Climate change style

As the global warming debate gets heated, it’s official – Winter has finally arrived the UK, with the first big freeze of the season. This week I’ve found myself searching through drawers for a warm scarf and some gloves. Understandably, I’m not going to wear any old scarf and gloves – they’ve got to be reasonably stylish … and, just because something’s quirky and individual, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s got style (see right).








Some people are considered cool enough to carry off any look, though you’ll probably find that a lot of work has gone into arranging David Beckham’s Chelsea knot. He’s possibly not so pleased in this weather, having recently had the sides of his hair shaved off – his ears must be freezing!





Men who are in touch with their feminine side are great with scarves. I reckon that Jude Law is a man of many scarves – he certainly seems to have one for every occasion.






Anyway, whether you’re looking to keep your neck warm during the day, or prevent yourself shivering during seasonal evening events, ShopCurious has a selection of stylish vintage men’s scarves - each with its own unique charm.








These one-off pieces are great as unusual gifts, yet curiously practical too… especially at this time of year. I’m sure any sophisticated man would love something timeless by Tootal or stylish by Sammy as a Christmas gift.


Of course, those who prefer the handmade variety might consider knitting their own – though I rather prefer the timeless classic scarf to the Timelord look. Unless you think we might be on the brink of a new Ice Age...

Do you?

Curious trends for 2009

My first blogs of 2009 have already featured two of the curious trends for the coming year:

- dressing up despite the recession ...

It's not just the influence of the forthcoming 'Hats - An Anthology by Stephen Jones' exhibition at the V&A that’s got us all excited about hats. Aside from the decidedly unanticipated (global warming and all that) cold snap and the need to keep our brains from freezing up, hats are going to make rather a comeback.








Hats are an expression of our personality, they’re an art form that adds to our character, and hats are also a symbol for what we've all been missing for quite a long time – namely, rules and formality. However, just as the fffffascinator has become de rigueur at Royal Ascot within the space of a year or so, this is formality as we’ve never known it before … now there's a whole new 'hatiquette'. Take a peek at some of the extraordinary sculpted hats available at ShopCurious if you're looking for inspiration.







- a new way of thinking is emerging:

Amidst all the confusion caused by changing social structures and moral codes, let alone the prospect of a global depression, we might just be beginning to rediscover values that aren’t based purely on fame and fortune (as depicted in the film Slumdog Millionaire – a testament to the power of positive thinking, despite the stronghold of a manipulative, all-encompassing media machine).

Linked to this is one of the other main trends that’s going to hit us hard - the big move from fast forward to...





- slow forward:

We’re all going to spend more time considering our future, reassessing our lives and thinking about what really matters. We’ll appreciate local produce and authentic luxuries - things that are handmade, unusual, unique and vintage artefacts will all have a special value.

True artistic merit is worth much more than money alone and this year many of us are likely to consider fashion and style beyond the context of their celebrity status and material value for the first time ever. Perhaps we don't need to be naked, transformed by faddy diets or plastic surgery (note Armando Iannucci's new satirical operetta Skin Deep) to look good after all? Perhaps there's more to being stylish than size 0 and designer logos on handbags?

I must say that this is what I’m most looking forward to.

Are you?

Birds and bees

A couple of weeks ago, I heard someone on BBC Radio 4 mention that birds are migrating early this year and that it’s something to do with global warming. The very same day, just before dusk, what looked like thousands of starlings flitted from roof to roof along the River Thames. They must be rather confused now that summer seems to have finally arrived - just a few months late, ("Come back Peter, come back Paul!" as the nursery rhyme goes...) Sadly, I haven’t seen my friendly goldfinch for about a week or so either – not sure what has happened to him. Do finches migrate too?

Talking of which, at ShopCurious we’ve an original vintage silk scarf in the palest of eau-de-nil greens with beautifully handpainted finches. This is something that combines tradition, heritage and an individual sense of quirkiness and is likely to appeal if you appreciate truly unique accessories. It would also make a lovely and rather unusual gift – suitable for young chicks and old birds alike.








As for the bees, apparently they’re also disappearing fast. Bee keepers have been up in arms and Defra has been called upon to launch some investigative research into diseases affecting bees. However, it may actually be(e?) a combination of stress and a mystery virus that is causing honey bees to die or disappear abruptly, due to something called ‘colony collapse disorder’. It’s all very important as bees don’t just make honey, they also pollinate plants and so are directly responsible for a large part of our agricultural production and much of the food (at least fruit and veg) that we eat.








Oddly enough, this year I’ve noticed loads more bees and lots fewer wasps. That’s probably as a result of having what looks like half of Kew Gardens palm house on my terrace. Thankfully, since last year, the bees now seem to have realized that the carpet in my bedroom isn’t honeycomb, though the design does look remarkably similar.










I’ve also been on the look out for curious insects. I heard that blue butterflies are on the wane, but I did spot one or two in Norfolk this summer, along with these beautifully colourful creatures that I believe – with the help of my insect book – are some sort of burnet moth?








These pictures were taken near the Titchwell Marsh Nature Reserve – a veritable haven for birds and bees. The latest buzz is that this is one of the areas that the Government is going to allow to be naturally inundated as the sea level rises, rather than providing additional funding for improvements to flood defenses.


Has anyone who knows more about this (perhaps a person of influence) got a dicky-bird to say?

Do you?