After Audrey

A few weeks ago, my dear Mama and I went on shopping together on Portobello Road for my birthday. We started out at What Katie Did, getting me kitted out with a full vintage underwear ensemble, which was great fun. We then carried on to browse various shops and stalls at the north end of the market. The day ended up turning into quite the shopping spree as the right things kept cropping up and I let my mother indulge me. (I did also buy her a friendship bracelet as a memento of our fun day, so it wasn't all about me...)

By coincidence, the shopping trip ended up taking on quite an Audrey Hepburn theme. Firstly, my fancy was captured by a print of Audrey by an illustrator called Stanley Chow at one stall. I pondered it for a while, before opting to have a wander and return if I decided I wanted it.

In the meantime, we tried on some clothes here and there, and stumbled across a lovely little black dress  with a rather '60s evening/cocktail feel, at a great price and with a great fit. After buying that, I remembered a fun necklace I'd seen on the way into the market, and wondered if it might go nicely with the dress. People were starting to pack up this point, and I thought we may have missed out, but happily the stall was still there. And the necklace fit perfectly with the dress! I was pleased, as I felt the two together made a sort of nod - without being a patent copy of - Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's. The dress was a classic look, while the necklace brought a slightly unusual, modern element to things.

This weekend, I had the opportunity to bring them together for the first time when I went out to Piano, a piano bar in Kensington, with The Cat as part of my birthday celebrations. I teamed the dress and necklace with the amazing vintage Dior gloves my mother got me as another birthday present (ain't she wonderful?), my What Katie Did suspender belt and seamed stockings, kitten heels from Jones Bootmaker and 'pearl' earrings (a Christmas present from my mother years ago).

We had a great night out too, enjoying the jazz and the atmosphere. It was a lovely, chilled Sunday night vibe but we're now planning to go back one night in the week, when there's apparently a pianist who takes requests and a sort of open mic set up. Sounds fabulous!

Oh, and back to the shopping spree... My mother talked me into letting her get me the Audrey print in the end as well.