Purchase Item
Based on Victorian riding habits, ShonaghK has culled the very best details of these historic garments and provided her imprinteur of curving seams and dramatic cut in her first offering through Thistle & Broom, Victoria's Twisted Riding Habit.
Queen Victoria, as is so well documented, loved Scotland, her Prince and to ride her horses - it's said the faster the better. The logical choice to wear riding is tightly woven wool. Scottish tweed, by example, is perfect with its ability to breathe and withstand whatever nature throws at you ~ be it mud, rain, burdocks or an unforgiving hedgerow. A special blending of all natural (no dyes) Hebridean and Shetland wools lends the rich peat brown herringbone tweed of Ardalanish a soft hand whilst being resilient, the combination of ShonaghK's talents and the (initial) fabric is astonishingly elegant. In this ensemble, ShonaghK has developed glorious, easy to wear couture equally appropriate for day or evening and, of course, riding (side saddle please). In addition to our sourcing the tweed from within her borders, both pieces of Victoria's Twisted Riding Habit are cut, sewn, and finished entirely in Scotland.
The jacket is pure perfection with all the expected sweeping romantic details found in the Victorian pieces which inspired its creation. A fitted bodice to flatter the waist, exaggerated shoulders and sleeves to provide balance, the whole is designed to wearable and fashion conscious simultaneously.
The beautiful couture skirt has been created to create a romantic yet dramatic garment. The skirt is cut entirely on the bias, allowing the skirt to drape round the body with seaming detail incorporated in such a way to flatter and emphasise the female form.
Taken together, or separately, Victoria's Twisted Riding Habit is designed for a woman who, like the Queen they are named for, accomplished great things with an acute mind, self-determination, femininity and passion.
One part indestructible, one part pure adornment, VTRH is feminine and rugged, not unlike carved stone. As such, it seems fitting that your purchase should serve to benefit the ongoing restoration and stabilisation efforts related to Rossyln Chapel.
