People-watching is one of my all-time favourite activities while I’m in New York City. Sometimes it’s for the interactions, but most of the time it’s for the attire. Simply observing the locals and noting the sartorial moments you notice most is the best method to determine which trends, companies, and specific products are creating waves in a certain fashion hotspot.
Knowing that, I spent the most of my week-long vacation to London earlier this month observing the stares I passed on the street. I had the ideal vantage point for uncovering every every piece of clothing worn by London’s best dressed from my seat at little bistro tables outside of Notting Hill cafés, on benches in Hyde Park, and atop pub stools in Shoreditch. Scroll down for my in-depth report.
Baseball Caps
My journey to London taught me that I should always be ready for tremendous downpour. Of course, having a raincoat, an umbrella, and water-resistant footwear is a terrific idea. But it seems that baseball hats are the locals’ go-to choice if you want to cover your wet hair in a stylish, unobtrusive way.
Oversize Button-Down Shirts
In London, I swear I saw more oversized button-down shirts than Tudor-style structures or bars with the name Shakespeare in the name put together. This simple and frequently inexpensive fundamental is undoubtedly a go-to choice for lazy dressers who yet want to appear chic whether paired with puddle trousers, tucked-in maxi skirts, long slip dresses, and relaxed jeans.
Cargo Pants
Cargo pants accompanied me from Notting Hill, where I spent the first two nights of my vacation, to Bicester, a little village outside of London where I spent the day shopping at outlet stores. The utility-style trousers are, shall we say, as common in London as they are on my social media feeds.
Maxi Skirts
A year ago, if I had flown to London, I’m certain that all I would have seen there were tiny miniskirts that looked more like broad belts than genuine clothing. The streets, however, were dominated by maxi skirts since I visited in 2022, which were worn with everything from Mary Jane flats to knee-high boots.
Overalls
I’m as surprised as you are probably by the current craze for overalls, the one-pieces that, a year ago, I would have never thought of as a stylish alternative to dresses or separates. However, they are now widespread, particularly in London, where I counted at least 10 different types over my first weekend there.
