Queen-Esque, Not Queenie: How And Where To Wear A Crown

Queen-Esque, Not Queenie: How And Where To Wear A Crown
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It's already had its stint on the runway, Katy Perry's popped one on her noggin and now it's made an appearance at graduate fashion catwalks. But here's the thing, would you actually ever don a crown? MyDaily's Ellen Stewart gets to the bottom of where regal headgear is appropriate and what on earth you'd wear it with...

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Let me take you back in time to my first ever London Fashion Week catwalk show... *Does wavy flashback hands*. It was September 2012 (not really that long ago) and I was third row from the front for Bora Aksu's Spring/Summer 2013 collection.

A marching band took to the runway followed by a whole line of glamazonian models draped in whimsical fabrics, hair a mess and elaborate crowns perched atop their heads. Whoa!

Two things shape my memory of that show: 1) The heat - it was SO darn hot I almost passed out and 2) the overwhelming feeling I wanted - no, needed! - to buy a crown.

Now clearly, I'm not Katie Perry or HM The Queen but is that going to stop me figuring out how to wear one and where it's appropriate? Er, no. I'm going for this is a big way. Get on board people, this train's full speed ahead to crown town.

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So, once you've got your new favourite accessory - Dolce & Gabbana for the mega rich, Bentley & Skinner for those who get bonuses, fancy-dress shop for everyone else - the question is, how does one wear it?

As a seasoned beanie hat wearer, who's also been known to pop on a cap (backwards like Alex Mack, of course), I reckon I'm more than qualified to dish out advice on how to don your crown...

You've gotta rock it at a jaunty angle because, let's get real, a straight crown is just silly. It looks like you're taking it all a bit serious and that's embarrassing for everyone. Plus only HM, Katy Perry and supermodels can pull that off. That's their right.

Next, you need the perfect ensemble to team it with. Steer away from anything even a smidge try hard. Remember the crown is THE staple piece and everything else is just an accessory. I'd opt for jeans and a t-shirt or a dead simple frock. Even better would be a slip dress and tons of black eyeliner - trust us, your Courtney-Love-circa-Nineties-Hole vibe would be so awesome no one would be able to stand your coolness.

But that's not to say you'd lose friends. Take note of the fact, if worn properly, a crown can make you popular. Don't confuse crowns with tiaras. In general girls assume other girls wearing tiaras are bitches, but girls wearing crowns are just bold. They can do endless numbers of shots. They know how to get into The Box when they're not on the list. All the boys fancy them.

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Now, I'm assuming, like me, you didn't receive an invite to the punk-themed Met Ball and you don't oft attend parties at Buckingham. So where else can you wear your crown?

Well, the answer is anywhere that is not the definition of fancy. You and your crown are one - it sits rakishly a-top your birds nest of a hair do showing everyone in your office/local bars/mate's house that you are fearless, proud, punk and queen-esque. Not queenie, that's a different thing, but - much like HM - a person of substance except with a healthy mix of I-stayed-out-all-night.

As Central St Martins' Edward Marler proved with his BA collection, there has to be an irony and a humour in crown wearing. You can't float about in nice places wearing it with perfect hair like a total square. Equally, don't dare take your crown to garden parties or balls. This is strictly for clubs with nasty loos, going for dinner at food trucks and having pints at your local old man's boozer. It has to seem intended but nonchalant and this dingy location only strategy is the only way.

So, basically if you don't party with the super rich, spend the majority of your time at balls or insist on perfect hair you can absolutely be working this look. So, that's most of us, right? Like I said, full speed ahead to crown town...