Frock Fridays: Hello, High Street

Remember how I said that August probably wouldn't be a great month for me?  Well, it's been okay so far - but the end is near, and so many good things are on the horizon!

5 days: birthday

12 days: end of spending freeze

20 days: trip to London

What a marvelous convergence of events.  You know what this means, right?  It means that, in honor of my birthday, I get a shopping spree in London!  And while there are lots of amazing places to shop all over town, my first stop is going to be Oxford Street.  Yes, you're right - Oxford Street can be horribly busy and frustrating and uncomfortable.  But it's also one of the places that can connect me most to the time I lived in London.

So, in just a few weeks, I will trip up the stairs of the Oxford Circus tube station.  I will stride through that diagonal intersection - which is newish, you know; I remember when it was a normal perpendicular crossing - with the brash insouciance of a native and then I will saunter west towards Marble Arch, taking all the time in the world to reacquaint myself with the sounds of the city.  Here's how it will happen:

Emerging from the depths of the tube - you'll want the northeast exit, if you're following me - I'll pop straight into Topshop to pick up that classic black blazer.  Of course, I'll need to wander around a bit, especially through the accessories section on the ground floor, but hopefully the lines for the fitting rooms won't be too interminable and I'll make it out alive not having lost too much time.

Then I'll head west, crossing the street to check out one of the millions of H&M stores that litter Oxford Street in the hopes of finding these cute leopard-print flats.

I'll continue to John Lewis, my favorite department store, where I'll browse the kitchenware and beauty products before meandering up to the Oasis concession on the first floor - which, if you're following me, is what we in America call the second floor - to grab this stunning blue embellished dress.  (If you want to go directly to an Oasis store, there's one on Argyll Street, which you'll see noted on the signs for the exit from the tube.)

My next visit will be to the Zara just a bit further down the road, where I'll find the mini quilted messenger bag.  And, finally, I'll arrive at Accessorize, where I'll hold a dozen earrings up against the side of my face before deciding on these knotted gold studs.

Do you know what will happen next?  I'll jump into a changing room - probably in French Connection, the one near Selfridges, because I like to browse their frocks - to swap out whatever I'm wearing for all of my new purchases, and then make my way back east, into Soho, to meet Jon for the evening.  (Don't be silly; I won't subject him to my shopping spree!)  We'll catch up over a drink at Quo Vadis before making our dinner reservation at... but no, I'll let Jon plan that part.  After all, I want to have some surprises in my visit!