Graduating in colour

Thought you might like to see some of the curiously colourful textiles designed by up and coming graduates at the New Designers exhibition in London. We’re so lucky to have such incredible talent in this country – it’s totally awe-inspiring!

Here are some more of my favourites:






Believe it or not what looks like a photo of an amazing abstract painting (left) is actually a fabric - with an ice cube as its photographic subject. The print on the right reminds me of 'harvest festival' - very fecund in a DH Lawrence meets arts and crafts sort of way.










There were plenty of retro influences for wall adornment in the form of 'keep the British flag flying' seaside wallpaper (left), and a wonderfully bold bright collage of multi-coloured Victorian medals and commendations., (right).












Watch out, Mr Peacock, there’s some serious competition on the left: I picked out this fabulous peacock blue embroidered silk with you in mind! I have a feeling you'll like the glam-rock gold and glitter design on the right too?















You can see how some of the designs would work on garments - some are divine as art, but possbily a little less delectable as dress. Personally, I think these fabrics are great, though they could be a little too busy for clothing. What do you think?









By the way, if you’re a fan of graduations in colour and everything unique then you’re bound to like the arty Murano glass rings at ShopCurious.

You might also like to take a look at some of the trends in graduate fashion – I loved these quirky coloured faux dreadlocks, right – and how about these for a wacky pair of shoes? (see below)






Actually, these were an exhibit, curiously called ‘Shoes for housewives’... They have a certain distinctive style, but not sure they'd be so comfortable for running around the back yard with a broom. Any housewife out there brave enough to try them for size?

Are you?

The way to a man's heart

I’ve recently discovered the most curiously delicious biscuits. I’m not usually one for sweet things and rarely does a sugary morsel pass my lips, but now I’m hooked on these damned things and feel compelled to eat one every day for elevenses. I blame Waitrose for introducing me to Tortas de Aceite, the wonderfully light and crispy Spanish delicacy, which are handmade according to an original Moorish recipe – and exceedingly moreish they are too.





They say that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, so I’d suggest you feed him one of these and that should be enough to get him coming back begging for more. Alternatively, you might decide to visit ShopCurious, where you’ll find all manner of stylish little treats to tickle a man’s fancy.





If you want to splash out on something really special for Valentine’s Day, take a look at some of Sir Tom Baker’s unique accessories. These gold plated quirky coin cufflinks would make a very unusual gift – how much d’you think your man is worth?






For a more classic Valentine gift, what about one of these hand-stitched silk ties – available in a range of funky colours – or perhaps even a silk cravat, if your chap’s the old fashioned type.






For the truly individual dapper dandy about town, a stylish pair of spats might be just the thing? Order anything before midday on Friday and we’ll guarantee it reaches you on the 14th.

And let us know what you think of the biscuits ...

Will you?

Lounging around

The global recession means that most of us will be slowing down naturally, as well as of our own volition. It’s going to be a time when people will stay indoors more and enjoy themselves with friends and family – there’ll be less emphasis on material things.

I already mentioned a major trend is that we’ll be dressing up more, but there are two sides to this. On the one hand, we’ll be wanting to look our best to impress in the workplace, or to stand out from the crowd if we’re being interviewed for a new job: hence the sudden resurgence of 1980s power dressing.


We’ll also be needing the odd show-stopping outfit for special events when we do get to go out and seriously party. On these occasions, recycled vintage clothing, tasteful and timeless glamour will increasingly become more acceptable than flashy, one-season designer label.

On the other hand, a lot of the time, we’ll be aiming for comfort with style. Lounge pants – loose pyjama style trousers - have been popularized in recent years by college and university students the world over. Now they’re appearing more and more and have become something of an iconic fashion item.



The word ‘pyjama’ originally comes from the Persian word ‘payjama’ meaning ‘leg garment’. However, it was first incorporated into English from the Hindustani language. British men during the seventeenth century wore pyjamas as casual attire while relaxing. It was during the colonial era that the pyjama first became popular in the west as sleepwear. A Pyjama or a Pajama can be worn by either a man or a woman and usually means loose and comfortable drawstring pants, made of light fabrics. The sleeping suit variety of pyjama, as worn in the west, consists of a loose front-buttoned jacket and a trouser. However, these days, pajamas or pjs signify anything, from flamboyant beach trousers and funky catsuits to airy boxers.





At ShopCurious, we’ve some original harem style trousers that are really cool and stylish. They’re perfect for lounging around at home, but you could also wear them on holiday, or even to an informal dinner party - if you want to appear curiously exotic. They might also come in handy if you want to go into hibernation for the winter months, or at least for tomorrow – officially the most depressing day of the year.

Do you?

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?

Season of goodwill?

I haven’t had much time to prepare for Christmas this year. My tree’s still nakedly awaiting decoration and I’ve only just managed to send out a few cards – it’s all a bit last minute. The manic rush to get ready in time for Christmas has begun.

I noticed it today when I embarked upon the great annual Vacherin hunt. For the uninitiated, Vacherin is a rather runny and very smelly (some might agree with me that it’s also delicious) Swiss or French cheese. Every year I have a lunch with some friends and I take along a couple of Vacherins. However, when I left home this morning thinking I’d be back in twenty minutes with my curiously stinking fromages, I was sadly mistaken.


After 10 minutes of waiting in a queue for the Waitrose (known stockist of said cheese) car park, I decided to venture further afield to a very large branch of Sainsburys, where I eventually managed to find a space for my car. 15 minutes later, which is about the time it took me to find the cheese department, I discovered they had just about every cheese under the sun except Vacherin. Not wishing to stray into the congestion charge zone, I wracked my brains to think of a local deli that might sell such a delicacy – but as they're all Italian, I thought it probably unlikely. I decided to return to scope out the Waitrose traffic for a final attempt.


It was then I encountered the combined full-on force of Christmas shoppers, white van men making their final deliveries and holiday goers in London's dreaded Wandsworth one-way system. The lack of goodwill was astounding. Never before have I been so stunned by the sheer aggression, reckless regard for safety and the overarching urgency to get from A to B, no matter how dangerous the manoeuvres involved. Perhaps they were all flocking to the new Westfield centre in Shepherds Bush in search of discounted luxury designer goods, which is probably as near to shepherds and their flocks that most people will ever get these days.



My day hadn’t started that well either – as I got into the lift, an unusual smell wafted up – which soon became uncomfortably hideous and then unmistakably identifiable as the aftermath of a relatively recent barf. Unfortunately, it’s the time of year when, if you’re not shopping till you drop, you’re probably drinking till you pass out. Sadly, this is what 'celebrating' Christmas seems to have been reduced to.



We’re all stressed out, haring around like lunatics trying to find the latest 'must have' fashion accessories and queue-scuffling as we grab up trashy gifts because it’s the ‘season of giving’, we're drinking ourselves into an alcoholic stupor in the name of the ‘party season’ – in fact we're simply behaving like a bunch of animals. Whatever happened to the season of goodwill?



At ShopCurious, we’re proponents of the slow approach to life and the appreciation of timeless beauty, rather than disposable style. We suggest it might be apposite to give due consideration and pay a little more respect to others at this time of year – not just the guy in the car in front, or the woman ahead in the queue at the checkout, but also our friends and neighbours who are old, unwell, or in difficulty - like those who are newly unemployed. Whatever your nationality and whatever your faith, let’s keep this holiday season special for the right reasons - how about truth, beauty, peace and love for starters.



I’ll resume my search for cheese tomorrow.

Will you?

Country folk

Do you wear a Barbour, green wellies and grow your own veggies, or do you run high-heeled for the bus, whilst simultaneously stuffing a croissant in your mouth?






What is the whole City yuppie vs. country Sloane Ranger thing about? Surely now’s the time for country bumpkins in isolated damp cottages and hard-pressed-to-fund-the-mortgage urban commuterites to club together for mutual help and support during these economically challenging times? Perhaps we could start by learning a few things from each other...


My impression of country folk is that they know a fair bit about keeping warm and surviving all sorts of harsh conditions during the Winter. Now that town and country dwellers alike are trying to save money and conserve fuel, how about these for some ideas:


1) Turn off your lights and use candles instead. You could even buy these country-style vintage carved wooden candlesticks from ShopCurious.







2) Turn down your heating and wear something warm. Lots of layers work well – check out these folksy country combos, combining stylish French chic with Winter- warming wearability.







3) We all know that most heat is lost from the head, so why not wear a scarf. These rural nature inspired vintage silk scarves should fit the bill as an affordable luxury.








4) Give up over-priced modern branded designer fashion and opt for unique accessories to add a quirky luxe look to any outfit. Vintage jewellery that’s both individual and collectable will do the trick, like these curiously original brooches from ShopCurious.




Of course, you could always read the Department of Health’s Winter guide - Keep Warm Keep Well (its political correctness certainly made me chuckle, which I suppose is one way of keeping warm) … or you could simply don a tracksuit and trainers and turn that run to the tube, or across those muddy fields, into to a healthy sprint.

Will you?