FROW @ London Fashion Weekend

Whenever John's away, I have about 5 minutes of feeling sorry for myself, and then I fill up my social schedule as much as possible so that I can stay busy until he comes back. Last week, he was away for a week to San Francisco, so I decided to make plans with friends, buy a few books, book in a facial, etc. It's not that I don't do these things when he's around - it's just that we both have such busy schedules anyway, that I like to take advantage of the time we do have to spend together.

And I'm not averse to spending time on my own or going to places/events on my own. In fact, one of my favorite memories was attending a American-themed concert at Cadogan Hall two years ago by myself. Pure bliss. No shuffling or sighing next to me ... no fidgeting or slow unveiling of the Economist ...

Anyway, I digress.

Last Sunday, I went to the final day of London Fashion Weekend, which was being held at Somerset House. Although I've always dreamed of attending London Fashion Week (open to the trade and not the public, not to be confused with the Weekend, which is open to the public) properly, but alas, my lack of connections in the fashion world will never make my dream a reality. Still, it didn't stop me from purchasing tickets for the trend catwalk show on Sunday, so I'm sharing with you some of the highlights - my favorite looks for fall.

Graphic prints and bold color-block stripes seemed to be on the agenda for this season. I was pleased to see this skirt and jacket combo on ASOS recently and even thought about buying it, before remembering that I'm not a 5'9 stick-thin model. So that outfit idea was quickly scrapped.

Pink, pink, glorious pink is apparently, the color of the season, as dictated by the catwalk and current magazines. While I like the dress and would nix the furry coat on this look, I'd definitely take the chunky block heels. The gold trim reminds me of art deco architecture and Tom Ford accessories, for some reason.

Finally, there was the Victoriana trend, which reminded me of someone abruptly running out of a Tori Amos music video during her From The Choirgirl Hotel days. Think: prim and proper white button-ups with tartan skirts (how predictable, yawn) and some more refined, unique elements, such as the flowing skirt above. Victoriania re-invented.

My favorite look is the first photo that I've posted here - I love the elegance and moodiness of the long, swishy ink-print dress juxtaposed with the haphazardly placed (faux-)fur stole.

I was disappointed by how short the show was (30 minutes exactly, with some awkward space filling by some unknown presenter, plus ads for Maybelline and other sponsors masquerading as "behind the scenes" short films) and how utterly crowded the shopping spaces were. I left after about an hour and a half, feeling grateful for the experience but in need of peace and quiet. Negotiating fashion-obsessed tweenies pawing at jewellery being sold in pop-up spaces is not my idea of a pleasant Sunday afternoon, so I went home and had a slice of cake and tea instead.

The end.