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2011 was a year when absolutely anyone could be a celebrity. It was also the year in which ShopCurious featured Nathalie Queyraud’s curiously irreverent fashion icon jewellery, and Liz London’s curiously kitsch celebrity inspired artworks.
I decided to mark the occasion by inviting some very special guests to share Christmas with me. I had Boris and Mr Bean, Kate and Camilla, Simon Cowell, Posh Victoria Spice-Beckham - and I wasn’t quite sure which half of Jedward… oh, and there was a special guest appearance by none other than Lady Gaga. Not forgetting super-celebrity personage, Her Madge.
Celeb of honour was none other than our esteemed Prime Minister, along with world-renowned blogger, Thoroughly Modern Milly.
Santa came along too – with a soon to be famous Samurai.
Are you?
PS See more celebrity images of the year at The Dabbler...
Merry Christmas!
May your holiday weekend be filled with decorative Christmas curiosities... like mine:
I decorated the tree (a Nordmann fir from pinesandneedles.com) with a mixture of cherished vintage baubles, together with some of the hand painted wooden decorations from ShopCurious.
I managed to smash just one – unfortunately a rather lovely, old fashioned glass ball. But Henry the hoover came to the rescue. He's very busy at this time of year, what with all the pine needles and Christmas crumbs on the floor...
Talking of which, my mother arrived with a curiously kitsch Christmas cake. Apparently, she won it at her golf club in a ‘guess the weight of the cake’ competition. 7.02 pounds in case you’re curious…
I took her to the Christmas Market at London’s Southbank. It was teeming with people and full of nasty cooking smells. I’m not quite sure what barbequed burgers and bratwurst have to do with Christmas? There were dozens of candy stalls, and a glut of gaudy snow globes.
Don’t you just love this time of year?
Do you?
PS Check out the latest posts at The Dabbler for more Christmas curiosities – including our retro 3D Version of The Night Before Christmas.
Have you noticed that we’re surrounded by angels at this time of year? Excuse the rather blurred photograph on the right, but this is the sort of thing you may have seen in shop windows lately…
Much as I adore ecclesiastical carvings and sculptures of angels, it’s sad that a fair few of those sold at antiques fairs and auctions have been purloined from churches over the years. However, it’s great to see that contemporary craftspeople and home accessory designers are once again turning to angels for inspiration - as featured in ShopCurious’ latest trends post.
Anyway, I’m looking forward to hearing choirs of angels singing at the traditional Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols from King’s College Chapel in Cambridge, on Christmas Eve.
Incidentally, after that, at 8.20 pm, during the interval of Handel’s Messiah on BBC Radio 3, there’s a programme called Angelology. For twenty minutes, The Reverend Lucy Winkett, Rector of St James's, Piccadilly, will explain that angels aren’t always as sweet or cherubic as they are often seen to be…
I suppose that probably goes for some of the choristers at King’s College too?
Do you?
I recently went to dinner with Bruce Oldfield. Unfortunately, it wasn’t just me, but a select gathering of Fashion Group International members...
Coming from his Barnardo's background, Bruce is an advertisement for all that is achievable from a combination of nothing more than raw talent and hard work. Oh, and it helps that he’s a real charmer, who claims to be able to “sell ice to Eskimos.” Plus, he also makes proper party dresses.
Citing Sam Cam’s mother, Lady Astor as his “first nob client,” Oldfield later became couturier to the likes of Princess Diana. He says that Charlotte Rampling is his favourite customer, and Queen Rania of Jordan is someone he’d most like to dress. Curiously, X-Factor judge Tulisa has also been seen wearing some of his rather retro looking frocks, with petticoats underneath for added volume.
Oldfield says he doesn’t pander to fashion trends, “though you have to nod to what’s going on.” The idea of fashion as art leaves him cold. According to Bruce, “fashion should never become an academic subject… it’s just something to make people look gorgeous when they go out in the evening.”
But the times are ever a-changin’… and fashion offerings now range from (un)wearable art and design-led pieces, right through to disposable high street and celebrity inspired items, with some rather nondescript, mainstream stuff in between. Of course, there’s vintage too – which is all the better because it’s recycled and has that much more charm and provenance.
Bruce Oldfield certainly has plenty of classic vintage style, much like these bags from ShopCurious. They’re perfect for Christmas parties (or as unique gifts) – and, much like Bruce, they have the added appeal of a bit of history.
Do you?
Big bling is all the thing, though not always practical. Imagine you’re in the office, wearing a ginormous knuckleduster (like this one by Kyle Hopkins), that gets in the way every time you put pen to paper – or digit to desktop.
Much like breasts, accessories seem to be getting bigger – possibly because larger is seen to be more curious - but what about more cumbersome? To avoid a disconcerting tangle, it’s advisable to choose jewellery with some consideration for size and practicality.
Here’s a necklace that reminds me of a voodoo themed room divider. However, it’s possible to find shell chokers that are authentic, but also manageable.
As for seasonal accessories, stars and glittery baubles make perfect charms on a chain necklace or belt. But you probably don’t want to end up looking as though you’re part of a Christmas window display.
This jewelled body armour rocks, but how comfortable or convenient would it be to actually wear? A similar effect can be achieved, with the addition of usefulness, in the form of a precious stone and snakeskin clutch from ShopCurious (available in a range of colours – and every bag is totally unique).
Or get the curiosity shop look with a vintage resin necklace - so much more in keeping with an old style dress than contemporary plastic bling, don’t you think?
Do you?
