I'm so obsessed with Vivienne's “God Save the Queen” shirt from 1977. The white long-sleeved shirt from Westwood/McLaren features distressed elements and Jamie Reid's graphic print with the lyrics of the Sex Pistols song on the front. That's why I was so incredibly happy when I found a T-shirt with the iconic print in a secondhand shop. It was way too big, but I didn't care at the time; I was sure I'd find a solution.
Vivienne once said:
❝IF YOU'RE TOO BIG TO FIT INTO FASHION THEN YOU JUST HAVE TO DO YOUR OWN FASHION❞.
I assume the same applies the other way around. I don't want to make a copy of the original but rather be inspired by the iconic representation of early British Punk style.
Here are some details about the original tshirt:
The seams at the armholes, sleeves, and side seams are sewn so that the raw edge of the white knit fabric is visible. There are small oval cutouts on the shoulders of the shirt on each side of the neckline.
I think muslin is the closest thing to the material used for the original shirt. That's why I bought a pack of five cloth nappies.
I'm going to sew a very simple tunic out of the clothe nappies, with bell sleeves and a slit on both sides. I'll reduce the measurements (it should fit under the shirt), but not too much, so it's nice and airy for summer.
The tunic creates a piece of clothing that I can wear not only with the Sex Pistols shirt, but also combine with other outfits.
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Further, there are metal rings sewn to the outer sleeve seam at the shoulder and small metal clasps dangle at the cuffs of the original shirt. I will use the rings and clasps for my second hand print tshirt instead.
But first I'll make a few changes to the shirt.
- I cut open the waistband at the neck. I don't remove it, so the shirt's collar stays stable.
- I take off the sleeves by unpicking the seams.
- I cut open both sides of the shirt.
- I fixed the shoulder seam with a few stitches so that it does not open.
There is a second tier of white knit fabric on the front and the back of the Westwood shirt at the hem. That's why:
5. I cut my pistols shirt shorter so that the tunic would show underneath.
The shape of the shirt is boxy, hanging from the shoulders as opposed to being anchored at a different point, such as the waist.
I used the same eyelets as with my Crocs (below the armpit and further down, at waist level) and added black clasps. This allows me to wear the shirt loose or attach it in various places over the tunic.
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Bam, guys!
Punk's not dead!
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