Glitterati, glamour and mystique

I wandered around the National Portrait Gallery’s Glamour of the Gods exhibition behind two elderly ladies, curiously amused by their oohing and aahing. Like teenage girls unable to keep a secret, they simply had to know the name of ‘that gorgeous chap on a motorbike’. I told them he was Steve McQueen, but was a little befuddled, as his photograph didn’t appear to be on display… They were reduced to a state that can only be described as ‘gaga’ by photographs of the male filmstars and celebrities of yesteryear – Elvis Presley had them in raptures...

Sharing their excitement was rather fun, though the seventy or so stunning vintage prints from John Kobal’s archive are probably enough to get anyone going. Dating from around 1920 to the 1950s, the images are of movers and shakers in the creative and performing arts, along with key members of the Hollywood glitterati.





And they are beautiful. With a beautifully illustrated catalogue to match. Though we’ve also a finely illustrated photography book at ShopCurious: Filmstar Portraits of the Fifties (published in 1980), has no fewer than 163 glamorous photographs of the stars – introduced and edited by none other than John Kobal himself.










It’s strange, but today’s stars do absolutely nothing for me. Yesterday, Nespresso sent an email to ‘follow George Clooney in Costa Rica.’ I can think of nothing more dull – especially as I rarely ever drink coffee. Yet I could look at the glamorous photographs in this exhibition all day. Perhaps it’s about more than just glamour… I suspect being ‘godlike’ has quite a lot to do with the curiosity factor.

Do you?

Accessories for the afterlife?

Are you planning to visit the forthcoming exhibition at the British Museum? From 4th November, Journey through the afterlife: ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead will present and explore the ancient Egyptian beliefs about life after death, via an amazing collection of artefacts and papyri.

I recently read that an ancient papyrus in the Brooklyn Museum served as a manual for a doctor treating a snake bite, though he probably omitted the magical incantation that would have been spoken whilst the remedy was being applied. Despite their obvious dangers, snakes were sometimes worshipped as deities in ancient Egypt, and mummified cobras have been found amongst the millions of other animals in great animal catacombs.





If you’d like your own snake charm, we’ve some curiously Egyptian style accessories at ShopCurious, from vintage snake jewellery to Thea Cadabra’s individually hand crafted, colourful leather snake belts and hand embroidered snake ties from Or Wot.









We’ve also recently acquired some uniquely stylish antique pendants featuring pharaohs and scarab beetles. These are original Czech glass pieces from the ‘Egyptian revival’ period of the mid 1920s, which are highly collectable. Also new in is a vintage 1950s retro mirror compact, featuring a pharaoh’s head.







I’m not sure if any of these will help you in the afterlife, but you never know...

Do you?

Brace yourself for Fathers' Day

Now the Summer season is upon us, men are jazzing up their outfits with all manner of curious accessories. I’ve seen bow ties, quirky cufflinks, Panama hats, patent shoes – and quite a few pairs of designer braces.

Braces, also known as suspenders by our American friends, are often worn by the sort of men who love to be the centre of attention. They were popular in the 1920s and '30s – I’d imagine Jay Gatsby was big on braces. Gordon Gekko in the film Wall Street was single handedly responsible for a lot more suspenders in the City from the late1980s. More recently, the new Dr Who, Matt Smith, also appears to be quite a fan of trouser braces.





If your father’s the extrovert type, a pair of braces may be just the unusual sort of gift he'd appreciate. Of course, the braces would have to be suitably original – and I think we’ve got just the thing at ShopCurious…

Our curiously unique Boa Brummell braces by ORWOT! are made by Albert Thurston of Leicester, the oldest braces manufacturer in the world.





Handcrafted in England, the luxury braces are embellished with a real gold or silver snake - individually hand embroidered by the same firm that has worked for the last eight Kings and Queens of England.

Each pair of bejewelled Boa Brummells comes with a choice of button hooks, or specially engraved clips. What’s more, the snake’s eyes are made from real precious gem stones that twinkle in the light, which should set off Dad's evening attire a treat.... And they're guaranteed to hold up his trousers too.









Order now and we promise a pair will be with your pere in time for Fathers’ Day - 20th June. Go on, make it a day he'll never forget.

Will you?

I love (secret) New York

Happy Valentine’s Day! If you’re in The Big Apple for New York Fashion Week, you may be wondering how to find somewhere appropriately romantic to meet for drinks or dinner. I can suggest no better place for a lovers’ tryst than one of the city’s numerous speakeasies.

Speakeasies are named after the ‘underground’ bars that gained popularity during the Prohibition of the 1920s and early ‘30s. You usually have to book in advance so, first of all, you’ll need to find the contact details of one of these curiously clandestine venues, which can be a little tricky as they’re not that well publicized. And you’ll also need to know the password to get through the front door.







It’s rumoured that the trend for speakeasies was started by Sasha Petraske, owner of the infamous Milk & Honey (check out the curiously quirky house rules!) Others include The Back Room (aka The Lower Eastside Toy Company), reached via a rather ominous looking underground alley.






There’s a distinctly Victorian feel to the décor here – and the alcohol is served in teacups.

Many of the bars have a retro vibe and and the music is often of the old-fashioned jazz variety, in keeping with the original roots of the speakeasy. You’ll find the coolest mixologists (Ameri-speak for bartenders) – and some great food too.



I suggest you surreptitiously ask around, as there’s bound to be one of these covert establishments hidden away somewhere nearby. The telephone numbers are changed often, so further undercover investigations may be required in your search.

By the way, if you’ve got a suitably secret gift for your loved one, how about this mother of pearl inlaid vintage silver trinket box from ShopCurious to hide it in?

And shhhhhh... I have the address and current ‘phone number for Milk & Honey if you want it.

Do you?

Seasonal mania

You’d be wrong if you think I’m permanently fixed to a chair in front of my computer. Occasionally, I venture out – but only if it’s really worth making the effort. And tonight it was. I simply couldn’t miss a showing of Vivienne Westwood’s Spring Summer 2010 Anglomania collection (yes, think shorts, floaty little dresses and rubberised sandals in November). As I raced in excited anticipation across London’s Oxford Street, I even managed to snap a sideways picture of the Christmas lights through my car windscreen.

Fashion shows are always such frenzied, nay muddled and blurred events. First, there’s the panic to get in and grab your seat, followed by a rapidly downed cocktail or three and, finally, the girls speed-walk down the runway so fast that, unless you're a professional photographer, the models end up all fuzzy around the edges.

Anyway, this show was totally fabulous - probably because Vivienne Westwood is the foremost designer of curiously creative, yet cleverly designed and wearable clothing in the world. If you’re wanting to know about the trends from her show – think 1920s in 1960s acid colours-meets-Masai safari-meets-hillbilly eco-warrior-meets-Sunday best with an arty twist-meets-toga style draping-meets nautical … Good Lord, I’ve run out of breath. At least no one should be able to replicate this design trend!






Some of the highlights of my evening were:

Coincidentally sitting opposite Julia Roitfield – Sister Wolf, this was such a surprise - in fact I’d never even heard of Mlle R until I read your demented blog, but I immediately recognised the face from her mother's photos. She was snogging this guy and spilling champagne on the carpet. So stylish.



Bumping into the headmistress of fashion herself - the real star of any fashion show in any season, Hilary Alexander. How wonderful to be recognized and loved by fashionistas the world over – something we all aspire to in our dreams. Hilary, long may you remain in the spotlight, though I did notice that Lady Victoria Hervey was angling to get into everyone’s photos.










The only thing in the otherwise stunning show that I wasn’t so sure about, was the strange fishnet thingy over one poor model’s head (see right). Perhaps her footballer boyfriend left behind a spare bit of netting from the goal… By the way, I’d love a piece too – looks like it'd be perfect for keeping the crows off my roof.







The fact that most guests at the show looked reasonably 'grown up' was quite refreshing - though half the audience appeared to be curiously sucking on substitute cigarettes... the latest fashion accessory perhaps? The evening’s after-show performer, Dionne Bromfield, looked a tad vulnerable and nervous beforehand, though her singing was flawless.








There were some uber-cool outfits both on and off the catwalk, including an amazing 'Big Bird' jacket worn by a lady who was still attached to her London Fashion Week bag - all very eco-friendly. Not sure who the statuesque lady on the right is, but she looks truly fab... do let ShopCurious know.









Thanks to Selfridges for hosting the event and having the foresight to offer this collection a season ahead. Goes to show that even real shops see the value of getting 'pre-orders' from their customers - and this could prove a useful solution to business lost through the demise of the cruisewear market.




However, as we've still got Winter to contend with, I’m not sure I’m quite ready yet to decide exactly what I’ll be wearing next Spring.

Are you?

Art Deco accessories

Here’s a 21st century synopsis of some reasons why you might consider investing in rare and beautiful Art Deco accessories:

Buying vintage is an eco-friendly form of recycling. Just look at this fabulous original 1920s belt (right) that’s made from hand painted seeds.



Most pieces from this era are 100% handmade, using totally natural materials – and even today, it's not too difficult to source items that simply scream 'style with brains', if you're curious enough to seek them out.



Vintage is often much less expensive than its modern equivalent – take this authentic 1930s quilted python skin bag (left) and art deco clutch (right) from ShopCurious, for instance – curiously cheap and chic compared to most of today’s designer snakeskin bags.




Unique accessories from any era are highly collectable and can be a great investment too - especially well designed, high quality items of jewellery and stylish silk scarves that have timeless and lasting appeal.

There’s no denying it, Art Deco style is curiously cool – whenever, wherever ... have you seen Bebaroque’s Cleopatra tights and this amazing rhinestone encrusted headpiece? You're not drooling ...

Are you?

Powders and perfumes

It’s said that women started wearing heavy makeup in the 1920s to attract the attention of men, who were in much shorter supply after the First World War. Prior to this, wearing makeup was frowned upon, with pots of rouge and powder puffs being carefully hidden away from husbands and fathers - kept in underwear drawers and applied in secret. Ivory coloured foundation and bright red lipstick soon became the norm – and there were other inventive fashion trends:



For the eyes, in addition to mascara, ladies of the day used a toothpick to apply liquid wax to the ends of each eyelash, giving the impression of a row of tiny pearls. Eyebrows were often plucked out completely and then penciled back on somewhat higher up than nature intended. Other eye makeup included kohl - often made of ingredients like soot, lead, or goose grease – that was smudged all around the eyes, creating a look reminiscent of a vampire. The ‘vamps’ would sometimes add a dramatic line of kohl from the corner of the eye outwards to create a slightly Asiatic look that was considered sexy and bad.




For the face, powder made from rice gave the skin a very pale hue, referred to as “the pallor usually associated with innate vice” by one writer of the time. Portable makeup containers like powder compacts and lipstick holders were the stylish fashion accessories of the day, sometimes even made with precious metals, or encrusted with jewels. The styling for makeup products often took its inspiration from the Orient, like the unique and exotic vintage powder compacts at ShopCurious. Women of the twenties loved to apply their makeup in public at parties and at the dinner table in order to show off their beautiful and unusual compacts.






For the cheeks, red rouge was the order of the day, until advances in manufacturing produced new colours like orange. Girls who worried about the consequences of being found out for wearing makeup resorted to vigorous cheek-pinching instead.



For the lips, red was also the only colour available and was applied to create a ‘cupid’s bow’ above the upper lip. Lipstick often stopped short of the natural crease in the lips to minimize their thickness. Smudgeproof lipstick was essential for vamps who wanted to neck without leaving any evidence.






The invention of modern nail polish in 1920 made varnishing the fingers and toes very popular. Nails were usually worn very long and painted only in the middle, with the tip and cuticle areas left bare.

Of course, ladies also wished to smell beautiful. In 1921 Coco Chanel invented her timeless scent – Chanel No.5. Other scents of the time captured the passions of the age, like the desire to travel to far flung exotic lands that inspired the creation of Guerlain’s Shalimar.







Modern day perfumes, like those from L’Aromarine, successfully capture the memories and mystery of the era - and the art nouveau style bottles are rather chic as well. If you’re lucky, you might even find an authentic 1920s perfume bottle, like the one above, that will look great on your dressing table - these are also highly collectable and can be a great investment too.

Will you?

Ageless Art Deco

The 1920s heralded a new age of glamour and saw the beginnings of our ever-growing obsession with youthfulness. The fashion for face lifts started at this time and, in 1927 (according to the Literary Digest), New York based dermatologist, Dr Charles F Pabst, advocated legislation to save American women from the effects of their “frantic and artificial efforts to make themselves beautiful”.

He argued that “The skin of a civilized man – and woman – is a delicate organ, as delicate as the heart, which works 24 hours a day, adjusting the temperature of the body, keeping infection from entering. It requires little external aid except daily washing in lukewarm water with a mild soap…”






He continued…“ The French Government recently adopted a law…in the French colonies, against mutilating the skin by the barbarous scarring of faces, stretching of lips and slashing the body. For such practices, in which the savages indulge in their mistaken pursuit of what they consider beauty, the French now impose jail sentences and fines…” Pabst felt that the US Government should follow this example and pass a similar law to affect women undergoing facial surgery, only making the punishment much harsher – to account for the fact that “the American woman has civilization and education on her side and yet she indulges in more savage methods of mutilating her skin.”


It would be really fascinating to hear the views of any of the pioneering ladies who underwent face lifting procedures during the 1920s or ‘30s, though I doubt that many, if indeed any, are still alive today. I suspect that nowadays, if you can afford plastic surgery, it might be considered much more daring and individual to refuse to succumb to the surgeon's knife.


Meanwhile, there’s plenty of surviving evidence of the labours of past female beautification in the form of unique and timeless treasures from the Art Deco era. At ShopCurious, we’ve some fabulously stylish 1930s hand held mirrors and dressing table sets, as well as a vintage Art Deco manicure set in its original ruched-silk lined, papier mache box.

From the 1920s onwards, the first beauty parlours also started to appear. Prior to the '20s, it wasn’t thought at all proper for ‘nice girls’ to use cosmetics. By the way, if you’re curious to know more about authentic 1920s and ‘30s style makeup, I’ll be revealing some unusual non-invasive beauty secrets of the time in my next blog.

Are you?

The Jazz Age

One of the best known flappers was the silent film star, Louise Brooks, whose first screen role was in a film called A Social Celebrity. Her brazen off-screen behaviour epitomized the vibrant spirit of the Jazz Age – a time when music and dancing went underground, accompanied by the illegal consumption of alcohol during the American Prohibition.












Another notorious star of the time was the flamboyant songstress Bee Palmer, whose ‘sinuous and suggestive’ dance style shocked audiences of the day and became known as ‘the shimmy’. Her unique theatrical costumes and flapper dresses were quite something, as you can see left.




We’ve got similarly show-stopping 1920s fashion at ShopCurious – take a look at this dramatic sheer and shimmering original wrap style evening gown – it’s a stunning work of art.












No reference to the Jazz Age would be complete without mentioning the literary genius F. Scott Fitzgerald (style with brains personified!) He and his wife, Zelda (left), defined all that was glamorous and excessive about the era - the lifestyle of the beautiful and damned, as immortalized through his poetic studies of the American Dream.




‘Can’t repeat the past?’ as Gatsby exclaimed ‘Why of course you can’. Well, you can certainly still buy and wear stylish vintage ‘20s clothing … and you can also enjoy the lively music that characterized the age. I was recently pleased to discover that Jazz FM is now back on the air as a digital radio station, so you can listen to it all over the world. I was so happy to hear the voice of delightfully down to earth DJ Robbie Vincent again after quite a few years – it made me smile all day long.

‘So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.’

Are you?

In the red

If you live in the UK, you might think that the phrase 'in the red' has something to do with the Labour Party, but in fact it's said to originate from the practise of using red ink to denote debt, or losses, on financial balance sheets and was first used in the mid-1920s. Fast-forwarding to today, apparently a person is declared bankrupt or insolvent every 4.8 minutes. I don’t know a huge amount about financial economics, but I found this statistic on a UK-based charity called Credit Action’s website. They also say that average household debt is £59,630, the overall daily increase in UK debt is £175 million and that we’re paying a combined total of £262 million in interest every day.





These scary figures may make your personal indebtedness pale into insignificance … but every little helps and small economies can add up to large savings in the long term.: So I suggest that, instead of spending a fortune on this season’s fly-by-night fashion trends, you look in your wardrobe to see what’s lurking at the back of the cupboard – when sometimes being ‘in the red’ can pay off.








Red clothing is appropriately seasonal at this time of year – and if you look after your things, you can bring out your favourite Christmas clothes and unique accessories year after year. Almost anything red gives a touch of warmth and a festive flavour to your outfit, even it it’s just a pair of old shoes (though these, by Vivienne Westwood, are rather special!)







Alternatively, you could help to save our environment from added carbon emissions by investing in some recycled vintage red, like this this timeless Vivienne Westwood moiré silk bustier from ShopCurious. If you’ve a grand occasion and want a luxury vintage look that’s got classic style, why not team this up with a dramatic floral quilted long skirt by Martin Kidman – though Queen Viv’s bustier is such a versatile piece you could even wear it with jeans.





Take a look at these roaring red numbers – also guaranteed to add uplifiting colour to your Christmas.








I was certainly uplifted by the extraordinary voice and the warmth and professionalism of Oleta Adams, who was wearing a deliciously deep red silk and satin evening dress, in a very Christmassy concert at the Barbican on Sunday night. If you want to defy the financial analysts’ doom and gloom, but you’re totally strapped for cash, then I don’t suggest you rush out to buy something similar – why not simply dye one of your old dresses red – or listen to the inspiring words of Oleta’s songs and you may find all the positive energy you need to propel you through these testing times ...

Will you?