If I had a bucket list then I’ve certainly ticked one thing off it, well almost! An early finish at work and out came my best heels, to totter off to Somerset House for the afternoon.

The years I have been in London, as student and a professional I’ve walked passed the gates of Somerset House and peered in at this world that pops up in all its glamour almost overnight, it has always seemed so inviting yet so far away.

A visit that was part bucket list, part investigative I convinced my mother (of all people) to come along.

Firstly Somerset House has yet to fail to deliver as a venue, no matter the occasion or season. I have often sat with a coffee in the summer and just enjoyed the beautiful surroundings.

First up was coffee and rifling through the goodie bag; like I’d ever turn down a goodie bag full of freebies!! (well based on the cost of the ticket I’ll actually call them freebies, it was fairly good value for money)

Wandering the pop up designer shops, and there were a lot of them was like wandering through corridors that were at once a dose of ordinary and delightful corners of Alice in Wonderland, full of clothes. One particular shop had me grinning, and I’m kicking myself for not taking a picture, because for all my fashion faux-paux over the years there was a dress there that I already own – and have owned for 10 years. It was a slightly different cut but, as they fashion always comes back around. Now I just have to find an excuse to wear it again, seeing as it is hardly a day dress, dipped in enough glitter and sequins to have affectionately been nick-named the ‘Shirley’…

We had decided to go to a Trend fashion show, see more of a selection of clothes rather than one single designer – though for the next one I’ll be doing both if I can. This is just a sample of the day:

I was disapointed in the talks being held however. on the Friday there were one or two interesting ones I sat through. But as interesting as they were the space wasn’t large enough to hold all those listening and they certainly weren’t long enough. I definitely think that more talks and longer talks are a necessity. I can only devote so much time to wandering around fashion displays before I start to get bored! That includes trying things on and purchasing stuff. I admit it, I cannot spend an entire day shopping; I can only go into a shop once in a shopping trip; I need coffee, rests and if there are things to engage my brain whilst drinking said coffee then all the better!

I suspect you’re wondering why on earth I went now, but for all that I do love pretty things and new clothes, well, uh, MAGPIE over here! Also, more talks would have made my research a little easier – I know next to nothing about fashion but as a writer with a novel growing up my sleeve, I pretty much need know what I can and reading only gets you so far…

Oh how I wish I could afford a Digital SLR camera! My trusted Cannon Ixus 95 clearly wasn’t quite up to scratch for this occasion sadly and I swear by that camera normally.

I am already planning to go back next year so look out!