Kensington Palace

Sadly, I just missed out on London Fashion Week, but I was fortunate enough to visit Kensington Palace to see their Enchanted Palace exhibition. The palace is set behind the picturesque Sunken Garden which is simply beautiful.

The builders have arrived and the place is being transformed - it has been turned inside out and its stories and secrets are being shaken out with the dust.

They tell of the lives of princesses caught within the strange and mysterious world of the court - a world within a world, governed by its own time and rituals.

Upon arrival you are presented with a wonderful little booklet with a map and instructions for each of the rooms. Each room is themed to a different princess. Their name is hidden somewhere within the room and it is your task to find all 7 of the names.

The exhibit also featured dresses to illustrate each princess. Designers included Bruce Oldfield, Zandra Rhodes, Vivienne Westwood, Maria - Theresa Fernandes and Paul Costello.

There is an element of 'audience participation' which brings the whole exhibit to life.

V&A

I also visited was the Imperial Chinese Robes from the Forbidden City exhibit. The garments, from the Qing reign period (1644 - 1911), were from collection from the Emperor's official dress, festive dress, military and travelling dress and regular dress. The Empress's official dress, festive dress, regular dress and  informal dress.

The official and festive dresses were heavily embroidered and were of such a high quality, the beautiful patterns and images were exactly the same on both sides of the fabric.

I think this exhibition is a unique look at the world inside the Forbidden City. The style and quality of these garments are second to none and I would strongly recommend this exhibit, purely for fashion research.

Camden Market

My favourite part of London, with Camden Lock and Camden Market, it is the perfect place to seek out that vintage piece you have sought after for ages or that quirky piece of jewellery you have wanted to complete your favourite outfit.

I bought a vintage cream knitted jumper from a vintage store within the market. They had loads of vintage pieces ranging from leather jackets and sequined dresses. If you can find it within the maze that is Camden Lock, it is definitely worth a look. I also bought a printed t-shirt from a market stall that caught my eye with its unusual silhouette.

It is a great place just to look around, with the themed shop fronts at street level, some of which featured huge shoes, a pair of leather trousers and an aeroplane and, although a bit of a high street shop, the All Saints store is set in the most industrial, raw building that suits the brand so well.

Inside under the bridge arches hung huge chandeliers that made you feel like you had stepped into a some kind of magical world from another time. The perfect place to inspire you to shop.

Portobello Road

Perfect place to find antique interiors. Not as impressive as Camden Market but this historical street is home to the world famous One of a Kind vintage store, popular with Kate Moss, Sienna Miller and Yoko Ono. You ring the bell to enter and are greeted by the staff friendly and welcoming staff. The store is furnished top to bottom with exquisite one of a kind finds. A treasure trove of specially sourced vintage pieces from eras as early as the Victorian period, each garment has a price tag to match its perfect condition.


Train Travel Top Tip
If you are like me and don't use trains that often, always make sure you check the company on the ticket matches the train, Grand Central ticket for a Grand Central train, East Coast Ticket for and East Coast train and so on... or you will end up having to pay for your journey twice over! Luckily the train I was on stopped at York for a change to Newcastle (£45 extra) or it could have cost me twice as much.
 Don't rely on the people that work on the platforms!!!