Hi everyone, just a quick post to say hello as we are just back from lovely England. A wonderful whirlwind trip - three days in London, and four in the towns and countrysides of Sevenoaks and Tonbridge, visiting family. I grew up going to England about every second year, with family coming over here on the off-years, but hadn't connected with everyone since the cousins all started getting married and starting families, 15 or so years ago. It was wonderful re-connecting!

Funny thing was how much I saw myself there - so many of my mannerisms, ways of doing things, and - to my surprise - style, were everywhere I looked. My British side is clearly a stronger influence than I realized!

Notwithstanding London's eclectic fashion scene, the prevailing average look I saw (granted in a short time) was essentially my own uniform - slim fitting knit tops and jeans (or trim skirts with black opaque tights), flat boots and booties, practical accessorizing (e.g. a scarf with a jacket, small earrings, small pendant necklace), straight-ish mid-length hair, dark neutrals (black and charcoal) and to a lesser extent, the nearly neutrals (burgundy, navy - thought I'd see more navy actually - and extremely small doses of olive), light cool gray and beige, and camel for contrasting light neutrals, and virtually no pattern (except for glenplaid jackets and scarves, which is now on my shopping list). Peacoats, neat raincoats, or slim non-gearish-looking puffers. As polished as possible for the practicalities of navigating the tube, or a walk through the Knole woodland to the pub. Sensible, but with care. Neither gear nor stilettos, but something decidedly down the middle.

Men were overwhelmingly Colin Firth-ish - neat and traditional, with just enough askew (a slightly crooked tie, tousled hair, or a bit of mud on their cognac leather walking boots) to look really cool. Relaxed polish is probably how I'd describe it.

Sadly, going through the photos, I didn't get any good street style photos to share, but perhaps that's the point - the clothes were not an end in themselves, but secondary to the getting on with it, which is neither better nor worse, but definitely is extremely 'me'.

Packing-wise, we stuck with carry-ons - for me, 2 dark jeans, 7 knit tops, a scarf, my Zara puffer, and my super-star Blondo flat boots and LePliage tote took me from Harrod's to a mucky bridle path to the blustery seaside, and all points in between.

Hope everyone enjoyed the March break and is starting to see some signs of spring! Looking forward to catching up with the forum!