A day out in Victoria, London

I met my girlfriends for a birthday celebration on Saturday and as we had a reservation at M Victoria for a late lunch we chose to meet and mooch around the area beforehand. As I travel up from the South Coast it's very convenient for me but, apart from the shops located inside the train station, it's not the most appealing destination to do some retail therapy. So here's my guide on how I whiled away almost 12 hours in Victoria.

First stop was House of Fraser, Victoria, marketed as a premium department store, which to be honest with Selfridges and Harrods not too far way, is a bit of a push. I must admit I prefer a John Lewis over a HOF any day of the week so it was quite nice to have the opportunity to wander around this overlooked department store.

Apart from the usual collection of brands on their  fashion floor, Mango, Coast, Hobbs, they have their own brand Linea, left, and Hallhuber, a German brand that's always worth a look. 

I was in there at around 11am and it was very, very quiet, perfect if you have time for a makeover or just want a more relaxed shopping experience, compared say to Oxford Street. See my HOF Fashion Summer picks below.

---

Whistles Imie Amena Print tiered dress £195
Love Moschino 'I love you' Flap over Bag £155
Michael Kors Darby Flat Espadrille sandal £140

Then I went to meet up with the others at a small artisan cafe at the back of HOF, Iris & June, No. 1 Howick Place, see top pics. Unfortunately for them when I arrived their coffee machine had malfunctioned, but a filter coffee and healthy green smoothie sufficed until it was back up and running!! The brunch looked great too, although with a pending lunch booking, we made do with some toast and preserves. 

M Victoria

My friend had booked a lunch deal from Bookatable at M Restaurant, Victoria. On arrival the Wine store frontage was very promising but as we went downstairs the noise of the 'Sports' bar was overwhelming  to say the least, and large groups watching the Rugby, participating in drinking games, wasn't what we were expecting!

Thankfully when we were led to our table, situated in the Grill, it was a much calmer atmosphere and more appropriate for a birthday lunch. Being a Free Flowing Prosecco deal it had a Set Menu but I enjoyed the Sea bream main and Mango dessert I plumped for. I'm not sure I would return as I preferred Aster, a Nordic/French cuisine cafe and restaurant just up the road, but it had rave reviews so it was a tick in the box. 

Zara Leather Sling back Espadrilles £29.99

Zara Raffia Embroidered Slogan 'Welcome Summer' Espadrilles £29.99

We then had time for a spot of shopping and visited Mango, Zara, Jones and M&S. I'd seen these Zara espadrilles, above, online so wanted to try them both on in the flesh before purchasing. As it was I preferred the backless pair for comfort and the embroidered pair for look so I left without buying either of them. In hindsight I think the black Leather fringe espadrilles will update a lot of my go to Summer looks so I should have taken the plunge!

M&S Collection Double Breasted Coat now £84

M&S Limited Cotton Striped Shirtdress now £23

We also perused the sale racks at M&S; I'm always on the look out for 100% cashmere or Autograph and Limited Edition collection sale items, usually reduced because they are too 'Fashion' forward for the traditional M&S customer. An Autograph Camel coat caught my eye but they didn't have my size, then I saw this M&S Collection Camel coat with cashmere, above, which was a good fit in a size 10, so for £84 thought it would bridge the gap in my wardrobe until I can afford my lust item, the Joseph Wool and Cashmere Blend Coat at £595!

I also found this Limited Edition striped shirtdress with ties, at £23, a bargain for a one season 'Fashion' item, to wear with white leather pumps. I'd also take it on holiday as a beach cover up. 

Then when the girls headed home the hubby and kids met me for the evening performance of Wicked, a bucket list item I realised could easily be crossed off as a family outing now the youngest had watched Disneys 'Oz, The Great and Powerful' without the ensuing nightmares!

A great show for all the family, but the late night meant the school run was a push this morning! All in all there's more to do in Victoria than I first thought and if you have a long leisurely lunch, as we did, the hours will fly by.

For my day out I went smart/casual, and wore my Massimo Dutti cream silk shirt, my Ralph Lauren Cargo Khaki trousers, Zara Trenchcoat, similar to the one in todays outfit builder, cream Chanel bag, Adidas Originals Hamburg Pearl/Grey shoes, Lulu Guinness London print Tiny Umbrella, and the same 'Duchess Street' Red nail polish. 

Here's a similar look with Zara's new Camouflage Cargo trousers and this gorgeous Coccinelle New Season bag with contrast Leather and Fabric mix. To shop the outfit click on the links below and thanks for stopping by.

Zara Double Breasted Trenchcoat £79.99
& Other Stories Classic silk shirt £65
Zara Camouflage Cargo trousers £39.99
Adidas Originals Hamburg shoes £74.95
Coccinelle Cross-over bag in Leather and Fabric £250
Lulu Guinness Lipstick Handle and Lip print umbrella £29
​Nails Inc One coat gel nail polish 'Duchess Street' £13