✨ The Fancy Ladies ✨

Well, I sure have some catching up to do here! This past month has been super busy (in a good way!) so this blog has been a little neglected. But now, cosy and comfortable in my pyjamas, with all pressing tasks completed, it seems like as good a time as any to write about a recent day out to London with some lovely people. Have you ever experienced a day where you're enjoying yourself so much you wonder if you ought to pinch yourself, just to make sure you're not dreaming? Yeah, it was one of those.

The weather has been largely unpredictable lately. I was expecting a really chilly day, but things turned out to be lovely and sunny on Saturday 25th March. I headed off into central London to meet up with Wing, Reina, and Memz, whose overall squad name is the Fancy Ladies, which I think is beyond adorable. They were the first people I ever really interacted with in the UK lolita community way back in 2011, and we've stayed in touch ever since, regardless of style changes! I used to always lament that I didn't see them often enough, and then one day, with my newfound desire to be more brave, I asked myself what was stopping me from seeing them more!? Thus, we arranged a fun little get together, and planned to meet outside Primark on Tottenham Court Road. From here, we headed off to try out a new-ish Japanese bakery called Kova Patisserie.

The prices were a bit steep for the portions, I felt, but I'm very much used to that in London. I decided to go for the Matcha Mille Crepe, which I'd been eyeing on their website for a couple of weeks!

It consisted of delicate layers of pancake, matcha cream, and a light dusting of matcha powder on top. It tasted very creamy and rich, and I couldn't help feeling rather indulgent. I had Earl Grey to drink (drinks options were pretty limited and they refused to serve water... yeah, the service wasn't the best) and it was a very good cup of tea... but I genuinely think my dessert would have gone much better with milk! Or perhaps a non-matcha cream poured on top would have complemented this well, for people like me for get overwhelmed by the bitter notes of matcha more easily. Still, I'm very glad I got to try this dessert as I've never had anything similar before! 

While we savoured our food, Memz gave me a little pep talk about job-hunting and networking, which made me feel more ready to take on the world! Sometimes, it's nice to have someone to say some encouraging words. It may be that you technically knew what you needed to be doing yourself, but having someone talk about it with you can often give you a new perspective that helps you to figure things out!

Immediately after we finished our matcha treats (there was no point staying... our seating consisted of high stools in a row in front of a long narrow bench top that made conversation exceedingly difficult) we decided to head off in the direction of Lazy Oaf for some shopping! We were all wearing something by the brand, so we made quite an entrance at the shop!

I love this mirror picture! We spent ages in there trying to decide what to buy, as well as making use of the cute decor for our snapshots.

Myself and Reina always seem to end up wearing matching colours or themes! This happened the last time we met up! I guess we both have a thing for red and black! Reina's convinced I should also live in London which, in all honesty, is one of those things I weigh up from time to time! We'll see!

I went for a really simple, cosy outfit consisting of my "Used to be Weird" dress, and the Disney x Lazy Oaf Mickey cardigan. It turned out to be perfect for lots of travelling and shopping!

Before leaving, a bag caught my attention. I tried it on, and spent ages umming and ahhing over whether or not to buy it, even though I clearly loved it and wanted it. Wing tried to convince me to get it, saying she was the same with these sorts of decisions, but I put it down, figuring I could always come back later. If it was still there, then it was definitely meant to be!

We made an obligatory visit to Art Box in Covent Garden, and our friend Aggie was working that day! We stood chatting and browsing the kawaii wares for a little while, and then headed a few doors down to Rokit Vintage, where we found a cute panda sweater and Minnie Mouse top. Neither were quite my style which was a shame as I loved the motifs! 

We eventually ended up in a café called Nordic Bakery, and were amazed to find the basement level largely empty. We ordered ourselves food as we were all feeling peckish, and were pleased to be able to sit across from one another, unlike at Kova! I wanted a veggie option, but all there seemed to be were cheese and pickles on bread! I tried and failed to get an artistic food shot of that! We sat talking for ages, and it was really nice to listen to their stories, vent about life, and have a good laugh. Wing and I shared our web design woes and puzzled over my site's lack of mobile responsiveness (though I've thankfully fixed it since then!) 

After a while I began wondering if I'd made a mistake by not getting the bag in Lazy Oaf, so they immediately suggested we go before it closed! We marched back to the shop and I went downstairs, expecting it to be gone, especially as it had been on sale. But no. It was still sat there, patiently waiting for me. I picked it up triumphantly and took it back upstairs to the till.

This is it. This is the bag that captured my heart! It's super fluffy, the perfect size for a day out, and has a zipped pocket for all your bits and bobs. The pom poms are on an elasticated string, so when you walk with the backpack on, they bounce around in the most darling fashion. The straps are very sturdy, and the top handle is perfect to hook onto your arm while you look for something in the bag. I am so glad I let everyone convince me it was worth going back and getting as a treat to myself!

We looked around in a few more shops, before ending up in the Disney Store. I regret not taking pictures of the Emma Watson "Belle" dolls they had in there. They were... pretty horrifying. They were supposed to portray her features, and yet they looked like grotesque, enraged caricatures, and I couldn't stop laughing. Absolutely wild. 

And then... it was time to head home! I stayed out way later than planned, and I loved every minute of it. It was so lovely to spend time with the Fancy Ladies, and I look forward to more adventures with them in the future!

Feel free to tell me whatever you want about how things are going for you lately in the comments! I'd love to hear about any nice days out you might have had, desserts/foods you've tried lately, or new purchases you might have made! As ever, thank you so much for reading, and I'll see you next time! ❤