The Regal Rules for Girls (17 page)

If you see this on an invitation, it does
not
mean to wear your fanciest cocktail dress; it means that you are required to dress in costume, and the costume in question is usually bizarrely themed (e.g., “Dress as Your Favorite Tube Station,” “Dress as Your Favorite Vegetable,” etc—the wackier the better and the more the Brits seem to love it). When I first moved to England, I didn’t quite understand the constant British obsession with costume parties. Prior to landing on UK shores, the last time I remembered going to a party where a costume was required (other than Halloween) I was in third grade. But in London I suddenly found myself attending fancy dress parties practically every month. I once went to a party themed “Dress as Your Hero,” and because I went as Grace Kelly, thankfully I still managed to wear my fanciest cocktail dress.

For some reason there are only four sizes in this country: 8, 10, 12, and 14. (Apparently larger sizes exist, but I have never seen them out on the racks. Ever.)

I’m petite, but I’m pear-shaped, so I have to buy small tops and larger bottoms. In America, I wear a size 4 blouse and size 6 pants. In the UK, I wear a size 8 blouse and trousers in size 12. So as a general rule, double the size of what you wore in America and that will usually give you your size in the UK.

Shoes can be even trickier because there are UK and European sizes and they are both totally different from US sizes.

If I were you, I’d buy most of my clothes in America. I know it sounds weird, but I’m serious. Certain American stores are good at producing relatively inexpensive pieces of good quality that are simple and classic, with a fashionably preppy twist. Even if the only stores you hit are Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, and J.Crew, the clothes will be at least 30 percent cheaper than in the UK, and you won’t look like every other girl in London, who’s draped in a hodgepodge of catwalk knockoffs that will go out of style within the month. To their credit, British girls are unabashedly
experimental
when it comes to their fashion choices, and no one could accuse them of not being
individualistic
. Some even look quite
cool
. But classy?

This is where you come in. American women are world renowned for their classic grooming, their understated elegance, and their overall polish. Which is precisely why all those lonely Jude Law types will be so intrigued to meet you…

If you can’t resist shopping in the UK (and believe me, very few can resist), don’t walk straight into Burberry and Aquascutum. I love these stores (How can you not? Have you seen the guys in their ad campaigns?), but there are more enduring ways to spend your precious pence.

The UK is unique in that it has a fabulous “high street” line of shops. “High street” is another way of saying “main street”—and shops found on the high street (as opposed to Bond Street!
²
are much more affordable than their couture counterparts.

My favorite of the high street chains is L.K. Bennett. Any piece from this ladylike yet quintessentially British store (be it a coat, a dress, a handbag, or a pair of peep-toe heels) will last you forever and is guaranteed to be acceptable for any English social occasion. (You’ll note that the Duchess of Cambridge agrees with me, as many of her most worn accessories come from here.)
www.lkbennett.com
³

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