Category: What I Wore

Fashionably Fit: Trail Shoes Edition

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When I first started exercising “properly”, it was in 2009, in order to lose weight for my wedding in summer of 2010. I exercised at home with games like EA Sports Active and DVDs like Jillian Michaels’ 30 Day Shred. At home, my only concern when it came to kit was a good sports bra – any old T-shirt and jogging bottoms would do. But this year, as I’ve started jogging OUTSIDE, under the watchful gaze of OTHER PEOPLE, I started to consider my exercise clothes in the same way as I did my everyday outfits: a chance to express myself, enjoy what I wear, and feel better about myself too.

When SportsShoes.com got in touch with me to ask me to select some items from their site in order to post about fashion and fitness, I leapt at the chance – not least because that exact same day I was planning a trip to pick up some trail shoes from the Nike Factory Store at Gunwharf Quays. The event I am training for this spring is really one that requires trail shoes, as it’s basically one long mud bath punctuated with a variety of opportunities for me to fail hilariously at being sporty. But hey, at least no one will be able to accuse me of not having the right kit!

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The shoes I selected from the site’s extensive range were Nike Zoom Terra Kiger running shoes (pictured above, £69.99) which are designed to cushion the foot and provide extra grip in muddy conditions! Perfect! I also selected a pair of Nike Legend 2.0 Women’s Dri-Fit workout pants – my first pair of ‘proper’ running bottoms. Previously I’ve made do with offerings from Primark, F&F and Next’s own sport range, which are all fine, but not made of technical material like Nike’s Dri-Fit products. These help to wick moisture away from the skin to keep you comfortable while you sweat like a maniac.

As I’ve never knowingly undershopped, I took the opportunity to pick up a beautiful silver reflective jacket from the Nike store on my trip (which I went on anyway, because shops). I already had a great red cycling jacket, but the Nike Flash range jackets are reflective ALL OVER, and plus, are pretty space age. Sports Shoes has a selection of similar jackets here.

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Styling workout outfits is infinitely easier if everything you have can be mixed and matched, and is generally along the same colour scheme. As your trainers are your most important piece of kit (in my opinion!), I think that you should pick these first, according to your needs and budget, and then build your collection from there. These Nike Trail shoes came with a purple and grey colour scheme, so I ran with that and picked up a variety of black, pink and purple items. Pictured above with my Nike shoes and joggers are a pink Nike Jam Jam top (£20 here), my silver running jacket, a pink and grey Adidas gym bag, and NOT pictured is a pink and black sports bra from Shock Absorber (£35 here).

On my spree, I also bought a black Heidi Klum for New Balance cropped tee from Next (£30 here), and a pink Nike boyfriend tank (similar here). Combine the two, and you have an outfit which brings back good memories of netball practice at school…

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I also have to mention my phone, which is one of my most essential pieces of kit. I’ve mentioned before that I’m using the Zombies 5k training app, and it’s really keeping me on track and motivated to get out there several times a week – both to keep up my progress, and to find out what’s going to happen to Abel Township next! Luckily, my Kate Spade iPhone cover matches my new trainers or I would have had to throw it away in disgust…

Finally, as it is nippy outside, I decided to pick up a reversible purple Nike headband (£9.99 here) to keep my ears warm and my hair out of my face. In all honesty, for me, this is a frivilous and unessential purchase as I always get very hot on my runs anyway, but I couldn’t resist the opportunity to look as sporty as possible. And let’s face it, what’s more sporty looking than headbands, sweatbands and leg warmers?

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I’m sure you’ll agree from the photographic evidence that just with the simple addition of a headband, I suddenly look 85% more sporty, and 50% more likely to be able to complete a marathon at the drop of a hat.

Fitness FashionNike Zoom Terra Kiger running shoes, c/o SportsShoes.com / Reflective running jacket, Nike (similar here) / Cropped T-shirt, Heidi Klum for New Balance / Reversible Headband, Nike / Nike Legend 2.0 Women’s Dri-Fit workout pants, c/o SportsShoes.com / Jam Jam Top, Nike / Ultimate Gym Bra, Shock Absorber

What do you wear when you exercise? What’s your favourite work out outfit? And, what do you think about fitness fashion in general? Let me know!

My Nike Zoom Terra Kiger running shoes and Nike Legend 2.0 Women’s Dri-Fit workout pants were sent to me by SportsShoes.com for the purposes of review on this blog.

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Ascot Ladies Day 2013

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It’s my much-delayed report on Ladies’ Day at Ascot 2013! I had a blast as usual – and we even won big in one race when we bet on the Queen’s horse to win, and also scooped the second and third place runners too – but somehow, the shine is wearing off of this event for me. Maybe it’s the fact that I had my foot crushed by a rather large middle-aged lady who was completely smashed out of her mind during the Bandstand Singalong (and it still hurts now, two months later) or maybe it’s the fact that the dress code standards have slipped again, but there’s just something about Ascot Ladies’ Day that is wearing a little thin on me now. But, this post is to concentrate on the positive!

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The theme this year was floral (my friends and I try to match – last year’s theme was obvious and awesome at the same time!), so I spent a lot of time hunting out the perfect floral dress. It had to be flared and with a ’50s style vest-shaped top. I found the perfect dress in French Connection’s Maggie Lou. However, I had a massive crisis of confidence when my usual dress size didn’t fit me, which prompted me to go on an epic, short-term weight loss plan, which I’m pleased to say was successful. I am certainly not the size I’d like to be, but I did fit into a size 10 again!

Once I found my perfect dress, I needed a hat or fascinator to go with it. I had always planned to get something made, so I commissioned the fabulous Marissa Fleur from Etsy to create a bespoke headpiece based on the colours of the dress.

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Floral Headpiece, commissioned from Marissa Fleur via Etsy / Disc Stud Earrings with Aqua Chalcedony Stones, Azuni / Maggie Lou Dress, French Connection / Wrap, Monsoon / Natalie Clutch, L.K. Bennett / Black Patent Maddox Wedges, L.K. Bennett

Here’s what the headpiece looks like flattened out, and below is the finished product on a headband, which is how I wore it on the day!

We booked afternoon tea at the event and wound up being incredibly late thanks to some atrocious traffic on the way. I think we were stuck for at least an hour and a half. It wasn’t the best of ways to begin, I have to say, although the tea was lovely enough to make it worth the wait:

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At first I was slightly disappointed, as I thought the pork pie, tarts and fondant fancies were shop-bought, but upon thorough investigation, they seemed to have been made by hand – and they were certainly tastier than their supermarket counterparts!

The tearooms were a bit corporate feeling, but the mismatched china gave it a cool look – although, obviously, it’s much cheaper to fill a tearoom with mismatched china sets! At our table there was even a set that matched my colour scheme!

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The afternoon tea cost £24pp and was honestly worth it for not having to go through the drama of fighting for a table at one of the kiosks or in the Bandstand restaurant. The food was very decent, and there was certainly enough! I think we were stuffed by the end! And anywhere with tea on tap is fine with me, of course.

For dinner, we went to Heston’s Hind’s Head in Bray again, but I think I’ll save that for another post. In the meantime, here are a few more pictures of the day…

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Next year, I think I’m going to try out a few different race meets. I’m thinking Epsom and Goodwood for 2014!

Hush Summer Sale: My Picks!

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The summer sale at Hush is winding down, but you can still head on over to their site to bag yourself some bargains!

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Half Frame Angular Cat Eye Sunglasses, ASOS / Necklace, Accessorize / Chiffon Shirt, Hush / Jeans, Gap / Antonia Bag, Hobbs / Brown Patent Maddox Wedges, L.K. Bennett

One of my favourite items is this beautiful chiffon shirt in whale (slightly dodgy colour name…) – it’s cool, smart looking, but easy to wear, and great for the current muggy weather… And, it’s £30, reduced from £60.

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These shoes were a huge bargain that I found at the L.K. Bennett outlet store – they actually didn’t have my size in stock, but the lovely SA there tracked down the final pair and had them posted to me. I always find L.K. Bennett’s customer service is amazing. (Hobbs could learn a lot. Just saying…)

Another pic from the sale is the tangerine Michelle top, which is currently just £15!

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Kitten Eye Sunglasses, ASOS / Michelle Top, Hush / Skinny Grey Trousers, Next

It’s lovely and billowy – a great bright colour, and it’ll keep you sooo cool in the heat! Can’t you just imagine wearing this on your tropical beach getaway holiday? Or, if you’re like me, down the local seafront, fighting off seagulls?

Coronation Festival at Buckingham Palace

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On Saturday, the girls and I got up at stupid o’clock so we could head to London to celebrate the  Coronation in her Madge’s fine gardens at Buckingham Palace.

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The gardens are beautiful – although I obviously didn’t see them in their full glory, as they were covered in marquees full of stalls set up by Royal Warrant holders – everyone from the providers of locks and boilers, to high-end fashion designers, fabric shops and the now-famous Hunter wellies!

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This gorgeous display is from Stewart Parvin, who was the designer of my lovely lace wedding gown, so I had to snap a picture. Check out that beautiful dove grey coat!

It was blisteringly hot all day, so it was time to break out the big floppy hat!

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Bianca Hat, Hobbs Invitation / Slinky Facet Bead Drop Earrings, Accessorize / Green Gathered Dress, Zara / Gold Necklace, Peacocks / Gold Leaf Bracelet, Etsy / Barely There Non-Slip Tights, John Lewis / Patent Kate Bag, Jaeger / Maddox Wedges in Patent, L.K. Bennett

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I love the neat gathered detailing on the Zara dress!

As you can see, my shoes got very dusty from the lawn, I do hope her Madge gets the sprinklers out this week before the grass pops its clogs!

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Here’s the stand from Lock & Co Hatters, with some beautiful creations!

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Absolutely gorgeous (and incredibly expensive) fabrics from Joel & Sons.

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Beautiful blooms outside one of the eating places.

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Of course, the food tent was my favourite!

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The King’s Ginger had an amazing stand with some miniature bottles from the doll’s house at Windsor Castle. Their liqueur was absolutely top drawer too!

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This was a neat display from Gordon’s Gin.

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Ever wondered how Stinking Bishop is made? Wonder no more – this is one of the first stages, apparently.

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Check out this beautiful display of French bread from Shipton Mill – I love bread, it’s one of my major weaknesses. I’ve ordered a selection box of organic flour from this company, and I’ll be baking up a storm when it arrives!

For lunch, we treated ourselves to fish and chips – it was delicious, if a little greasy… But hey, eaten in the shade on the Queen’s lawn – I don’t think you can beat that!

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After our tour of the Warrant holders, we took a look around the gardens a bit more, and there were some lovely plants – as you would expect, of course!

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If you’d like to visit Buckingham Palace and see the gardens for yourself, check out this site for details including prices and access information!

Birthday sundae outfit

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On Monday last week my husband’s lovely co-workers organised a surprise trip for him to go to a local ice-cream parlour. I, of course, was a major co-conspirator, so I had to pop along as well! Here’s my outfit!

UntitledSunglasses, French Connection / orange, blue, white and silver textured jacket, Next / orange geo top, Next / jeans, Gap / red satchel, Accessorize / cat shoes, eBay

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If I’ve only learnt one thing recently fashion-wise, it’s the importance of a range of cute blazers when it comes to pepping up an outfit. I love the colours in this, and multi-coloured items make it so easy to match accessories, etc. I got this in the sale at Next, after having stalked it at full price for some time – and it was the last one left at half price. Bargain!

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They also match these orange-red cat flats I bought from eBay, which are sadly starting to show their wear, but I still love them. When I bought them, I had no idea they were copies of the Charlotte Olympia Kitty flats, but in all honesty I prefer the heel height on mine – which is to say, completely flat. Of course, if I win the lottery I will purchase the originals immediately! Also, please excuse the scratches on my foot – I was attacked by a bush on my parents’ driveway recently! At least it’s not as noticeable as what’s happened to my hand…

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Nope, no idea why I have cuts all over it, other than I was doing *a lot* of party prep and being incredibly careless. Good job I’m not a hand model! But ignore the cuts, check out the cute Dog Zodiac bracelet my husband bought me from Mulberry in the sale!

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Dogs are my favourite animal, and I was born in the year of the dog, so of course, I had to have this… It was fate! And, it came in its own dustbag, gift box and lovely Mulberry bag, too – all for the bargain price of £20!

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I’ve been wearing it every day since – I usually hate bracelets and watches because of the constant feeling of something being on my wrist, or slipping around, but this is so delicate you hardly know it’s there.

Petworth House

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In April, we visited Petworth House as part of a special offer with the National Trust. It was a lovely place with some great artwork, but pretty expensive if you’re not getting a special offer. And, unfortunately, you’re not allowed to access the top part of the house during the weekends… Considering you still have to pay full price for this and it’s not mentioned anywhere, I found this to be pretty irritating in all honesty. But if you like art there’s still a lot to see during the weekends, including a spectacular gallery full of statues and paintings. I didn’t take photos inside because I was worried about being told off!

UntitledSunglasses, Jeepers Peepers / Boyfriend jacket, Primark / T-shirt, Warehouse / Pave button pendant, Cristalina Jewellery / Lanesley bag, Hobbs / skirt, Louche / Maddox wedge, L.K. Bennett

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This was my first outing for my Maddox wedges, and I was worried whether they’d rub or be uncomfortable – but I’m happy to say they were excellent! However, I wore them with sheer tights, which I am slowly learning is one of the most effective ways of preventing blisters on your feet… Pro-tip there! These shoes also give you a lot of height without losing stability – I went through a phase of hating wedges, but now I’m back in love with them again…

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Do you blame me? LOVE these shoes!

Duchess Style: Great Plains Cezanne dress

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I have a bit of a thing for the Duchess of Cambridge’s wardrobe. Who wouldn’t want to dress like a future queen, after all? I love finding out what she’s wearing and then tracking down the item myself! When Kate appeared in Grimsby wearing a new dress last week, I logged onto the amazing Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/WhatKateWore, where the community had located the dress within minutes of her appearance. So, I had to bag one for myself (on sale at www.greatplains.co.uk). Here’s the result!

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I decided to pair it with a couple of other Kate-related items, my L.K. Bennett Sliver sandals in taupe (bought from the outlet store in Portsmouth, now renamed as the Sandy) and my L.K. Bennett Natalie clutch (still available from the site).

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I love these shoes – had them resoled as the leather soles are pretty delicate. It’s sooo cold here at the moment though that it’s impossible to wear them out anywhere, so for once I’m actually looking forward to the warmer months!

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The Natalie clutch is an item I’ve been lusting after for a long time, so I decided to break down and treat myself last month. I’m glad I did, because it goes perfectly with my sandals, and my nude heels that I bought from M&S. I did try on a pair of Kate’s beloved Sledges, but sadly they are too dark a shade to really be ‘nude’ on me, so I bought the much cheaper pair from the Autograph range – practically identical in every way, expect a better match for me! (And comfy too!)

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Do you follow Kate’s fashions? Ever bought anything she was seen wearing? Ever replicated one of her looks? I’d love to hear from you in the comments if so!

’40s curls by The Painted Lady

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Before Christmas, I was lucky enough to win a competition for a vintage hair styling session by Belinda Hay at The Painted Lady in London. Belinda Hay literally wrote the book on vintage hair, so I was over the moon at the prospect! Unfortunately, due to the bad weather in January, I managed to miss my first appointment that I’d booked with her, but Belinda graciously allowed me to rebook – and so, yesterday, I finally got my hair did!

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As I won the competition by professing my love for Gil Elvgren’s curly haired beauties, I thought it was only right to request a similar look for my styling session. Belinda began by curling my hair using hot tongs and allowing it to cool in curl clips. Then, after a copious dousing in hairspray, the clips were removed, and the brushing out began! This is the bit that I’d probably have the most trouble with – after all, once you’ve spent so long pinning your hair up, it’s scary to take a brush to it. Knowing me, I’d brush all those curls out! However, Belinda’s expert touch and total confidence left me with gorgeous pin-up curls all day long (and they’re still in today!).

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Check out the back – such amazing waves! I told Belinda my hair only behaves for other people – but I’m getting better at giving my hair some gentle curls with heated rollers…

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(In case you wondered, I wore my NW3 Hobbs Annabel dress, Miss L Fire Monaco shoes, Monty Mouse earrings from Hobbs, and Audrey sunglasses from Jeepers Peepers (via ASOS). I’ve worn the Annabel dress so many times now, it’s starting to become my uniform…)

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Excuse the cheesy grin – I was pretty pleased with my hair!

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I also wore my trusty old coat from Next, which I bought a year ago from the outlet store in Gunwharf Quays after I totally misjudged the weather! Good buy in the end…

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In other news, I’m experiencing feelings of confusion about the upcoming summer months – on the one hand, I can’t wait for warmer weather, but on the other hand, I’ll probably have to retire my gorgeous shoes for a while… Hence wearing them as often as I can at the moment!

Visit The Painted Lady online here, or pop into the salon at 65 Redchurch Street, Shoreditch, E2 7DJ. The phone number is 0207 729 2154. Vintage hairstyling starts from £45, but you can also get party packages, as well as hair dying services – and there’s a nail bar, too! TPL is full of lovely, attentive staff, and everyone I saw while I was there left looking absolutey fabulous!

Little Red Riding Hood in Trafalgar Square: The Collectif Gretel Coat Unleashed!

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Way back on Christmas Day last year, I was a tiny bit bored with all the rubbish TV, so I decided to download issue 25 of Vintage Life. Scrolling through, I found the Christmas Wishlist feature and immediately fell in love with the Collectif Gretel Coat.

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Page from Vintage Life magazine.

Well, who wouldn’t? It’s an amazingly extravagant coat, straight out of Little Red Riding Hood – and a beautiful colour to boot. Unfortunately, at £160 it was definitely out of my price range – but then, a Christmas miracle happened. I checked out Collectif’s Facebook page and discovered that the company was running a 40% off discount… And they had one Gretel coat left, in my size. It was certainly fate, and who am I to fly in the face of the cosmos’ mysterious ways?

I ordered immediately, and when the coat arrived I fell in love all over again – but to be honest, I’ve chickened out of wearing it until last weekend. This is not a coat for the faint hearted. I was originally going to wear it last weekend, but with all the snow and ice I figured it would be just my luck to skid on the ice and fall over – embarrassing enough, but even worse when you’re dolled up to the nines. So when I was invited to the launch of The Powder Room on tour (more on that later!) I knew this was the perfect opportunity to wear my coat!

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Coat: Gretel by Collectif. Hair: The Powder Room @ Paper Dress*

As you can see, you certainly wouldn’t be lost in the crowd wearing this beauty! Sometimes, I wish I’d gone for the more subtle black version (but there weren’t any in stock, so it’s a moot point!), which would be more wearable, but then again, if you want to make an impact, this is certainly the go-to coat! Check out those beautiful pleats on the skirt, and the pretty pom-poms! The fabric has a gorgeous texture to it, and although the coat is very heavy, that makes it all the more snug for cold weather.

I thought I’d give you some behind the scenes info on taking this photo too. I employed a technique called ‘faith in humanity’, which involves setting your very expensive DSLR camera on timer mode in the middle of central London on a Saturday, and then running off so you can get as much of your body in shot without risking a heart attack. I also used another technique called ‘looking casually at buttons pretending to be doing important stuff’ which is useful when someone starts hanging around near you and looking suspiciously like they’ve mastered the art of ‘nicking someone’s camera when they’re taking photos of themselves in public by leaving their camera on the side’. Just a little insight there, in case you guys were students of photography like myself. (Please note, I have no idea what to do with my camera yet other than timer mode and no flash mode… But I am learning many techniques, which I am happy to humbly share with you!)

* My hair styling session at The Powder Room was complimentary for the purposes of revew on my blog – I’ll be posting a proper write-up later this week!

Afternoon Tea at The Rubens

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At the weekend, my friends and I went to London for afternoon tea at The Rubens At The Palace!

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My friend had bought some vouchers so it ended up costing us £16.50 per person, which was pretty reasonable.

The room we ate in was beautiful, and although our table was pretty low, it made it easier to take photos!

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I wore my Hush leopard print scarf, and a wine coloured skater dress from ASOS (saw it on The Lilac Pages and fell in love, it’s such a great shape!).

Afternoon tea at The Rubens

Our sandwiches were delicious – the chicken bun was particularly good, with flaked almonds giving it a great texture. There wasn’t really enough cream to go around on the scones, and the jam was weirdly runny, but to be honest, we enjoyed the scones anyway. They were light inside but slightly crisp on the outside, which was tasty indeed!

Afternoon tea at The Rubens

The cakes were slightly hit or miss – I had a try of everything except the banoffee cupcake, and some of them were very good, but the layer cake was a tiny bit stale… But, hey – there was plenty of tea! I much preferred the Assam to the English blend they had, which is uncharacteristic. Usually I’m completely the opposite of a tea connoisseur.

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The great thing about The Rubens is that it’s so close to Buckingham Palace, so we popped on over when we’d had our fill (and yes, we were stuffed at the end!).

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All in all, I wouldn’t pick The Rubens over the other places I’ve been for afternoon tea in London (hey, The Ritz is pretty darn snazzy, y’hear?) but it was lovely to try somewhere new. The voucher price (through Virgin) was decent enough for four people, although the current deal isn’t too much of a saving on their listed price!

(Psst, don’t forget, UK readers can enter my competition to win 12 share bags of Popchips here!)

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