Beachcombers' bounty

Whether I’m on holiday or not, I always jump at any opportunity to walk along a beach. Big skies, fresh sea air and a bracing walk are all things that appeal greatly. There’s also something else that’s really special about a seaside stroll – and that’s beachcombing. Everything on the beach tells a story and interpreting the unique history of your finds can be really fascinating - especially if you're a curious sort like me.




You might discover flotsam (floating ship’s cargo/wreckage) and jetsam (washed up maritime waste) ranging from foul-smelling oil barrels and bits of old rope to fragments of coloured glass and unusual shaped fishing floats. Larger pieces of driftwood often end up as works of art adorning the walls of local holiday cottages – these days you can even find them for sale in up-market interiors shops.





Sometimes, you’ll be lucky enough to stumble upon a real curiosity like an old coin, or a message in a bottle. Finding collectable pieces of personal history is always rather exciting – even inspiring (I’m sure there’s a writer, artist or musician in everyone?) Old bits and pieces that you've found on the beach can also be recycled to make all sorts of things - like this colourful piece of jewellery.





As far as natural treasures are concerned, most of the stuff you’ll find along the seashore actually originates in the sea – like pebbles, fossils and semi-precious stones, which are created as a direct result of coastal erosion by the pounding waves. There’s also an eclectic abundance of marine life - much of which is familiar looking, but could you identify the following:


Empty whelk cases – the whelks have already hatched, but they leave these yellowy-white egg cases that look like a cross between bubble wrap and polystyrene;

A mermaid’s purse – the dried, empty egg cases of dogfish or ray;



Sea urchin shells – these make great ornaments when dried out and come in a variety of colours... as does mother of pearl, another very decorative material.




I could add to this list with all manner of extraordinary types of sea creatures, seaweed, jellyfish and worms. My favourite things of all are beautiful shells, coral and – best of all, seahorses.



At ShopCurious, we’ve some very unique accessories made from eco-friendly shells, recycled coral and other beachcomber debris – like this quirky 1950s basket style handbag and this curiously cute vintage seahorse brooch.







You might also like our fabulous hand carved mother of pearl fish pendant, or this impressive shell and bead choker - something of a bargain, as I saw one suspiciously similar in yesterday’s FT Weekend 'How to Spend It' Magazine with a significantly higher price tag. Suggest you snap this one up before the tide turns.

Will you?

The race for Ascot hats

Just thought I’d make a brief diversion off course in case you’re in the running for Royal Ascot this year. Not suggesting that you choose a nautical theme for your day (or days) at the races, but here are some ideas for Ascot hats that will definitely make heads turn – though what type’s your best bet may well depend upon the weather.

Last year the rules were relaxed slightly, allowing fascinators at Royal Ascot for the first time ever, but I noticed that some members of the Royal Enclosure managed to gain access without any hats at all – and others with seemingly little regard for the official dress code.



In case you do want to follow the new trend for fffffascinating headwear, ShopCurious has a selection of fabulously minimalist titfers by British designer Gil Fox. Of course, we also have a larger selection of more substantial hair accessories to choose from, ranging from quirky hairbands and floral headpieces by talented young milliner, Sandra Bamminger, to vintage Philip Tracey and elegant 1940s feather numbers. All of these hats are perfect for summer weddings too.


If you’re looking to save a few bob, we’re also offering our timeless raffia hats at a bargain price (I seem to recall that LK Bennett were selling the same in some rather odd colours last year at £69 a pop). These hats are also great for holidays and travel to hot climes, since you can scrunch them up and shove them in your suitcase – so you’ll turn out looking shipshape, however far-flung round the world you’ve been...



And they're also plain enough to dress up with your own choice of floral corsage, or even add a fascinator for more of an individual look.


Ultimately, it’s the unique accessories that really make an outfit. How about a statement hat that's also a work of art - like one of the curiously collectable stamp hats by Laura Wellington.





By the way, I think this stylish lucky horse shoe of a bag by Timmy Woods of Beverly Hills is simply perfect for a day at the races.

Odds on it's going to rain, so don't forget to take your brolly too.

Will you?

Shades of a vintage summer

Marilyn looks a tad concerned, perhaps she’s heard that ‘men rarely make passes at girls who wear glasses’. Actually, spectacles are practical accessories that can add great character to a face and tons of style to any look. There’s only one thing that’s more stylish than plain old specs – and that’s a pair of fabulously glamorous sunglasses.



At ShopCurious, we’ve an eclectic selection of elegant retro shades for all manner of summer occasions – from the 1940s rhinestone encrusted movie star variety, to ‘50s vampish vintage horn rims, leopard print safari-style stunners and ‘60s glitter glam rock (see below).
































































If you’re looking for something a little more unusual, how about these quirky hand painted Chinese inspired shades (below right). Or why not go for the classic Jackie O look with vintage Versace to add a touch of class and sophistication to any outfit. Remarkably, these shades (above right) are also in our sale.















































Okay you stylistas, I’m going to offer a special prize for the best caption to this photograph - I’m really curious to know what Jackie and Ari are thinking or saying in this shot...

Are you?

(to enter the competition, please reply directly to this blog, or send answers to info@ShopCurious.com).

Retro seaside glamour

This month I'll be focusing on everything to do with the sea - and there'll be quite a large helping of retro seaside glamour. With so many Bank Holidays at this time of the year, it's fascinating to step back in time and take a peek at how differently these were spent after the war in the late '40s and 1950s, when formal dress codes and forms of entertainment were gradually changing.

Bank holidays were generally a time for dressing up in Sunday best wtih girls in fancy dresses, wearing gloves and bows in hair. Dress styles took their inspiration from Dior's New Look from Paris, but as well as classic cottons, new synthetic fashion fabrics, like nylon, were beginning to appear. Clothing became freer and more relaxed than the formality of previous decades with the introduction of the H and Y lines, in addition to the traditonal A line style.

Summer Bank Holidays were an excuse to travel by train or bus to popular seaside resorts for a stroll along the promenade. The beach was a place for Punch & Judy shows, donkey rides and ice cream - followed by a spot of entertainment on the pier, with fish and chips for lunch, tea, supper - or all three! A photograph of the family dressed in their Sunday best was obligatory. Fashions of the day were inspired by popular icons from the movies - Elizabeth Taylor, Doris Day, Marilyn Monroe and Debbie Reynolds.

At ShopCurious, we've teamed up with vintage specialist, The Cat's Meow, to offer an eclectic selection of very glamorous original 1950s posh frocks and sundresses. There are some fabulous marine inspired prints - including a wonderful seahorse halter dress (very Liz Taylor).

Most of the fabrics are totally natural, with the exception of the odd nylon extravaganza, like this virginal white '50s prom dress. Quite a few are dance inspired - another favourite evening pastime of holidaymakers the world over.

Anyway, I do hope you'll join me this month as I discover a treasure chest of summery seaside souvenirs and unique ocean-inspired curiosities.

Will you?

Spin and save

As it’s a Bank Holiday weekend, I’ve decided to start the new theme for May next week. In order to fill in the gap, I thought I’d spin you a bit of a yarn – excuse the pun, but this blog is all about the lost art of spinning.

Did you know that the spinning wheel was a standard piece of equipment in the 18th century home? Until the Industrial Revolution, ladies would spin whenever they had the time – in fact it would seem to have been the main preoccupation of the dutiful housewife, whether rich or poor.

Spinning actually started long before this - the first tools used to spin thread were rocks, but a stick was later added to wind the fibre. This type of drop spindle was used to spin the threads for Egyptian Mummy wrappings – and we all know how style conscious the Egyptians were.




Amazingly, you can still buy an original antique spinning wheel today – in fact we’ve got a fine example at ShopCurious. There are many different types of spinning wheel, but every single one is individually handmade and unique. Spinning wheels aren’t simply useful, they look homely and are very collectable as ornamental pieces of furniture – they can even look stylish in a modern, minimalist setting. Plus, when the nights draw in, you can always ‘draw the latch’ and ‘sit by the fire and spin’ – now how eco-friendly is that?




I was reading that ‘the story of weaving is interwoven with the history of man’ – but surely this should be ‘woman’, since recorded history shows that weaving has always been almost exclusively a female occupation. Of course, it took a man to revolutionize spinning with, firstly the Spinning Jenny – usually attributed to James Hargreaves, and then the invention by Edmund Cartwright of the power loom in 1787.

However, the very essence of spinning is female – as documented in a wealth of mythology and folk lore. These days nothing is confined to one sex or the other, so if you’re so inclined, do feel free to weave away. It might turn out to be a useful cost-cutting exercise during the recession – and you could even take a leaf from Mahatma Gandhi’s book and try to help stimulate the economy by making your own cloth. I’m sure that budding fashion designers are already instantly inspired to take to the wheel? Just don’t expect anyone reading this to still be around when your first collection’s ready.

Will you?

Curiously modern Ming

I did mention that we’d be featuring some more unusual examples of Oriental exotica - and so be it. As it’s already been picked up by one or two other bloggers (I found this link via British Blogs), I thought I’d better reveal all:

It’s official – computers really do ming!

Actually, these Ming style designs are hand painted by Stephanie Douet, the Norfolk based artist, whose iconic work, Minging Computers, is exclusively available for sale at ShopCurious.




What I love about this curiously cool creation is that it uses old computer waste, so it’s recycled and totally eco-friendly – but most of all it’s stylish and fun too. What’s more the Ming inspired designs are based on the original blue and white designs from the Ming Dynasty – a colour scheme that just happens to be the fashion du jour.


A curious fact is that, although Western Europe was the driving force for scientific advancement during the Ming Dynasty, China now leads the way in terms of global technological developments – and it’s great that we're able to appreciate the combined efforts of our creativity through works of art like this.


By the way, Stephanie also makes personalized Ming mats – and she reproduces all sorts of images in Ming form. Just send in photographs of your loved ones, family, friends, pets, houses, whatever you like – and they will be recreated in traditional Ming style on a set of six stylish plywood table mats.











The quirky subject matter which Stephanie has chosen to illustrate her own set of personalized placemats just happens to be a couple of hoodies sitting on a park bench … Now some may call that minging, but I’d call it inventive contemporary British art.

Do you?

Oriental exotica

With the current fashion for Japanese woodblock prints (check out the Kuniyoshi exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts), the resurgence of interest in Japanese kimonos and a renewed interest in Oriental style jewellery, accessories and homewares, it seems that our fascination with everything from the East is still as alive it was in the late 19th and early 20th century.


At ShopCurious, we’ve got some original 1930s Oriental-inspired pieces that look just as stylish today as they did all those years ago. There’s a wonderful mint condition vintage black satin handbag with fine quality Chinoiserie embroidery (see below left).






Chinoiserie, by the way, is the term used for the fashion for Chinese themes in decoration in Western Europe which began as early as the late 17th century, much earlier than Japoneries – the fashion for everything Japanese, which took off from around 1860.






Chinese style furnishings often feature Chinoiserie designs, or beautifully carved jade, like this fabulous lamp base (above right) – something totally unique and authentic that would add character and sophistication to any room.








We’ve also got some modern furnishings and tableware with a distinctly Eastern vibe. These curiously cool leather pouffes, (right and below left) from Buba are beautifully encrusted with Japanese glass beads and colourful crystals – plus they’re tried, tested and very comfortable to sit in too. Perfect for lounging around this summer...





You could even take one of these outside to enjoy the sunshine - it’s as full of Eastern promise as Fry’s Turkish Delight! In fact you might even be sufficiently inspired to buy an exotic tented canopy, like the ones in the iconic 1960s Fry's advert shown here (click on link to view).









If you’re not feeling quite that exotic, how about these unusual, yet understated Ming design placemats, with hand painted traditional blue and white illustrations based on original Ming art, by Norfolk based artist, Stephanie Douet?








More about Stephanie later - plus some of her more curious Chinoiserie creations ... definitely worth waiting for.

Will you?