Bags (and pots) of gold

Not quite done with gold yet – one more post left (did I detect a snore?) Apologies if you're totally fed up after all the gold you’ve seen on the catwalks this season, but I'm going to be so bold as to suggest that you seriously consider gold’s long term investment potential and point you in the direction of this very comprehensive article from the Telegraph website, listing 10 ways to invest in gold…





By the way, I’ve come up with a curiously clever 11th way of investing in gold – how about these vintage gold handbags from ShopCurious? They’re unique, timeless pieces that may turn out to be collectors’ items and could actually appreciate in value too - plus they look great and are accessories that will work with a multitude of other colours.




The bags are also very reasonably priced, though if you want to invest a little more we’ve also got a luxury gold satin evening bag with diamante trim and exquisite kid lining (left), handmade by top designer Anya Hindmarch in her pre-'it bag' days – and it’s on sale!

There’s no doubt in my mind that the fashion for all things gold is only just beginning to gain momentum. I was even tempted to go searching for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow the other day, when I saw this magnificent arc of colour (see below) on the South London horizon – probably somewhere in Wimbledon. The rather ugly tower blocks either side add to the dramatic effect, don’t you think?








Anyway, at least this colourful addition to the skyline leads us nicely into our theme for July. If you’re curious to know more, join me in my next blog, where I’ll reveal all.

Will you?

Fool's gold?

Just thought I’d better point out that, in addition to bona fide pure and unadulterated gold, there also exists what is commonly known as ‘fool’s gold’. Take what seems to be a curiously generous proposition - add some disclaimers, plus a wadge of small print - and it's probably not nearly as genuine an offer as you originally anticipated ...





It’s worth taking a look at the gold rush phenomenon, which happened in various parts of the world in the mid-late 19th century. For instance, gold was first discovered in California on 24th January 1848 at Sutter’s Mill on American Fork River, when James W Marshall had the curiosity to examine some quartz rock lying in his mill stream. Shortly thereafter, immigrants were travelling from all over the world to San Francisco to dig for gold – however, as soon as winter 1850, the time for making fortunes was already almost over.




The events of the Californian gold rush prompted San Franciso born David Belasco to write a play, which in turn inspired Puccini to write one of his most dramatic operas, La Fanciulla del West – an abject lesson in the perils of speculation and a tragic tale of innocent lives lost in the pursuit of fool’s gold.







It used to be the streets of London that were considered to be paved with gold, but perhaps now it’s a city somewhere in the Middle East. I recently visited Dubai and, outside the entrance to my hotel (the highly recommended Royal Mirage), were these incredible hand painted gold camels (above) – curiously cool, if a tad over the top. Gold seekers who are into such conspicuous consumption might like to consider this rather unique gold plated baby pram, left.



I also heard that it’s possible to eat gold. I found this fascinating blog about edible gold and ten different ways to eat it – if you’re so inclined you can even feed 24 carat gold caviar to your dog! By the way, I also noticed that Waitrose’s brand spanking new branch in the Dubai Mall has what looks like gold leaf lettering instead of their usual green corporate logo …I suppose it blends in with the surroundings, but personally, I prefer the more authentic approach of the Organic Foods and Cafe, which seems to stand out as being altogether more original – and it’s much more eco-friendly and natural too.




Which leads us on to fool’s gold: it’s probably not a great idea to be taken in by the dazzling glitz of gold - and it’s definitely best to know about the provenance of any piece of jewellery you are buying. All of the stylish gold accessories in Sarah Bond’s Saretta collections, currently available at ShopCurious, are not only ethically sound, but have been hallmarked at the London Assay office.






Of course, these days, even with a relatively small amount of money, you can also invest quite sensibly in gold ETFs or buy gold coins with a value that is recognized the world over. I know what sort of gold I’d prefer to invest in though – I simply love this exquisite gold arm cuff...

Do you?

Handmade accessories with attitude

Are the best things in life really free? Unfortunately, Luther Vandross is no longer around and Janet Jackson probably doesn’t have to concern herself with such issues. However, I’ve a theory that cost is less important than putting a little bit of an effort into making something rather special: You’re much more likely to be pleasantly surprised with the outcome of a piece you've lovingly created yourself than if there’s no effort involved whatsoever.







And so it is with hats. This year at Royal Ascot, I added a few bits and pieces of haberdashery to a plain orange hat to create something totally quirky and original. Take one orange hat (in this case vintage Jacques le Corre), add an aubergine feather headband from ShopCurious, plus a curiously unique vintage stuffed bird’s head – et voila, a masterpiece of modern millinery design is born ... or at least recylced.







It’s really easy to decorate hats to make them stand out from the crowd. Lucy (left and with Emma, right) chose one of our plain black raffia hats and added some mauve and maroon marabou for a flirty, feathery look. Simple and inexpensive, but very effective.



I loved this Greek-inspired handmade design in blue and gold (right) – it’s such a classic, I hope they don’t want to appropriate it for the new Acropolis Museum. Georgina - also pictured here with her wonderfully eccentric, talented photographer husband, Francis - informed me that her milliner had adapted the decoration on her giant fascinator that morning so that it matched the colour of her outfit. Wearing unique accessories is all about getting the details right.


This retro-psychedelic-meets-space age ensemble (left) certainly showed a curious attention to detail. And another lady, (whose name I think was Jennie?) had a fabulous ‘50s vintage bag with real equine appeal. How lovely it is to see something that’s individually handcrafted and beautifully hand painted – so much more stylish and unusual than your common-or-garden designer ‘it’ bag – and probably a lot cheaper too.



I’m not averse to creating an eclectic mix that includes the odd, carefully chosen, designer accessory (like these vintage Chanel sunglasses), but I think that truly original style involves a little more thought, effort and creativity than buying the most expensive and celebrity endorsed items you can afford.

Do you?

PS Jane, thanks so much for reuniting me with my lost ring via the lady with the horsy handbag xx

Win a stylish summer hat

I was curious to find out more about the new sculpture gracing the lawn at Royal Ascot and discovered that the Queen is wearing a hat after all, albeit an appropriately aristocratic and fashionably discreet little number. The description of the arty addition to the racecourse reads as follows (click on pic to view):










Everyone wants to be photographed standing next to the Queen and, although we can’t offer you that opportunity, ShopCurious is running a curious caption contest, which you might like to enter.

The prize for the winner is a simple but stylish summer hat (see left) in your choice of black or natural raffia – for the person who creates the most curiously amusing caption for the photograph below:







You can respond either as a comment to this blog, or by email to info@ShopCurious.com

Hope you’re feeling suitably inventive.

Are you?

Green's the new gold at Royal Ascot

Shortly after arriving at the race course for Tuesday’s Royal Ascot meeting, I found myself amidst an eclectic group of Lladro-meets-Vettriano-style statues that looked to be made of copper – or at least they were green … a colour that just happened to match my outfit. The new additions (click on pics to enlarge), created by much-lettered sculptors, are representations of ‘The Establishment and The Working Class’, so it was somewhat appropriate that I should be standing betwixt the Queen and Prince Philip. Curiously, it looks as if the Queen is without a hat.




I was on the lookout for gold clothing and accessories and spotted a wonderful old-school style gold horse brooch from Royal Ascot days of yore, worn by throroughly professional member of staff, Sheila (right), who certainly gets my gold star for helpfulness. I also spied these gladiatorial gold sandals under a table (left) … mmm, not so sure about those. And there were plenty of traditional gold waistcoated men (see below).



I noticed a lot of gold jewellery, but nothing quite as unique and original as the vintage Swoboda pendant from ShopCurious. I’m really surprised that this amazing bargain of a gold and semi-precious stone pendant (right) hasn’t been snapped up yet. Vintage jewellery can be a great investment as it's usually timeless and you can wear it year after year – and real gold pieces might appreciate significantly in value too.





‘Green’ hats are also sensible style – create your own, or invest in handmade works of millinery art by designer Sandra Bamminger, or Laura Wellington. Clever ladies tipped their hats to a hint of green. Isabell Kristensen, for instance, with her delicious looking strawberries and cream creation: New season’s fruit that looks just as fresh as the ever-youthful designer herself, pictured left with her beautiful daughter.


The most stylish ladies were distinctly natural and understated – but they said it all with their hats … and with one simple word: recycled. Those with style and brains know that recycling is ‘old hat’ – ie get out an old hat and spruce it up with some embellishment like a corsage, some foliage, unusual bits and pieces that will set you apart from the crowd. Vintage and homemade hats were the order of the day.

Alice (right) discovered she had left her hat in the car, which was driven away by a chauffeur. She quickly cobbled one together from a newspaper (inadvertently picking up on the fashion for gold coins) and some other bits of stuff - more of which were added as the day went on - making for a quirky, individual look. Good job it wasn’t windy.


The lovely doctor pictured left (married to dishy actor, Marcus Gilbert, who was sadly absent) told me she was a dab hand at sewing sutures, so she decided to handcraft her own Ascot hat. How curiously cool is that?

By the way, I’ve designed and decorated my own hat for later this week – details to follow shortly, plus the chance to win a rather natty summer hat.

Will you?

Goldfingers

Early civilizations equated gold with gods and rulers and, as a result, we almost intuitively place a high value on gold - equating it with power, beauty, and the cultural elite. From the ancient Egyptians to James Bond, gold has shone out as something of special significance.

The pre-Incan Moche civilization in Peru, for instance, sculpted extraordinary items from gold – jewellery, ceremonial vessels and memorial pieces like these gold votive burial hands. Gold was later considered by the Incas to be the ‘sweat of the sun’ that reflected the glory of their sun god and was handcrafted into all manner of stunning adornments for tombs and temples.





More recent evidence of our fascination with gold: Ian Fleming used gold as a theme throughout his Bond novels. Shirley Eaton’s gold makeup in the Goldfinger film apparently took two hours to apply for only five minutes of filming. A doctor was on set at all times in case of possible skin suffocation.







A much safer and quicker means of gilding your fingers (and perhaps your arms too) is with a pair of these gorgeously glamorous vintage gold gloves from ShopCurious. We can’t guarantee that our gold opera gloves will give you the Midas touch, but you’ll look like a movie star without being painted – and with no need for Turkish baths to sweat out the gold from all those pesky little nooks and crannies.



If you’re a fan of unique accessories, you might also like to adorn your fingers with some stylish gold rings, like the ones designed by Sarah Bond for Saretta. These days, you don’t have to blow up Fort Knox for gold, it’s fairly affordable - plus it makes the ultimate romantic gift and can be a great investment too. Hope you’re taking notes Miss Moneypenny.

Are you?

Golden memories

The latest Ken Loach film, Looking for Eric, starring Eric Cantona, is full of golden memories – rather like a cinematic psychotherapy session – and Steve Evets’ acting is simply brilliant. I love a good tragi-comedy … and this film is to drug and gun culture what The Full Monty is to the dole queue.

It’s true, we need to ‘have danger to go beyond danger’ (and there are bound to be a few bad memories in life's lot) – but legends like Cantona have the ability to influence us - and, with the 'elp of great coaching credentials and a philosophical turn of phrase, can inspire us to better ourselves and seek out happier, more fulfilled lives.



A bit of laughter also goes a long way – and there was plenty when I unearthed this old photograph of me (left) wearing the couture designed gold sequined GoldenEye dress that’s now on sale at ShopCurious.

The legend that is 007 was Pierce Brosnan at the time - and when I wore this dress to the premiere of his first Bond film, he and his wife, Keely, stopped dead in their tracks at the sight of me walking towards the cinema. No, they didn’t break down in fits of giggles, but were simply awestruck at the gorgeous glittering glow of my glamorous designer gown.



The dress was specially created by celebrity fashion designer, Isabell Kristensen, back in the day when structured eveningwear was big on the red carpet, as it is to this day, though apologies for the curiously un-cool colour combo of the floor covering in this shot – it has nothing to do with me, I can assure you!

Now something of a collectors’ item, this dress would be great if you have an awards ceremony, or a special party to attend. The dress also has one of Isabell’s trademark built-in corsets to ensure the perfect hourglass figure.



Funny how fashions have changed: In the early-mid 1990s, it was stylish to dress in a grown-up, sophisticated manner that meant you could end up looking a rather like Krystle Carrington from Dynasty. Around the time of this photo, new trends were evolving and, by day, true fashionistas opted for the cutting-edge and creatively unstructured designs of Prada and Marni, as well as Voyage’s Bohemian hippy chic style. Designs later became even less formal, morphing into grunge fashion, but the trend for recycling and the vintage look that started all those years ago is only just beginning to be taken seriously.






Ooh aah, golden memories and precious pieces of history recycled for future generations to appreciate, learn from and enjoy.

Will you?

Golden gifts for Fathers' Day

This month’s blogs have the theme of anything and everything to do with gold. And, with Fathers’ Day coming up soon, I’m sure an awful lot of you must be considering stylish and unusual gifts for all of the uniquely individual and very special Dads out there? So, if your father’s worth his weight in gold, how about a little something that positively glows with your love and appreciation? Here are some ideas for gifts that rock like the golden oldie 'king of bling' himself ...










For the father who indulges in the occasional spot of air guitaring (sadly, I know a few), I’d like to recommend this gloriously gold lame tie (right), beautifully designed and hand-finished by fashion designer to the glitterati (and a fair few rock stars too), Sir Tom Baker. I’ve noticed several gold ties around lately, but none quite as cutting edge or eye-catching as this.






If your Dad’s a bit of an ageing hippy, he might also like this hand painted recycled suede jacket by Baifall Dream (right) … very 1970s Earth, Wind and Fire.

The more traditional man might like to stick to something he feels more comfortable in. Just make sure he knows that the ‘only true test for gentlemen’ is determined by whether or not they wear double cuff shirts and cufflinks ...



If your father’s the suave and sophisticated type, it’s highly likely he’s a fan of James Bond’s curiously cool style.

Christopher Lee’s Scaramanger may not be your number one fashion icon, but these vintage ‘golden gun’ cufflinks (left) from ShopCurious are certainly the sort of accessories that any well dressed gentleman would like to have in his wardrobe.



Of course, your old man might actually be more of a medallion fancier, who’d prefer a lorry load of bling around his neck. All I’d say is that you is that, whatever you choose, it’s really nice if you manage to find something that’s timeless in its appeal, something your Dad can keep and cherish forever - a gift that’s got a bit of provenance, that might even be collectable and can be passed on to future generations as an investment. All the more reason to pick something that you're rather fond of too.

Are you?