As a child, I had a period of time where I would wear oversized floral dresses and tie a huge satin ribbon around my waist and pretend I was a character in Jane Austen, although I just called it the "olden days," having no real concept of time.

I became so enamoured by Victorian architecture, antique jewels and ornamental dress, hand sewn satin gowns, bodices, riding sidesaddle, field-muddied dresses and so on. I quietly became very disappointed that I lived in an era of whiteboards and plastic, so ugly!

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While I no longer take the world-at-large quite so personally, this aesthetic sensibility has never left. My studies of ancient material culture and art history, my curiosity about antiques and love of travel mask a secret, simple desire for beautiful, excellently crafted things. When I look into the museum cabinet and view the jewellery from the Graves of Ur or some Hellenistic masterpiece, a small transgressive voice in my head says, "Mine!" 

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Beauty means more to me than most, I think. The pleasurable warm-hug feeling of cashmere, the smell of leather boots and the pleasure of caring for them, the small irregularities in my favourite gold ring, these things give life to otherwise mundane items, and make them very special. ​

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My other great love is learning, which I am similarly impractical about (life is too short to be practical always) and I like to dive deep into things that intrigue or excite me. 

 

My travel wishlist includes all the places I'd love to see most, either solo or with somebody special. ​​​​​

​My online Wishlist is regularly updated with specific lingerie, books, gear/tack and jewellery pieces.