In honour of London Fashion Week, London, fashion, travel, and shopping… here is a post with a bit of London love.
I’ve never been to England (yet!) but here’s what I would do and wear and buy…
London style is so diverse, but if anything, it’s cheeky and playful and most of them don’t take their fashion too seriously. Though what with the accents and the history, you can’t help but want to dress in a more ‘posh’ manner.. I’m more of the sweet and girly type, but I have my quirks and tomboyish moments too. So here’s my sartorial ode to this fair city, which I would wear to see the sights and fashion shows, but is still appropriate should the Queen invite me for tea.
Ted Baker ‘Weldon’ Patent Bow Belt
Mackage ‘Leane’ leather jacket — SOLD OUT (Sorry readers! It’s an oldie but goodie from my closet but check out Mackage’s current collection here.)
Salvatore Ferragamo ‘Carla’ Patent Bow Pump in new bisque
Kate Spade ‘bow terrace bradshaw’ handbag
tieks by Gavrieli ballet flat in romantic blush
Pretty Polly ‘Pretty Fly Flutterby’ Tattoo Tights – Butterfly Tights
Moving on to the sights… so many places to see, so little time!
First I’d check into my hotel… and if my wishes were of the sort that came true, I would be staying at the Ritz London, and my room would be the fabulous Berkeley Suite…
I’d make time for afternoon tea, of course… (their lighting is supposedly all rose-tinted, as it flatters the complexion, and everyone is supposedly more beautiful at the Ritz!) Nibbling scones with clotted cream while people-watching would be fascinating!
I’d slip on my ballet flats (my ‘exploration’ shoes)… and then my adventures would begin.
I’d start in the Marylebone (mar-le-bone) neighbourhood, and visit The Wallace Collection –a national museum in an historic London townhouse that houses 18th century paintings, furniture, porcelain and a world class armoury. How can one say no to all that?
Then I’d stop by Daunt Books which still boasts Edwardian fixtures and fittings. I’ve already cheated and taken a peek using their virtual panoramic tour —click to see for yourself!
Next on the list, I would pay a homage visit to 221B Baker Street, the Sherlock Holmes Museum, in honour of my once-upon-a-time crush for the legendary detective. Perhaps now we could have a private talk about how he escaped his death in the Reichenbach Falls and have a chat about roses and bee-keeping. (And you know you’re a Holmesian of sorts if you can spell ‘Reichenbach’ off the bat… or that’s my yardstick anyway.)
How about a visit to Fortnum & Mason? Sample some of their delectable confectioneries and teas, and buy some goodies to share with my dear ones later on…
…then skip over to Harrod’s to buy some pretty sleepwear. Because if you thought I was going to sleep at The Ritz wearing ordinary pyjamas, well let me tell you now that you were Gravely Mistaken! *scoff*
It’s time to move on to a new destination, and if I’m particularly adventurous, a ride on one of the trains at King’s Cross Station sounds like fun. I have all the time in the world to go a-wandering!
Once I’m back (and hopefully I haven’t gotten lost at this point with my ‘superior’ sense of direction!) it’s a difficult choice between Buckingham Palace and the Royal Opera House. Royalty or Ballet? The dilemma! But I decide to save the pleasures of the arts for a free and un-constrained evening. Off I toddle to visit Her Majesty… (or at least her ‘house’!)
If I don’t get swept away in a magnificent dream of descending the steps of the Grand Staircase in a court gown and tiara, (John Nash is an architectural and artistic genius!) there should be time to thoroughly scare myself at the Tower of London… and if after all that, I still manage to garner an appetite, I’ll stop by their New Armouries Café and order some deep-fried north sea haddock served with chips and mushy peas.
Feeling quite intellectual and cultured now, I suppose it’s time to join in with the other well-shod fashion show attendees. Time to step into those Ferragamo pumps!
My program for the evening looks something like this:
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Exploring London just can’t be done in a day, and I don’t even know if it’s possible in a lifetime but I think that this little taste is just enough to keep me both satisfied and wanting more –as it should.
When it’s three o’clock in New York, it’s still 1938 in London. –Bette Midler
xoxo,
— Miss Cathie
P.S. Set the music for my London exploration to Beethoven’s – Symphony No.6 in F major op.68 “Pastorale” – V, Allegretto!
Best of Luck!
Author
Thank you, Kathleen. 🙂 I didn’t win, but I still had fun dreaming!