Curiouser and Curiouser

No, I ain't forgotten how to speak proper ... but I was referring to the Mad Hatter's tea party. I'm sure we can all identify with a bit of good old-fashioned lunacy, especially if it has to do with hats. A curious fact is that the term 'mad as a hatter' originated beacuse milliners used mercury to bind felt fibres. Over time, as the fumes were inhaled, the mercury made some milliners go insane. Apparently, the art of millinery has existed in Britain since 1700 and comes from the travelling Italian salesmen - Milanners.


At ShopCurious, we're offering a new range of beautifully handmade hats by a rather original designer called Sandra Bamminger. What I like is that she creates organic shapes, using natural materials - and the unique way they're designed makes them almost come to life. These are the sort of hats that look really funky and will work for any occasion, or none at all if you're just quirky and eccentric.


I bumped into some eccentric hat wearers over Christmas and took a few pics (as if I had nothing better to do ...) These hats are also very authentic and some look handmade too - though I have a feeling they're less Mad Hatter and more Mad March Hare. What d'you think? This one (left) reminded me of a curious question mark - and the one on the right is just plain silly.




One thing's for sure, hats are fun for people of all ages and they seem to give an added dimension to the personality - if not just a bit of extra height, which these very tall young ladies (right) didn't need at all. And there always has to be one show-off who wants to stand out from the crowd - this time it was Napoleon ... only joking Martin, you're a wonderful host and a great sport too (as well as being a curiously stylish dresser).




Have you seen any curious hats lately? If so, do send us your pictures, we'd love to see them. Just add a link to your comments at the end of this blog, or send to info@ShopCurious.com.

Will you?

Mad hatters?

Inspired by the vision of so many men dressing so stylishly for Henley, I've decided to do a bit of a men's fashion week on the blog front. I'm especially pleased to note that men also like to add individual touches to their outfits at Henley - it's not only women who make an effort to stand out from the crowd. Take the man below left with his miniature sized boater, whom I spotted trying to chat up a large group of rather boisterous older ladies. And this photo which captures the inimitable Uncle Roger, who has worn the same boater for many years - at one stage it appeared to be falling to pieces, so it must have been repaired since then. This time he showed us the inside (pictured here), revealing the newspaper lining, which we observed is the Daily Express from 4th July 1947: there's no accounting for Uncle Roger's taste, but the boater's curiously cool. To the right is Uncle Roger in a previous incarnation at Henley a few years ago, wearing another fine hat (actually one of mine), which sets off his stripey blazer and tie perfectly - in fact I think it suits him far better than it did me... More evidence of men getting ahead in the fashion stakes: I notice that lots of men at Henley choose to express their individual style through their clothes - and some even opt for headgear that's less traditional than the customary boater, as illustrated by the characters below, including (from left) Charles Armstrong in a natty straw hat, John Robbins (a very talkative fellow from the Furnival Rowing Club) in his trilby and this rather distinguished looking gentleman wearing a turban. The rowers and some of the fans in their enclosure tended to favour a less formal and more practical look - including this flag wielding groupie - no prizes for guessing the nationality of the team he's supporting. And, finally, there were those for whom the hats of choice were predetermined, like this security attendant in the Steward's Enclosure and the immaculately uniformed guards performing on the bandstand, who must have been sweltering in the hot sunshine. Don't they look smart though? One of the best things about Henley Royal Regatta is that it's such a friendly event. It's not just about posing - most people are there because they are either rowing, they know someone who's rowing, or they belong to a rowing club. It's all very authentic and it allows the opportunity for everyone to express their own unique style - a concept that we at ShopCurious strongly support. Do You?