A Dispatch From London

eating percy pigs, drinking tea, and vintage shopping until I’ve tired myself out like a toddler on the playground

I’m not going to lie to you—I’m sharing this now to avoid finishing another piece. I have writer’s block and a looming self-imposed deadline that doesn’t feel so self-imposed. Luckily, in service of my avoidance of regularly scheduled programming, I just spent a long weekend in London and I have much to tell you. 

I accomplished quite a bit in four days: I found the most perfect plaid, I put a lot of rainy miles kilometers on my favorite loafers, and I saw about a million swans in Hyde park. 

But first, an important piece of business to attend to… Why did no one tell me that Percy Pigs are so f***ing delicious!? I packed five bags in my suitcase and had the incredible self-control to only eat one bag on the plane. I need to try every variation. Percy goes globetrotting, Percy party time, Percy and pals, Percy pigtails—what can’t Percy do?

my friend kate and i enabling each other

I spent most of my time in London just walking around. What a treat it is to walk around! I spent one lovely morning in Kensington by myself drinking tea, admiring architecture, and getting rained on. I think that’s the most London morning you could have?

the sign made me tear up ngl

I stepped into a shop with a top-hat-shaped sign that said “Clothes for Gentlemen” because obviously. It was a safe haven from the rain, vintage wool and cashmere hanging wall to wall. If I suddenly turn into a silk tie one day please send me to live here. 

The shop owner, a mid-to-late 60s man in a gorgeous suit and glasses, told me I had the most beautiful skin he’d ever seen—clearly he read the book on how to flatter me. We chatted about wearing sunscreen, loving vintage, and, most importantly, Emily in Paris. 

“Do you watch Emily in Paris? I just binged it, it’s really good.”

I recently binged it too. He is my new best friend.

stop by hornet’s if you’re in town and say hi to david for me

Sadly nothing called to me in my bestie’s shop (guess I’m not a gentleman), but I was intrigued by and in awe of quite a few vintage finds elsewhere in the city. If there’s one thing London has absolutely no shortage of—it’s vintage shops. Making it down every shop on Brick Lane is a feat for even the most decorated of thrifting veterans.

1, 2, 3

4, 5, 6

1. Loving a red and green combo lately. Any way it can be done without looking like Christmas is a miracle in my mind. And when it’s done correctly, it’s so scrumptious.

2. Can you believe this perfect Beetlecore Prada tote was just sitting here waiting for me? The chicest laptop bag for your beetle 9-5.

3. This cranberry short-sleeve faux fur sweater has me wondering if I’ve gone too far on the ugly side of cool. Idk! I like it!

4. These little Gucci slingbacks… come onnn. I found another pair online here for a lucky 36.5 who’s looking to stock up on summer heels extra early. 

5. This Praying braided hair spaghetti tank will haunt my dreams. But on the other hand, maybe it’s the perfect in between for a Fuck Ass Bob haver like myself. I do miss pigtail braids!

6. This military-issued 1940s wool jumper was—as you can imagine—horrifyingly itchy, but the silhouette really stuck in my mind. It’s so current I feel like I’ve seen 10 influencers wear something similar in the past month. Go army designers, I guess?

I managed to come home with only one treasure after hours and hours of vintage expeditions—restraint I am feeling both proud of and slightly regretful. But there will always be more clothes, hey? As a non-pierced-ears girl living in an adorable-earrings-I-can’t-wear world, I took a chance on these silver swirly clip-ons. 

every clip-on girly knows the fear of not knowing how painful a new pair is going to be

Another limiting factor on my shopping—I packed for a 16-day getaway in one carry-on. The first four days were in London, a town where I have historically frozen my ass off, so I had to be disciplined in my sweater choosing. I opted for this vintage Ralph Lauren ribbed knit and layered it under my boyfriend’s chore coat here, and on other days I layered it under a denim jacket and a fleece vest.

recently i decided that this bag is a neutral idc

I’m the biggest proponent of outfit repeating any day but especially on vacation. I’d rather wear the same pieces rearranged in different combinations every day than check a suitcase. I also believe everyone should wear jeans when they fly. I might be crazy but I’m free.

I forgot to refresh my nails before leaving home—classic me—and painted them late the night I arrived so I could spend the next days admiring the sharp nail-to-sweater contrast that I live for. You’ll almost never catch me without red nails.

left: in a COS dressing room, right: thrifted mountain hardwear vest stolen from bf’s suitcase

Despite the abundance of vintage, my favorite thing to do in London is eat. I had greasy hash browns and bacon sandwiches with brown sauce; chicken fried oyster mushrooms coated in throat-tingling spice; breakfast naan smothered in cream cheese and fresh coriander; vegan sausage rolls in flaky pastry; saucy chili chicken washed down with chai hot chocolate; and a few cream- and jam-loaded scones for good measure.

And on Sunday I ate a roast dinner, as anyone who’s lucky enough does, and chatted with friends in a dimly lit pub. Steak, potatoes, and a pot of tea could fix anyone right up. It was the only time on the trip I felt a bit overheated, cheeks glowing by candlelight at our table, which was a respite from being damp and chilly under cloud cover all weekend. 

maybe every meal should be soaked in gravy

Each night I retired to a quaint apartment in Shoreditch. The walls were white, the bed was springy, and the hallway air smelled deliciously of the Japanese and Indian restaurants sandwiching the flat. Raucous from the pub across the way lulled me to sleep and I woke each morning to the humming of a construction site nearby—a comforting reminder of home in New York City. 

still couldn’t tell you if that plant was real or not

What are your favorite spots in London? Do you agree jeans are a must on the plane? (It just saves so much packing room!) Should I have purchased that hair tank? I’d love to hear your thoughts!