Saturday, 9:00, York, England.
I'm on a diesel-powered train to London and everyone and their queen mother is wearing Diesel. The Italian denim brand spotted on slender American women and sporty gay men is everywhere--Diesel jeans, T-shirts, bags, socks, dresses and even baby clothes. American trend-setters have often dug Diesel for their slim fitting jeans and cooler-than-you attitude, but here in the UK, Diesel isn't very stylish. It's just everywhere. We whiz on.
13:00, Kings Cross Station, London, England.
Spotted on the Underground: beaded change-purses bearing the names of Tube stops--pretty cool, and it seems like everyone's got one. The tube is full of kids, 16- and 17-year olds with textured tights and pleated corduroy skirts in all kinds of colors. Also spotted: black-and-white houndstooth pants, sheer robin-blue eyeshadow from Missy Selfridge, Burberry everything. I've counted 26 Louis Vuitton bags on a 10-minute ride to the West End.
15:00, Notting Hill, London.
Street merchants sell postcards of Prince Will, samosas and more beaded change purses, this time in the shape of Hello Kitty. I'm tempted, but keep walking until I'm on Portabello road, where women in beige and Burberry flutter by. Plaid is everywhere--it lines coats, highlights umbrellas and checks across a hundred scarves. The hippie look is also back in London--peasant tops are everywhere, and turquoise is making a hot comeback, especially in belts. Notting Hill is artsy, and trendy, and especially game to look like Ali McGraw. Loose hair and designer
16:00, Knightsbridge, London.
One Hello Kitty purse and a mozzerella baguette later, I'm standing in front of Harrods. It's big and bustling and has a fountain made of fish. I count 43 Louis Vuittons in five minutes at Harrods. The problem is, if you don't want designer grilled lamb or something super-English, Harrods really has nothing to buy. I leave empty-handed, but my salvation is just across the street--Louis Vuitton, here I come!
16:45, Bond Street, London.
Nobody said you needed an appointment. It takes me 20 minutes to get my bag, a gorgeous little purse slightly bigger than the coveted pochette riding shoulders around the world. You can't get this bag in the States yet, and to make things even better, it's cheaper in London than an LV wallet would be in New York.
18:00, Oxford Circus, London.
H & M is brimming with all things denim, and their lingerie collection keeps getting cheaper and more adventurous. It's trendy, it's thrifty and it's finally opening up all across the United States. If you want red hip-hugger corduroys, tank tops with Campbells cans or a $40 wool trench coat, this is the place to go. Benetton feels like an '80s flashback, but their brightly-colored sweaters are gorgeous and built to last, and their silky pajama tops are great with jeans for a night out. Finally, let it never be said that chain stores are unfashionable. I fcuking loved French connection--affectionately referred to as FCUK over here. Be a wise ass and get the T-shirt--you can have it say "FCUK UP," "FCUK YOU," or even "FCUK a DCUK." Even better, their corduroy skirts were unbeatable at $30, and came in light red, turquoise, grey and pink. It's a great line, and you can get their stuff cheap at Bluefly.com.
20:00, Trafalgar Square, London.
Everyone's cell phone is a different color. The cases are decorated with all kinds of things--the Union Jack, a fake Flake wrapper, Tintin and Asterix, designer porn. "Texting" is huge--write someone a message using your key pad and send it over the phone. It's cheaper than buying toothpicks and great when you're bored in class. Also big here are downloaded cell phone rings--things heard at the pub include the Sex and the City theme, "Tiny Dancer" and "Smooth Criminal." You can download them for $2.95 on any Sony server.
23:00, Ministry of Sound, London.
I've finally found a place to wear that leather bra from J.Crew. Ministry of Sound is a huge, throbbing, thumping club and everyone in Europe seems to be here. There's the Austrian girl in the corner wearing leather pants and a sheer blue tank top from Top Shop; the Scottish women in hiked up Viviane Westwood kilts and tight peasant blouses; the American guys in slouchy, coveted Abercrombie khakis and T-shirts that say "Mind the Gap." Everyone's wearing Pumas or five-inch heels in taupe--try Nine West for the best pair. Louis Vuittons are floating everywhere, and the girls are drinking peach Bacardi. West Campus doesn't seem so far away after all.
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