london calling

For me, the next best thing to being in London is my twin sister working in London. She's been across the pond for the last week or so shooting several fashion campaigns, interacting with the city's most in-the-know fashion editors and stylists and getting the scoop on all things hip. And she has been diligently phoning in this intel to me! For starters, she says, it's all about oversized jean jackets. The all-American topper effectively handles London's mercurial climate--and while doing so looks effortlessly-tomboy-cool. The oversized silhouette feels new and edgy, too--and would succeed just as well on U.S. soil. I'd pair one, such as this Joe's Jeans, this J.Crew (order up two sizes) or this Topshop with just about everything in my closet from a feminine, flowy dress to a casual romper. The other sartorial must-have: clean, minimalist sneakers. According to my sister, everyone's wearing them everywhere and with everything. The girls in London might have taken a cue from their counterparts on the Continent, namely the French and specifically Isabel Marant, whose pre-fall collection (see pics below) was shown with nothing but these Stan Smith men's sneakers (subtract two sizes from your US women's size to find the appropriate men's shoe). Moving on to the food scene, my sister could not stop raving about Chiltern Firehouse, a restaurant situated in a Victorian-Gothic fire station-cum-stunning-Andre Balazs hotel. While the inventive food--"crab doughnuts," for example--was off-the-charts-delicious, the people watching--Orlando Bloom, Ralph Lauren, Lauren Bush Lauren, etc.--was equally titillating. Last I heard from her, she was plotting her way back into Chiltern Firehouse for another meal.

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