London on Edge - Edgy Style in London

Style can be found everywhere in London, from the richness of architectural details to the way light filters through the museum’s windows.

Style in London

On the 1st of January 2020, as I stepped into the new era, full of optimism and loaded with new year resolutions, I booked a flight ticket to London.

Fast forward to March 8, 2020. I was landing at Luton airport without knowing what was about to hit us, and that was going to be my last trip abroad for a couple of years.

And so I visited London on edge.

Two days of marathon rambling on the streets of London and one day in Birmingham fully packed my suitcase with memories for the next two years till I visited again (following up in the next article here).

Packing my suitcase process

One thing is sure, I do not like the touristy look whatsoever. The cargo or chinos trousers, a slogan tee and an open shirt on top, the horrible walking shoes and the eternal backpack. Not to mention the “I Love London”, “I Love Paris”, “I Love Rome”, etc., tops. Don’t get me wrong, I do love local souvenirs, not those “in your face” though.

Besides, I’m a dress and skirt girl, so what I normally wear for my day-to-day activities I also wear on trips—just adapt the shoes.

The first things I considered when packing my suitcase for travelling are the length of the vacation and the weather.

I always start with shoes! Why?

Because they are heavier, therefore, I’m trying to limit myself to only two pairs for a city break or a max of three pairs for a proper 7–10 day vacation. Therefore, the pairs that have the great opportunity to travel with me and carry me on the great metropolis streets have to match all the clothes I bring.

packing suitcase hacks

If I travel in the winter, the second thing I consider is the coat, precisely for the same reason. They are usually heavier, and on top of that, they are voluminous. Consequently, I always stick to one type only. 2020’s choice was the leopard fake fur, Zara coat, which was a “gift” from me to me, on the Christmas before.

Next in my process are the actual clothes. Needless to mention, I have a creative style, a preference for unconventional fashion, and am completely individual. I’m all into a bold, innovative style. Fashion for me is about how I feel and what I like, rather than sticking to any set rules or expectations. I love to combine different styles in one look and use unusual prints with striking colour combinations to create a high impact, like vivid fuchsia and leopard print.

Fabric choices for me can be very varied. I enjoy some tactile fabrics, including satin, suede, fur or animal prints.

On this occasion, I made no exception! My main two outfits, although they kept the same line in terms of cut and texture combo, as I used satin and knit, were different. On one, I liked to play with the prints, from snake print to plaid and leopard print; on another one, I focused on the bold fuchsia colour and kept it ton sur ton.

What have I visited in London?

Was not the first time I was in London so on this occasion my main focus was on art, the vintage market and picking up my Trinny Trophy by Trinny Woodall :).

The schedule was:

Day 1 – Camden Market

Camden Market, often known as Camden Lock, is a market in Camden Town, London, that is housed in the historic old Pickfords stables.

Open in 1974, Camden Market is a diverse community of creative sellers, street food traders, and independent stores next to the Regent’s Canal in historic central London.

1,000+ UNIQUE SHOPS, STALLS, BARS & CAFES.

UNFOLLOW CONVENTION AT CAMDEN MARKET – that is how they describe on the official website and they couldn’t say it better.

Day 2.1 -Trinny London office

For those who don’t know Trinny Woodall, she is the owner of the British makeup line Trinny London, and before that, she had a long career as a fashion and makeover expert, television presenter, and author.

Every year, she organises the Trinny Awards, an Oscar on a micro-scale, LOL. I accepted the challenge to nominate myself for the Trinny Awards by Trinny Woodall on Instagram in two categories:

BEST OOTD & MOST IMPRESSIVE LIFT EXIT. I won the “Most Impressive Lift Exit”.

My outfit was a striking statement with colour blocking and leopard print. I decided to step away from the “black zone” with a bold choice. I started building my outfit, starting with the tulle skirt, which I made by myself. For me, tulle skirts have become a sort of classic. You can wear them all year round and they literally go with everything. Also, they are very easy to DIY. All you need to do is to buy about 19 feet, fold it in 4, on wide, sew the ends and add an elastic of about 1-1.5 inches wide on the waist. The very slim elastics do not look that good, believe me, because I have already done 4 of these types of skirts, so I experimented with different wide types of elastic. If any of you would be interested in how to DIY a tulle skirt, just let me know and I will put together a DIY YouTube tutorial.

Day 2.2 –Victoria and Albert Museum

There is no fashion without history, and there is no fashion without art. Passion is like a rock. I need to polish my passion for fashion with books, museums, photography exhibitions, cinema, theatre plays, and so on.

The uniqueness comes out, the taste is shaped, and the inspiration is popping.

At the Victoria and Albert Museum, inspiration is omnipresent. From the richness of the details of the building’s architecture to the way light finds its way throughout the museum’s windows, Every little object, every dress, every ceramic dish, and every piece of information will make you a richer person on your way out.

I’m assessing fashion and iconic characters through the lens of cultural theory, with a focus on symbolism, art, and anthropological references. Making connections between diverse things and thinking extensively about a particular topic is what my reflections entail.

A good article to read is: “Quickie in Milan in 3“.

Next time we will talk about the “London Tour – Amy Winehouse & Vintage Markets“.

Photo source: Personal Archive

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