David Bowie Is: Living curiosity and fashion legend

Peter Frankopan, a Historian at Oxford University, writing for Huffpost Culture, compares Bowie to a living saint: “I'll be packing off my students to see it - if they can get tickets, that is,” he says, “as it is the perfect example for anyone wanting to understand medieval religion. The record-breaking crowds that will flock to see the show will be like pilgrims visiting a shrine of an important saint: here is the outfit Bowie wore when he sang Starman on Top of the Pops; there are the lyrics, written in his own hand, for Rebel Rebel. There is the printed itinerary of the train journey across the eastern US, with stop-offs to the end of the line before the rest of the trip was by car and van. They are like relics belonging to a holy man, objects to be admired.”

You have to be pretty saintly to stand in a queue for an hour to see an exhibition  - and that was just on the preview day.  But it’s well worth it to see the costumes alone – many of them designed or co-designed by Bowie himself.

The fashion legend and living curiosity that is David Bowie started out as plain old David Jones in London’s Brixton. He passed his 11+ but, instead of going to grammar school, attended Bromley Technical High School, where he specialized in music and art. He says that if he hadn’t become a singer, he would like to have been a writer. The V and A’s Bowie Is exhibition (in partnership with Gucci) is a testament to Bowie’s skill as a multi-disciplinarian - as a lyricist, musician, artist and fashion designer. Above all, it illustrates the extent of Bowie’s impact on style and culture – an influence spanning over five decades.

Many of Bowie’s 1970s costumes were inspired by the space travel that captured the popular imagination of the day – from Willy Brown’s late 1970s jumpsuit with le Corbusier-inspired line drawings that Bowie wore as Major Tom to the quilted two piece suit he performed Starman in (above), and set designer Mark Ravitz’s avant garde outfit for the Man Who Sold the World.

But the inspiration for Bowie’s dress came from a multitude of other sources too – including the film A Clockwork Orange, the glam rock genre, edgy Weimar Republic cabaret, Japanese kabuki, German expressionist films and Hindu style bindis (like the colourful third eye on the cover of Aladdin Sane).  

Standout items include a replica of the Ziggy Stardust bodysuit designed by Bowie and Freddie Burretti, and an appliqued satin cloak and platform boots by Kansai Yamamoto – not forgetting Yamamoto’s extraordinary Tokyo bodysuit at the show's entrance (above top). Yamamoto famously declared that his clothing suited Bowie because his designs could be worn by either sex. Curiously, the Japanese words on Yamomoto’s cloak spell out David Bowie, but translate as, ‘one who spits out his words in a fiery manner.’

Other famous costumiers include Thierry Mugler, and Natasha Korniloff - responsible for Bowie’s curious 1973 cobweb costume with fake hands. The cobweb costume originally had a third hand, which grasped at the crotch, but this was censored for an appearance on television - and gold leggings were added to preserve decency. Korniloff also created Bowie’s naval look (1978) and his famous Pierrot style costume (1980).

The late Ola Hudson, mother of Guns N Roses' Slash, was another regular contributor to what is now Bowie’s fashion archive (and reputedly his lover too). Alison Chitty’s design for Screaming Lord Byron (1984), Freddie Buretti’s Ice Blue Suit (below) for Life on Mars (1972) and Ravitz’s ‘skirt suit and poodle’ for an appearance by Bowie on Saturday Night Live are among the unique outfits. There’s a fab black suit with a frilled shirt by Georgio Armani from the 1990 Sound and Vision tour, a blue silk suit by Hedi Slimane – and accessories include a single dangly earring by Vivienne Westwood.

A wardrobe mood board (from 2003?) list Bowie’s school-boyishly svelte measurements: chest 34.5 inches, waist 26.5 inches and neck size 14. Being so trim may well have contributed to Bowie’s longevity as a performer and fashion icon.

From the mid ‘90s, Alexander McQueen was a significant contributor to the Bowie wardrobe too. It’s a shame you can’t see some of the fabrics more clearly, as parts of the exhibition space are presented like a dimly lit music venue, but McQueen’s designs include a number of frock coats, brocade jackets, a tyre-print suit and a Bowie’s famous Union Jack coat for the Earthling album cover (co-designed with Bowie in 1997).

Finally, ShopCurious has some tips for visiting the show: Leave longer than you anticipate for a visit to this exhibition – especially if your car is parked on a meter. The headphones supplied to all visitors take a little getting used to – if you find yourself stuck with Gilbert and George, just press the magnifying glass symbol (seemed to work for me, anyway). Oh, and be prepared to queue.

Will you?

Vintage fashion catalogues giveaway

In advance of Kerry Taylor’s forthcoming vintage fashion auction, I visited the auctioneer’s new premises in London’s Bermondsey. Kerry was in the process of cataloguing and photographing hundreds of items for the sale on Tuesday 16^th October.

The auction includes everything from 1930s tea dresses and 1950s ballgowns to 1980s Mugler suits and antique Chinese robes. Two of the items - a 1970s tiered John Bates dress, and a 1960s Courreges jacket are pictured below.

Kerry kindly gave ShopCurious a couple of catalogues from previous sales – including one containing photographs of a collection of clothing belonging to Audrey Hepburn. 

These are being offered as a giveaway to one of our readers. Simply leave a comment below before 22^nd October in order to be included in the draw for the catalogues.

Will you?

Trophy style

This week at The Dabbler, I travel back to the 1980s for some old school, trophy style. Preppy blazers and sporty attire were first popularized by Fred Perry, Lacoste and Ralph Lauren – and have recently been revived by the likes of Abercrombie and Fitch, Jack Wills and J Crew. Next season we'll be seeing a lot more preppy blazers on the catwalk, in the shops and generally around the streets.






But will the new preppy menswear trend mark a return to the rules of the old establishment, or is 'trophy dressing' just a curious reflection of the current craze for collecting sporting memorabilia?

Originally, trophies were won through academic achievement, or sporting prowess, though these days you can buy most things - including these curiously quirky, ready-mounted hunting trophies from ShopCurious (perfect for an arty arrangement on the wall of your ski chalet).








Funny how curiosities of nature, like animal skulls, have suddenly become desirable as as decorative works of art.

By the way, do you have any sporting trophies - genuine, or purchased.

Do you?

Superstar v Supersloane style

Nowadays we have style icons, but a few decades ago they were still ‘heroines.’ The Princess of Wales became the ‘Supersloane’ heroine of the 1980s. Her transformation from the bashful Mark II Sloane Ranger ‘Lady Di Look’ to English romantic taffeta-clad Mark I style was amusingly documented in ‘80s style bible, The Official Sloane Ranger Handbook (intriguingly subtitled The First Guide To What Really Matters in Life).

BC, before Charles, Diana wore the Young Sloane wardrobe, central to which were granny’s pearls and “ruffled shirts with ribbons at the neck”. We’ve an original 1980s example at ShopCurious, made by fellow heroine of Wales, Laura Ashley - the designer behind the popular homespun look of the day. In fact, as sales of her Victorian and Edwardian inspired floral dresses and frilly bow tied shirts rocketed, Ashley also underwent something of a metamorphosis from small time dressmaker to international business woman.

What’s so curious about British heroines of the early ‘80s is that, despite increasing power and presence within the workplace (think Margaret Thatcher), they still deferred to time honoured, traditional values and maintained their ladylike propriety. Lady Di stayed well out of the press until 1980 – she was ‘never café society.’ And Laura Ashley never courted attention for her success in the competitive world of high street fashion.

The Princess of Wales, or PoWess (pronounced Powys) and her Laura Ashley style were much emulated by young girls, especially in the UK, but farther afield too. Her sensible Pearly Princess, fresh-faced, effortless look and impeccable manners (instilled by a nanny) commanded the respect of young and old alike.

As we know, Diana retained her individuality, but in an appropriately retro-progressive way: “Like many of her contemporaries – flat sharing SW7 and SW10 girls under 20 – she did the old things… but with a new flair.” Initially at least, she stuck to the rules, and everything seemed hunky dory and everyone seemed reasonably happy…

Now there don’t seem to be so many rules. British society is much more of a free for all. Pink cheeked, naturally buxom country girls have gone all beer-bellied, teeth whitened and tattooed. Their dream goal of marrying Prince Charming replaced with a burning desire to appear on the Shock X-Factor.

But have we started looking back to the past again, with the current revival in all things homespun and vintage? Kate Middleton certainly has some genuine colour in her cheeks and seems suitably un-cool, old fashioned and demure, like a proper lady.

But whilst Kate may be a Supersloane heroine in the making, perhaps it’s iconic celebrity style we still seek to emulate…

Anyway, what really matters to you? Do share your thoughts and comments...

Will you?

Popping back to happy days

Happy were the days when children needed no more than a seat at Saturday morning pictures and a bag of popcorn to keep them occupied. Pop art immortalized the popular culture and characters of the 1950s and ‘60s in all manner of colourful cartoon style images, reflecting the growing celebritization of film stars and artists, as well as an increased awareness of modern convenience products – along with our childlike curiosity for all things new.








As the pace of social and commercial change speeded up, those who had grown up in, or were inspired by distinctly more laid back times, found a role model in the character from Happy Days known as Fonzie (played by unlikely heartthrob Henry Winkler) – one of the most decidedly cool guys on the planet, who actively cultivated slow style to get things done more effectively.




Despite his James Dean style appearance and rebellious swagger, The Fonz was a big softy at heart and gained fans from all sorts of unexpected quarters. Old school French teachers even adopted his cult greeting (‘Eeeeeeeeey) to instruct pupils on the pronunciation of ‘e’ with an acute accent.

The Happy Days series was screened from the mid 1970s into the early 1980s and harked back to an age when family fun, fashion, movie stars and motorcycles were popular features of daily life. Curiously, little has altered in this respect, except that family structures and moral values seem to have changed dramatically within a relatively short space of time...




Perhaps that’s why slow retro style is regaining popularity and pop art accessories - like the uniquely stylish hand painted jewellery by the Maggio sisters at ShopCurious – are back in vogue.

Anyway, I’m looking forward to more Happy Days ahead.

Are 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?

Curious statement dressing

Everyone is banging on about ‘statement’ dressing. Fashion Era says "Winter 2008/9 will be remembered as the statement season. Watch out for statement coats and statement fabrics. You will also see statement heels, statement shoulders, statement jewellery and statement hair, together they define the next fashion era as one of classy grown-up clothing! Investment dressing is back."

So is statement dressing tantamount to style with brains? What statement are we actually making through our choice of clothing and accessories ... and why do some of us prefer glamour, whilst others go for grunge?






Style has social and psychological implications. If you think about it, every piece of clothing or accessory makes a statement that’s related not only to its design, shape, colour and fabric, but also to the point in time when it was made and the significance of the item to the wearer. What's more, our choice of clothing also affects the way we feel. These days, almost everyone, subject to the requirements of work and their income, has the freedom to wear virtually whatever they like. Each and every one of us is making a unique statement that’s a snapshot of our personality, our taste and our place and time in history. When we get dressed every day, it’s up to us to choose exactly how curious a style statement we wish to make.





I was talking to an older friend over dinner the other night, who suggested that, in days gone by, a woman’s power was in her femininity. He complained of women today grunge-dressing, drinking, swearing and being “worse than men.” He suggested that, in recent years, women have become un-emancipated – and, due to their lack of self respect, are now treated disrespectfully by men. He felt that even gay men were more enthralled by (and jealous of) the beautifully dressed belles of yesteryear.

Of course, in the distant past, men focused on hunting and protecting their women and children, whereas women were caring and nurturing. In fact, our basic instincts haven’t really changed that much since we were cavemen and women – they’re still based on survival and protection - it's society that has changed dramatically, causing many of us to become horribly confused.





And what has happened in the world of fashion is that we’ve been transported from the elegant feminine lines of the 1940s and ‘50s to the androgynous t-shirts, hideous hoodies, utilitarian trainers, ripped jeans and rucksacks of today. I suppose this has a lot to do with women seeking equality and wanting to wear the trousers … but, despite men’s growing ‘metrosexual’ tendencies, I’m curious to know why we don’t see more of them wearing skirts? Let’s face it, in the fashion stakes, the sexes remain far from equal!








Anyway, I’d just like to mention this heavily beaded (and fabulously shoulder padded) vintage ‘statement’ jacket, designed by Diane Freis at the height of the 1980s power dressing era, (and available at ShopCurious), as a perfect illustration of the sort of garment that might appeal, if you like to stand out from the crowd. It’s got a fairly masculine, boxy shape, but with glittery sequins and beads in a riot of crazy colours. It’s clearly designed for the woman who wants to show she’s in charge, but still be womanly - a curiously clever style statement if ever there was one, don't you think?

Do you?

Anchors away!

It's anchors away, as the 1980s make a comeback - think Christopher Cross, Howard’s Way, Simon le Bon and big shoulders on board. I looked for JR’s yacht on the internet and - correct me if I'm wrong - but it seems he doesn’t have one, nor does Larry Hagman (is he still alive?) Anyway, unless I’m mistaken, it’s probably a very long way from Dallas to the sea, so I guess he’s got a good excuse?






What I really love about the 1980s is that, although the icons of the day are ageing fast, the fashions are still as stylish as they were all those years ago...




And we've got a capsule collection of authentic 1980s clothing and accessories at ShopCurious that will have you wanting to sail away into the sunset of yesteryear. There are power shoulder pads galore – just look at this awfully nautical original Laurel culotte suit with naval-style double breasted jacket and anchor-embellished buttons.





There's a red and white striped vintage Louis Feraud quilted cotton sundress and bolero jacket, also with classic maritime buttons – and how about some red dangly diamante anchor earrings to match?







This demin jacket with gold embroidered trim would look great with our curiously collectable limited edition Etienne Aigner maritime style vintage silk scarf – and is also perfect for power dressing.




Moving into the early 1990s, here’s a glimpse of just how inappropriately dressed you can be on a yacht – even in a striking tropical print Lacroix designer silk dress that’s as vintage as I am, (modelled by yours truly), and now available for sale at a bargain price… Though I do think this would still look curiously cool today - especially if you want to be really individual and unique, as you travel around the world on your luxury sailing trip. I'm assuming you want to stand out from the crowd.

Do you?

Lounging around

The global recession means that most of us will be slowing down naturally, as well as of our own volition. It’s going to be a time when people will stay indoors more and enjoy themselves with friends and family – there’ll be less emphasis on material things.

I already mentioned a major trend is that we’ll be dressing up more, but there are two sides to this. On the one hand, we’ll be wanting to look our best to impress in the workplace, or to stand out from the crowd if we’re being interviewed for a new job: hence the sudden resurgence of 1980s power dressing.


We’ll also be needing the odd show-stopping outfit for special events when we do get to go out and seriously party. On these occasions, recycled vintage clothing, tasteful and timeless glamour will increasingly become more acceptable than flashy, one-season designer label.

On the other hand, a lot of the time, we’ll be aiming for comfort with style. Lounge pants – loose pyjama style trousers - have been popularized in recent years by college and university students the world over. Now they’re appearing more and more and have become something of an iconic fashion item.



The word ‘pyjama’ originally comes from the Persian word ‘payjama’ meaning ‘leg garment’. However, it was first incorporated into English from the Hindustani language. British men during the seventeenth century wore pyjamas as casual attire while relaxing. It was during the colonial era that the pyjama first became popular in the west as sleepwear. A Pyjama or a Pajama can be worn by either a man or a woman and usually means loose and comfortable drawstring pants, made of light fabrics. The sleeping suit variety of pyjama, as worn in the west, consists of a loose front-buttoned jacket and a trouser. However, these days, pajamas or pjs signify anything, from flamboyant beach trousers and funky catsuits to airy boxers.





At ShopCurious, we’ve some original harem style trousers that are really cool and stylish. They’re perfect for lounging around at home, but you could also wear them on holiday, or even to an informal dinner party - if you want to appear curiously exotic. They might also come in handy if you want to go into hibernation for the winter months, or at least for tomorrow – officially the most depressing day of the year.

Do you?

Collectable curiosities

A present shouldn't just be for Christmas ... think of the recipient's regard for you, think of the memories that would be associated with something really special, think of the future investment potential and the lasting value of an heirloom for generations to come ... a Christmas gift should be for life.

Okay, now we're done with the marketing spiel, here are some ideas of collectable curiosities you might like to bestow upon your loved ones to help them remember you forever:




How about this original 1960s Swoboda pendant (above right) with semi precious stones? It's one of a kind and it's also kinda cool, don't you think? We've also got an iconic vintage Fiorucci Minnie Mouse sweatshirt at ShopCurious that might need taking out to celebrate boyfriend Mickey's recent 80th birthday. What's more, we're offering this rare retro rediscovery at a special recession conscious price.







If your friends are into designer names and unique accessories, we've some ultra-desirable vintage Versace shades - that's sunglasses to us Brits - in two separate shades (sorry, am I repeating myself?) and these are also supplied with their original cases.






Other stateside curiosities include an exotic selection of bags from Timmy Woods of Beverly Hills - including a stylish and somewhat surrealist telephone bag - and a masterfully minimalist version of the Eiffel Tower (held by Carrie Bradshaw, left) ... I guess that's how big the famous French monument looks to Americans?







If you're not buying for a handbag-worshipper, you could always settle for a limited edition sculpture, expertly carved by Hacene Sadoune. Or perhaps you'd prefer a more classically inspired piece, in which case we've just the thing.







Finally, if you know any fashionistas who are trying to quell their portable property habit in these financially strained times, why not consider investing in the fashion of art in the form of a limited edition signed sketch by legendary British fashion designer, Bill Gibb. You won't be able to wear it, but at least it's not going to be consumed by moths in your wardrobe and one day it could be worth a lot more than you paid for it. We have some tips on how to look after your clothes by the way, of which more later ...

Just a few ideas. I hope you are at least mildly curious?

Are you?