There’s been so much going on behind the scenes of Queens and Bowl lately including some pretty gorgeous new photography of the spring/summer collection of vintage inspired wedding jewellery and accessories, which you can check out on the website and buy now!

The images come courtesy of the fabulously talented Kirstie McNulty who has truly captured the essence of Art Deco 1920s glamour,  the sophisticated chic of the 1950s and the delicate fragility of a bohemian lifestyle.

Paris Headpiece £450

Ambrosia

Cara

Art Deco

Beatrice

Cauldfield Band

Windsor

Would love to know what you think. Which is your favourite?

Kate x

Hello! Although I have been quiet on the blog lately, I have been busy pulling together other delights for you – in the form of new Inspiration pages for the Queens & Bowl website! I had some lovely feedback about my original Inspiration pages, which covered how to pull together a 1920s, 1930s, 1940s or 1950s vintage wedding – so I thought it was about time to add some more!

So here’s the first one that came to mind – of course – the vintage princess look! Yes, totally inspired by the Royal Wedding of William and Catherine and, in turn, the influence of Grace Kelly.

Catherine mixed classic Grace Kelly style with her own sleek look.

Kate’s intricate A-line, long-sleeved lace wedding dress drew heavy influence from Princess Grace’s own dress when she married Prince Ranier of Monaco in 1956. Kate also took influence from Princess Grace’s signature sleek, simple styling with her wedding accessories too.

To get the look, complement lace details in your wedding dress with an heirloom-style tiara like the Alexandra tiara by Ivory & Co.

Wedding jewellery really needs to be simple little accents that won’t fight with the intricate detail of the dress. If you’ve gone for a short sleeved dress, then a thin crystal bracelet, like the square crystal bracelet by Filippa Scott, is a great accessory. If the sleeves of your wedding dress are long like Kate’s, then choose simple drop earrings like the Madison earrings by Stephanie Browne that won’t upset the balance between your dress and accessories.

Mid-heeled wedding shoes are perfect for this kind of classic look – choose a simple style in a sleek fabric like duchess satin with some slight detail, like the beautiful Marcie Wedding shoes by Harriet Wilde.

If you’ve gone for short sleeves or a strapless wedding dress, then a little marabou feather shrug like the Minnelli shrug by Sasso is perfect for finishing off the look.

Kate. xx

I’m sorry to say that I’ve kind of neglected my blog a little of late. It’s not because I’ve had writers’ block; or nothing to say – quite the opposite really! It’s because there’ve been SO MANY new products arriving at Queens & Bowl HQ. We’ve had amazing 1920s-style headpieces from Stephanie Browne, exclusive to-die-for wedding jewellery from Justine M Couture – not to mention new bridal cuffs and feather combs…

But first, I just wanted to tell you about our new range of great value birdcage veils! These gorgeous little things are hand-made by a friend of mine who lives near Chicago – in fact, she made my own birdcage veil for my wedding. Crafted from the finest French netting, they are perfect for any bride looking for a birdcage veil with which to add the finishing touches to a 1950s or early 1960s themed wedding.

The bandeau birdcage veil with tiny pearls

At the moment there is a choice of 3 different styles, depending on the look you want to create. If you’re looking for a demure, Grace Kelly feel, then the bandeau birdcage veil (pictured above) is ideal. Designed to wrap around your entire face and fastened with secure metal grips on each end, it’s available with either flat round pearl accents or sparkling Swarovski crystal accents.

The Blusher birdcage veil is a classic style

If you’d like just a classic, birdcage veil, then go for the traditional Blusher birdcage veil, pictured above. This one comes with its own metal comb and is very flexible – it can be worn with the comb at the crown of your head and pulled forward over your eyes. Alternatively it can be worn at an angle to either side for more of a ‘fascinator’ effect.

The Petite birdcage veil adds a little touch of 1950s va-va-voom!

Finally, if your style suits the ‘less is more’ approach, then the Petite birdcage veil is for you (shown here, above). This little number comes without any comb attachment and is designed to add a little bit of 1950s flair without making too much of a statement. It looks great perched jauntily to one side of your down-do or also as a snood veil to cover a bun or small up-do.

All of our veils are available in ivory as standard, but can be made in white upon request. They also come with either ivory pearl accents (or white if a white veil is requested) or Swarovski crystal accents. Starting at just £35, they’re a stylish yet economical choice for any bride after a vintage feel.

I hope you like!

Kate. x

As I mentioned in my last blog post, I’ve had the pleasure of welcoming a glut of amazing wedding accessory designers and their brands to Queens & Bowl recently. One of those such brands was the totally fabulous Harriet Wilde – whose vintage-inspired wedding shoes I have completely fallen in love with!

Last week I quizzed the lady behind Harriet Wilde, Ruth Shaw, and asked her a few probing questions. Here’s what she had to say :

The lady herself - Ruth Shaw

1. First of all, could you briefly describe your business and ethos?

Harriet Wilde (my Great Grandmother’s name) was established by myself Ruth Shaw, as I searched in vain to find the perfect pair of shoes for my own wedding, my style is about mixing vintage with designer pieces and I wanted my wedding to be the same.

The philosophy: Unique vintage inspired footwear, stylishly designed in London, made to the highest quality by shoemakers in Europe. A backlash to mass production and the image that weddings have to be fluffy and not stylish with a contemporary edge.

Some of Ruth's beautiful creations for Harriet Wilde wedding shoes

2. Can you describe a typical working day? What do you like / dislike the most?

Right now I’m working from an office at home, I had a baby girl (Lois) in October last year so as a working Mum I need to be close at hand. First job is to check emails, process orders and talk to clients and my factory in Spain, next varies from day to day, if I’m lucky it’ll be thinking or designing new shoes and trims, if I’m unlucky it’ll be a meeting with the accountant (sorry to all accountants out there, we love you really).

3. Who would be your dream client and why? What do you think they’d choose to wear?

I’d have to say Kate Middleton, she has a great figure, is atractive and is on the cusp of becoming a princess, need I say more? Harriet Wilde would design and make a bespoke pair for Kate, it would be an honour.

We hope that Kate may choose Harriet Wilde to design her wedding shoes!

4. What’s the most unusual request you’ve had from a bride-to-be?

Can’t think of an answer for this one, all our brides have requested only gorgeous things, I guess colour could be considered unusual – bright yellow, electric blue, all of our satin shoes can be dyed to any colour.

5. What’s the greatest achievement of your career to date?

Designing an exclusive collection for Harrods shoe boudoir.

6. What’s the most memorable thing you’ve seen at a wedding as a guest?

Not a wedding I’ve attended, but Gypsy weddings are something else, the size of everything is outstanding.

7. What are the overriding trends we’ll see in your next collection?

Kitten heels, more high heels and platforms, glamour yet still retaining elegance, sparkles and thirties inspired trims all with matching clutches.

8. What advice would you give to a bride-to-be starting her search for wedding shoes?

Style, pick the most appropriate shape for your dress. Comfort and quality is key as you’ll be wearing them all day and dancing too. It’s worth budgeting for a very special pair of shoes for this important day and don’t forget our shoes can be dyed either for your wedding or after so you can wear them again.

9. What career path would you have taken if you weren’t a designer?

It could only EVER be shoes, I’m shoe obsessed.

10. Finally, what would you do if you won the Euro Millions?!

Boring, but I don’t do the lottery so I’ve got to make my own millions.

So if you’re looking for amazing quality shoes that certainly have the ‘wow’ factor, check out Ruth’s gorgous collection on our site now and take your pick from some amazing styles!

Kate. x

In amongst all the pre-Christmas rush, you may not have noticed that quite a few new wedding accessories designers have come on board at Queens & Bowl Wedding Accessories. One of these such brands was no-less than the amazingly talented Jo Barnes, with her Jo Barnes Vintage headdress collection.

I’m really excited to have Jo’s work as part of my collection after being a fan for quite some time after seeing her very own wedding on Love My Dress. Married at the Fairmont in Banff, Canada, Jo started on her accessory designing career by creating her very own vintage bridal bouquet from her grandmother’s antique jewellery, plus pearls and cufflinks from other relatives. Already a huge fan of the 1930s era, she started designing and creating bouquets and headpieces for other brides-to-be using genuine vintage pieces.

The gorgeous Audrey headpiece by Jo Barnes

As well as genuine one-off items, Jo has now branched out into designing vintage-inspired items, based on classic 1920s, 1930s, 1940s and 1950s designs. And the good news is that Jo’s bridal headpieces, side tiaras and wedding hair combs they are now available at Queens & Bowl. All of Jo’s are created with the following features:

• The finest materials, including Swarovski crystals and Swarovski crystal pearls
• Light, flexible bands for a comfortable fit and easy re-shaping around your chosen hairstyle
• Silver or gold-plated bases for extra twinkle!
• Some headbands are also covered with satin ribbon in either ivory (for blondes) or brown (for readheads / brunettes) to help the band become invisible against your hair, making the adornment even more of a statement.
• Finally, Jo’s designs come in GORGEOUS packaging

The seriously glam Etta and Mirta bridal headpieces.

I’m so glad to have Jo on board – please check out her range now for some gorgeous and inspiring pieces!

Kate. xx

When it comes to making your wedding photographs look dated, apart from the dress, the hair ‘do’ is generally the chief culprit. How many of us have looked at wedding photos from the 1970s, 80s and 90s and thought ‘O.M.G! – The hair!’ – and not in a good way. The odds are, in 10 years time we’ll be looking back on today’s hairstyles – and that’s something to make you stop and think…

The thing that I love about vintage style is that, ironically, it never EVER dates. Key styles from the 1930s, 40s and 50s in particular are totally timeless and guaranteed to help you avoid the ‘OMG-Factor’ in years to come. Here are my top 3 wedding hairstyles to last the test of time – and vintage wedding accessory suggestions from Queens & Bowl to finish each look perfectly:

1. The Side Wave

The Side Wave - sexy & glam. L-R: Veronica Lake, Kate Bosworth, Boucheron Earrings, Hayworth Double Drop Earrings

A 1930s / 1940s hair classic – sleek, sexy and alluring.

• Made famous by: Veronica Lake
• Seen recently on: Kate Bosworth, Sienna Miller, Sandra Bullock
• Hair requirements: Must be smooth and sleek – frizz is a big no-no!
• Dress pick: Asymetric
• Perfect hair accessory: Statement earrings like the Boucheron by Stephanie Browne or Hayworth Double Drop Earrings by Stephanie Browne
  

2. The Roll

The Roll - elegant but fun. L-R: Betty Grable, Dita Von Teese, BonBon Comb, Anouska Comb. Credits: Martha Stewart Wedding, Cosmopolitan.co.uk

This is a classic from the 1940s and is unmistakably vintage. Manages to mix elegance and fun!

• Made famous by: Betty Grable
• Seen recently on: Dita Von Teese, Tyra Banks
• Hair requrements: Needs length in the fringe and works better with thicker hair
• Dress pick: Spaghetti strap
  
• Perfect hair accessory: A big sparkly comb like the BonBon by Stephanie Browne or Anouska by Halo & Halo
  

3. The Slick-Back Coif

The slick-back coif - feminine and bold. L-R: Grace Kelly, Kate Winslet, Hettie Hairpins

This 1950s look is instantly familiar as Grace Kelly’s signature style. Sophisticated and feminine, but a little bold too.

• Made famous by: Grace Kelly
• Seen recently on: Kate Winslet, January Jones
• Hair requrements: Looks best on blondes and redheads
• Dress pick: V-neck
  
• Perfect hair accessory: Hettie hair pins by Rachel Simpson

So what do you think? Tell me your suggestions or upload them to the Queens & Bowl Facebook page!

Kate. x

If you’re currently on the search for stylish, low-heeled wedding shoes, you may have noticed that they’re few and far between. If you’re husband-to-be’s a little on the short side, you’re a little on the tall side – or if you’re just not comfortable in high heels, finding the perfect pair of low heels can be hard work. But just because you fancy something a little lower, it doesn’t mean your only option should be frumpy styles that would make Nora Batty drool!

I suspect Sophie Dahl may have worn flat wedding shoes? Image: Marieclaire.co.uk

So if you haven’t already had a look at the gorgeous Pearl Range by Rachel Simpson Shoes, you’re in for a low-heel treat…

The Violet style stands at just 5cm and are crafted from luscious pearlised leather with leather and faux pearl trim.

Violet low-heel wedding shoes by Rachel Simpson

They’re a great option to peep out from under a long, flowing 1930s style gown or alternatively show them off with a fun, flirty 1950s prom dress? Continue the Art Deco theme with the Tuscany headpiece by Halo & Co or complement the 50s look with the cute Peacock Double Bow Comb by Stephanie Browne.

The Voilets work brilliantly for a 1950s or Art Deco look. From top: Vivienne Dress by Madeline Isaac-James, Tuscany Headpiece by Halo & Co, Peacock Bow Comb by Stephanie Browne

Looking the carry on a lace theme? Then the Isabella wedding shoes are perfect.

Isabella low heel wedding shoes by Rachel Simpson

Again, with just a 5cm heel they’re SO comfortable, but they definitely have the elegance-factor, with elegant heel shape, lace uppers and bow detail. They’re great for complementing a lace dress or adding a vintage feel to a sleek, simple cut. They look fantastic with the Saskia lace side tiara by Halo & Co or the delicate Juliet statement headpiece by Ivory & Co.

Complement a lace dress with lace shoes and delicate accessories. From Top: Zara wedding dress by Madeline Isaac-James, Juilet headpiece by Ivory & Co, Saskia headpiece by Halo & Co

How about a perfect pair of peep-toes? The Flo style, with a slightly higher heel of 8.5cm is still a fab lower/medium heel option for brides who don’t want to tower over guests.

Flo low heel wedding shoes by Rachel Simpson

The pearlised leather with champagne binding work with so many dress styles and can be dressed-up with shoe clips or kept pure and simple. How about keeping the dress simple and going for a knock-out headpiece like the Paloma headpiece by Halo & Co?

The Flo wedding shoes work so well with sleek or statement dresses. From top: Harlow wedding dress by Madeline Isaac-James, Paloma headpiece by Halo & Co

I really hope this has helped any brides-to-be looking for lower heeled options – and maybe converted a few killer-heel addicts?….

Thanks to Natalie at Madeline Isaac-James for allowing me to use her amazing dresses to illustrate these gorgeous looks, and of course to Rachel for designing such fabulous low heels!

Kate x

A little while ago, Louise at Bow Occasions wedding planners did a fantastic ‘Vintage Week’ on her blog. Being a HUGE lover of vintage AND weddings, I jumped at the chance to talk about my 2 favourite vintage eras and give some suggestions for how a vintage bride may pull off the look with shoes, jewellery and headpieces. Here’s the article in full:

Hi, I’m Kate Bowl and I run Queens & Bowl wedding accessories – an online boutique offering gorgeous wedding shoes, jewellery and headpieces. I love vintage style and all of my products are either inspired by vintage fashions and trends or are created from genuine vintage pieces. I stock amazing, award-winning designer names including Rachel Simpson, Halo & Co and Magpie Vintage.

One thing I’m really keen to do on my site is to provide inspiration for brides planning or thinking about having a vintage wedding. I’ve had a lot of positive feedback from brides on my ‘Inspiration Pages’ so I thought I’d share a couple of my favourite eras here as part of Bow Occasions’ vintage week!

First up is the 1920s….

I love 1920s for the dramatic change in women’s fashion that took place during this period. Women were asserting the independence and liberty they’d tasted during WW1 and there was a real sense of rebellion in the air! It was also the decade that first brought us the Art Deco movement and screen legends like Greta Garbo and Clara Bow who are still mysterious, enigmatic figures even today.

Ideas for a 1920s wedding. Image credits: Rex, Rosa Clara, Photorazzi, Ritz Hotel London

The most iconic 1920s fashion was of course the Flapper style which became popular in the mid 1920s. This look is probably the most recreated ‘20s look for modern brides and needs these key touches to pull it off:

• A loose knee-length shift dress that shows off bare arms. They were often heavily beaded with a scalloped hemline. The alternative if your figure doesn’t suit this style is to choose a drop-waist dress of longer length. Drop-waists were popular throughout most of the 1920s.
• Mary-Janes with a single strap or T-Bar shoes like the Hettie or Mimi styles by Rachel Simpson
• Pearls – and lots of them. Long length pearl necklaces, made famous by a certain Coco Chanel, are ideal. Our Luxe Pearl Necklace by Stephanie Browne is made of Swarovski crystal pearls and features 2 Swarovski crystal Deco brooch pieces that are detachable.
• A close-fitting headpiece worn low down, towards the forehead. The Tiffany pearl and diamante headpiece by Ivory & Co is perfect.
• Feathers. Headpieces with feathers (try our Vienna headpiece by Ivory & Co) or a shrug like the Paris by Sasso add an authentic 20s vibe.

Finish the look with finger-wave hair and dark red lips, re-applied at regular intervals!

Next up, the 1950s….

….another period of fun mixed in with elegance and I love the pure glamour of the decade. Speaking of glamour, how much more glam can you get than Hollywood screen siren Grace Kelly marrying into royalty in the South of France!

Ideas for a 1950s wedding. Image credits: Rex, Shutterstock, Photorazzi, candyanthony.com

So many enduring icons came to fame in the 50s – Liz Taylor, Audrey Hepburn and of course, Marilyn Monroe. The timeless fashion of the 1950s also became iconic and is very much growing in popularity amongst brides. Here’s what to focus on for a ‘50s wedding theme:

• A knee-length dress with plenty of under-netting to give the A-line shape. If you have a bigger bust, a strapless style top is ideal, if not, go for a higher neckline like a boat-neck or slash-neck. Lace or taffeta were the signature fabrics.
• Pearls – but keep it simple. Go for either small pearl stud earrings or a short, single strand pearl necklace. We have some beautiful freshwater pearl necklaces by Magpie Vintage featuring original vintage ornaments.
• Sparkle. As Marilyn Monroe could testify, the ladies loved their diamonds, so look for vintage-style jewellery featuring large crystals or diamante, such as our glamorous Boucheron earrings or detailed Astor bracelet.
• Bows and lace details. Both were popular in the ‘50s and contributed to the femininity of the look. The appropriately named Marilyn bridal shoes by Rachel Simpson fit the bill perfectly.

Whichever vintage era you choose, you’re sure to have a truly timeless and elegant wedding. For more vintage inspiration, visit the Queens & Bowl blog and feel free to leave your comments!

Kate. xx

So, your budget doesn’t stretch to diamonds, but you want to inject some vintage-style sparkle into your wedding jewellery – the options are pretty straightforward, right? Well, with different boutiques and retailers using a whole myriad of terms including diamante, rhinestone, crystal, paste, crystal quartz, Swarovski crystal, Austrian crystal, it seems not!

My post about the different types of pearls used in wedding jewellery a few weeks ago was so popular; I thought I’d have a go at lifting the lid on the different types of ‘crystal’ bridal jewellery.

Here goes…

Before the advent of modern-day imitation jewels, the rock crystals around the banks of the river Rhine were used to imitate precious stones – hence the original term ‘rhinestone’. Since then (and up to the modern day), jewellers and scientists tried to make more affordable and abundant alternatives by creating manmade stones. So despite its original and specific meaning, the term ‘rhinestone’ has become a fairly generic term.

Here’s a rough guide to what’s what:

Rhinestone / Diamante

Basically, these have come to be a catch-all terms for ‘imitation’ precious stones. All kinds of materials are described as rhinestone or diamante, including rock crystal, lead crystal, glass and even acrylic (plastic). For the record: no Queens & Bowl designers use acrylic rhinestones.

Paste

Paste was invented in the 17th century and was popular until the early 20th century, so it’s often found on original vintage wedding jewellery. Paste was a glass compound with a foil backing to achieve a twinkle effect. It was often used to create pave-style settings (made up of hundreds of stones) for a reasonable price. Magpie Vintage antique components often feature paste detail, like the gorgeous Art Deco Disc necklace.

Magpie Vintage Art Deco Necklace with paste stones

Rock Crystal / Crystal Quartz

Rock Crystal (part of the Quartz family) is often confused with lead crystal (see below), but unlike lead crystal, it is not manmade- it’s mined from the earth. Tiny imperfections, found naturally within the crystals, bounce light around within the stone and mean that there is no need for a foil backing as with paste.

Stephanie Browne is one designer who uses rock crystal quartz in her wedding jewellery designs, such as the 1950s-style Tabitha Brooch.

The Tabitha Quartz Brooch by Stephanie Browne

Lead Crystal

Lead crystal is not actually crystal at all – it’s glass, with lead oxide added at the molten stage. The lead oxide makes the glass refract the light much, much more than glass, giving it that diamond-like sparkle. The main production sites for lead crystal are the Czech Republic and Austria. They’re perfect for ultra glamorous, Marilyn Monroe style wedding jewellery.

Austrian Crystal / Swarovski Crystal

Austrian Crystal (otherwise known as Swarovski Crystal) is lead crystal and it’s the most famous brand of lead crystal in the world. Swarovski is acknowledged as being the ultimate quality, owing to the unique ratio of lead to glass (32% lead), giving the best refraction rates and amazing sparkle. Swarovski crystal stones also have more facets than other stones and are always cut glass rather than moulded or machine-pressed.

Stephanie Browne, Ivory & Co, Filippa Scott Jewels and Halo & Co designs are created using Swarovski stones, including the Nectar Headpiece.

The Nectar Headpiece by Ivory & Co in Swarovski Crystal

AB Crystals

AB crystals are simply lead crystals with a very thin metallic coating, producing an iridescent rainbow effect. AB stands for Aurora Borealis (otherwise known as the Northern Lights), after which the effect was named.

AB crystals help to give a vintage or antique feel and work particularly well with pearls. Halo & Co have some fantastic pieces in AB crystal this season, including the Anouska Pin.

The Anouska Pin by Halo & Co in AB Crystal



Hopefully this little post has made things crystal clear! If not and you have a specific question regarding your wedding jewellery, please get in touch and I’ll do my best to help you find the perfect jewellery for your wedding day.

Kate. xx

There’s no denying that all things retro and vintage are having a bit of a renaissance at the moment, especially within the wedding and bridal arena. With the trend moving away from strapless meringues towards more classy, vintage-inspired gowns, it can be harder to make your vintage wedding stand out from the crowd. Of course, accessories are a great way of ensuring that your look is unique to you, but what about taking the plunge and opting for a shorter, 1950′s style full-skirted dress? 

Stand out from the crowd in a flirty 50s wedding dress

There are a few designers out there now who are adding one or two shorter styles to their collection and the brides that we’ve seen wearing them look utterly fab and totally unforgettable – ideal for the bride-to-be who wants to be remembered!

Think Liz Taylor in her prime and you won't go far wrong...

If you’re a shoe fanatic like us, one of the biggest bonuses to wearing a shorter dress is the fact that you get to show off a pair of show-stopping heels. Go for a classic high peep-toe for that 50s look, then pile on the diamante in classic Liz Taylor (in her prime!) style. Add a bird-cage veil or fascinator, or a statement buckle belt for that timeless, Post-War feel. Finally, head off on your honeymoon in a classic convertible sportscar for the ultimate 1950s reference!

All accessories shown will be available at Queens & Bowl soon.

QB x