Icon of beauty

In memory of Dame Elizabeth Taylor who sadly died today at the age of 79.

Famed for her striking violet eyes and fiery temper, Elizabeth Taylor was the classic beauty of her age. The child star of National Velvet was a fine actress – most notably in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, in which she starred with the love of her life and on-off husband, Richard Burton. ShopCurious pays tribute to Elizabeth Taylor with clips from these films:

This is how I will remember her.

Will you?

Enchanted garden?

The other day I was fortunate enough to see a preview of the new Brideshead Revisited film. I don’t want to offend anyone, as I’ve neither read the book nor seen the TV serialization - but with fresh eyes and an optimistic outlook, I found it curiously insightful and brilliantly done.

Yes, the settings are beautiful, the actors rather cute, the 1920s and '30s style costumes and accessories are totally fabulous and having a glimpse into the quirky haute-boho life of lazy luxury of the British upper classes is somewhat amusing. But looking beyond the stylish fashion and glitzy surroundings, this production has much more to say:

Not only did the film fuel my own curiosity (I love deep and meaningful stuff that you can spend hours trying to get your brains around), but at the very core of this story is man’s innate curiosity and search for meaning. For instance, when the self-proclaimed atheist Charles is invited to a Catholic religious service he’s ‘curious enough to come along’. He seems equally curious in other areas – and unsure as to whether it’s Sebastian or Julia he wishes to bed.

Although his views are well formed in some fields ('photography captures the moment, but art reflects your feelings'), Charles still has a lot to learn about Catholicism and how sin can be offset by confession. He's told that the Italians are a lot better at accepting forgiveness for lapses in the human condition than the guilt ridden English Catholistocracy, whose resulting hang-ups provide plenty of material for this film.

Charles is totally fascinated with Brideshead, which becomes a symbol for the struggle with his own spirituality. He’s fallen hopelessly in love with the Brideshead lifestyle and has travelled a long and often baffling ego trip, until death strikes and the question of faith suddenly becomes all too relevant. Perhaps our own mortality, values and beliefs are worth a little more consideration?

Whatever your thoughts about the meaning of our existence, there’s one certainty in life and that’s why one of the curiosities featured on our website is an eco-friendly receptacle for human ashes. We’re not suggesting that you 'buy one now while stocks last', just asking that you appreciate the organic form, iconic design and practical purpose of the acorn urn – and remember that it’s available at ShopCurious.

Will you?

Fall foliage

Did you notice Google's logo today? It's to commemorate the first day of autumn. We're also celebrating the new season at ShopCurious.



Staying briefly with our feathered friends, this quirky vintage autumn feather hat is now available at our eclectic online store. The stylish design reflects the colours of fall foliage, using natural feathers to stunning effect. It's one of a small selection of unique accessories from 1940s and 1950s America to be found on our website... and more vintage feathered hats are coming soon.

Looking at these glorious red and orange leaves reminds me of the film Far from Heaven with Julianne Moore. It’s set 1950s Connecticut in the fall and is worth seeing just for the the cinematography, let alone the fabulous ‘50s fashions in colours as vivid as the autumn scenery. Better still, the visual feast is matched by a plot exploring controversial issues such as homosexuality, sexism and racism and their effect on relationships in post-war America.

As for gloriously autumnal shades, we’ve also several beautifully beaded vintage handbags in hues that superbly suit the season. These elegant, yet unusual creations will appeal to fashion lovers with distinctive, individual taste. The one-off pieces are intricately embroidered and embellished with gilt leaves and late flowering roses.

Why pay a fortune for a luxury designer handbag, when you could have a bag with original vintage style? Invest in a piece of stateside heritage that’s as collectable as it is covetable - if you take good care of it, you might even be able to pass it on to future generations.

Something to think about whilst you’re kicking your way through autumn’s golden gown...

Will you?

Accessories and the City

I went to the opening night of Sex and the City - the early showing as the later one was fully booked. Mine was full of teenage girls, which made me feel rather old. But seeing the characters in the film made me feel a lot better - or was that just because I laughed so much? Have you seen it yet, what do you think?

My thoughts are as follows:
This is a modern day fable from our fashionably fickle world raising big questions like: Are you a believer in girl power or are you a slave to fashion?Do you believe that 'love' conquers all or are you a slave to men?

This is also a film about the constraints of real life in the city - which is probably why the girls are seen wearing the most curiously fabulous belts. And then of course there are the other accessories - the bags, the shoes, the dogs AND THE MEN!

Accessories are everything in the city, but thankfully so is laughter. This is a tale about what it is to be human, to have good friends and to discover that laughter is actually the best medicine (so perhaps we should be subscribing to the Readers' Digest instead of logging onto Carrie Bradshaw's Diary?)

Above all, this is a film about not taking anything too seriously, especially not designer brands. It's also a lesson in true taste and discernment and a salutary warning, not to let your clothes - or your accessories (!) - wear you. Choose your accessories carefully, mix and match them with style, take good care of them and they should be around to love and cherish for many years to come...
Do you?