack and that accessories maketh the outfit!
She’s a leader not a follower, isn’t afraid to defy convention and always favours the ridiculous over the unremarkable.
The Collection
Gala is effervescent, vivacious and isn’t afraid to stand out from the crowd! She walks with a bounce in her step and always smiles at everyone. She loves nothing more than a slick of bright pink lipstick, a spritz of her favourite scent and exploring the city she loves so much.
“Gala” huge ‘something blue’ ombre glitter bow – £30
“Gala” huge ‘classic black’ ombre glitter bow – £30
“Gala” huge ‘pretty pink’ ombre glitter bow – £30
“Gala” medium ‘something blue’ ombre glitter bow – £20
“Gala” medium ‘classic black’ ombre glitter bow – £20
“Gala” medium ‘pretty pink’ ombre glitter bow – £20
Lisa is not afraid to stand out from the crowd and is always the first to agree to a party! Every outfit she owns will be accessorised with one stand-out piece whether it’s a sequinned jacket, a statement necklace or a giant rainbow flower crown!
“Lisa” huge rainbow brights rose headband – £35
“Lisa” medium rainbow brights rose headband – £25
Emma is literally the most gracious, welcoming and all-round gorgeous person you’ll ever meet. She always thinks of others before herself and she’s the best friend you could ever ask for. Flowers are her love language and her home and wardrobe are covered in multi-coloured blooms. She’s happiest when hanging out with her besties, laughing until she cries.
“Emma” floral and gem ribbon headband – £35
Shauna can seem quiet when you first meet her, but after knowing her a while you come to realise that she’s more hilarious and kooky than anyone you know! She feels most comfortable in flattering basics but always accessorises with killer shoes and a splash of pop colour.
“Shauna” ‘something blue’ gem headband – £45
“Shauna” ‘classic black’ gem headband – £45
“Shauna” ‘pretty pink’ gem headband – £45
Sarah is a tough cookie but under that hard exterior is a soft centre and a fantastic friend. Her style is conservative by day but invite her to a party and she’ll be rocking some ears with the best of ‘em!
“Sarah” lace and gem kitty ears – £25
“Sarah” lace and gem bunny ears – £25
Rachel is a big hippy at heart. She’s happiest rolling around in meadows, picking flowers and wearing them in her hair. At night she stares up into the stars and dreams of travelling the world with her beloved in tow.
“Rachel” rainbow brights bunny ears – £25
“Rachel” pastel bunny ears – £25
“Rachel” rainbow brights kitty ears – £25
“Rachel” pastel kitty ears – £25
These limited edition gem-encrusted ears were love at first sight. I’ve been slightly obsessed with Liberace since watching Behind the Candelabra so who better to name the sparkliest piece in the collection after than the king of bling himself?
Limited edition “Liberace” gem bunny ears – £20
Limited edition “Liberace” gem kitty ears – £20
So there you have it, my secret is out! The range is priced between £20 and £45 and have been added to the (brand new!) shop section of my site. To purchase, simply click the item (or items) you want to be taken to the Crown and Glory website where you can shop away to your heart’s content.
If you buy anything be sure to Instagram or tweet me a picture of you rocking it and use the hashtag #RockGlory so I can see them all. Including a furry friend in the shot isn’t mandatory but will be encouraged.
So, I’d love to know what your favourite piece is. Are you a glitter, gem or flower kinda gal? Oh and as a little bit of bonus info, if any of you do end up wearing one of these on your wedding day you can pretty much guarantee that I’ll want to blog about it. Be sure you send me your wedding photos!
Well, what are you waiting for? Go forth and shop!
The Gallery
Suppliers
- Photography (Editorial): Devlin Photos
- Photography (Product Shots): Alexa Loy Photography
- Dresses: Fur Coat No Knickers, Flaunt it Collection
- Hair & Make Up: Elbie Van Eeden
- Flowers: WildAbout Flowers
- Paper Chandelier Prop: Scene Setters
- Gold Jewellery: Mona Mara