Look Book: Summer in London 2019

Summer is always a great time for fashion, and 2019 has been no different.

We started the summer off right by attending the Courtauld's annual Summer Ball. We are suckers for any opportunity to get fancy. There was champagne (and white wine and red wine and whiskey and yes Jeordy was hungover the next day), food, dancing, and general revelry.

James: Though I usually enjoy wearing something a little more colourful to Black Tie events, on this occasion I went for a classic slim black tuxedo with a U-shaped waistcoat. The style of waistcoat was popular in the 20s and early 30s which I thought was appropriate to match with Jeordy's gown. With matching in mind I also wore a green pocket square.

Jeordy: I finally got the opportunity to wear this stunning vintage 1970s-does-30s starlet gown. I've had it for years but never worn it out before. It is the epitome of elegance and grace, and it was so exciting finally getting to wear it.

Dress: Vintage, gifted Handbag: Vintage, thrifted (£8) Shoes: Christian Louboutin, gifted Earrings: Vintage, thrifted (~$12)

For our second outing we gave our best 1960s vibes at the Mary Quant exhibit at the V&A.

James: Channeling the looks of 60s rock legends such as Mick Jagger, The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix I went for a late 60s outfit. The main feature of this outfit was the 1870s British Military jacket that belonged to one of my ancestors. I also wore a yellow shirt, a scarf stolen from Jeordy, my Uncle's 1970s flared Navy trousers and my old riding boots.

Jeordy: I wore a colour-block Mondrian-esque dress, and paired it with white stockings, baby blue heels, and accessories with a distinct mid-century vibe.

Dress: Thrifted (~£10) Heels: M&S (£25) Purse: Vintage (£12) Sunglasses: Tiger (£5)

Our next adventure was to the London Library for a night of Cahoots cocktails and London Blitz paraphernalia.

James: Dressing in no way 40s, I opted for a simple but chic 1960s look with a grey suit, black polo top and black shoes.

Jeordy: I wanted to wear something with clear 1940s inspiration but that wouldn't require too much effort. I chose my sheer navy blue dress cinched with a white belt to complement the white collar and buttons. It was my first time wearing my new Royal Vintage shoes, which I continued to wear for the rest of the summer.

Dress: Vintage, thrifted (~$15) Belt: Vintage, thrifted (£5) Shoes: Royal Vintage ($99) Bolero: Vintage, gifted

The next occasion of the summer was Jeordy's MA graduation!

Jeordy: It was a warm day, and I didn't want to be sweaty under a big synthetic robe, so I wore something light and airy. This vintage slip was the perfect option, allowing me to look stylish while keeping cool.

Dress: Vintage, gifted Jewellery Set: Antique, gifted Shoes: Royal Vintage ($99)

We finished up a beautiful day of celebrating at our favourite dumpling house, which looks like something from a Miyazaki film.

James: For a night of dumplings and cocktails I went for a simple Asian inspired workman look. I wore mu Uncle's 1970s navy blue Naval Engineer trousers, a plain white shirt and a Chinese button-knot shirt.

Jeordy: Naturally I decided to change out of my regalia for dinner with my family. I opted for a burgundy skirt brought all the way from Singapore from my best friend, and paired it with this vibrant floral blouse.

Blouse: Vintage, thrifted (~£5) Skirt: Gifted Earrings: Antique, gifted Shoes: Royal Vintage ($99)

We spent one day exploring touristy Camden with Jeordy's family before they ventured back to the U.S.

James: For a particularly warm day in London I wore this vintage Tiki Hawaiian shirt, embellished with hula girls, palm trees and coconut buttons. I paired it with a pair of blue checked suit trousers and a fedora.

Jeordy: My best friend left some of her luggage at our flat while visiting other parts of Europe. I jumped at the opportunity to wear something fresh, and kidnapped this amazing openwork dress for the day. I wore the black heels (of course) and an antique necklace. I particularly love this shot because it shows off all three of my tattoos at once!

Dress: Borrowed Necklace: Antique, gifted Earrings: Vintage, thrifted (~$12) Shoes: Miss Royal Vintage ($99)

London' s summer this year, though uncharacteristically warm, was also marked by monsoon-like rainfall.

James: On a particularly tropically warm yet wet day I was reminded of expatriates of the 20s and 30s living in remote corners of the world as described in novels, many of which seem to be written by Evelyn Waugh. I pulled out the umbrella from storage and seized the day in a grey double breasted suit jacket with a burgundy checked pattern, white trousers, a yellow shirt and pocket square and a red tie to match the red of the suit.

What better way to spend excruciating heat than in the water? Luckily for us, on the hottest day of the year (it reached 38 Celsius/101 Fahrenheit!) we were both free of obligations, and could take it easy. We finally visited the Hampstead Bathing Ponds, which had been on our to-see list for a while.

James: I wore a vintage yellow short sleeve shirt and colourful swimming trunks for a 1950s beach look.

Jeordy: Naturally, I wore my bathing suit on top of a thorough slathering of sunscreen. I had a vintage cotton sundress dress on before swimming, but chose not to wear it immediately aprés-swim. I did however don a floppy straw sunhat and corresponding black shoes to complete my swim ensemble.

Bathing suit: Cherries Swim, thrifted ($25) Sun hat: Primark (£4) Shoes: Royal Vintage ($99) Sunscreen: Neutrogena Sensitive Skin SPF 60+

One cloudy day we went on an outing to beautiful Stoke Newington.

James: I wore an outfit evocative of Tintin for a day about town with a white shirt, blue jumper, brown suit trousers and long tan trench coat. All I need now is a small white Wire Fox Terrier!

Jeordy: To emphasise the 1950s silhouette I was going for I decided to wear my corset, a choice which I regretted later. Props to you who can wear a corset on a bus/after a meal! I ended up unlacing mine on the bus home because I felt like my organs were going to combust. But darn did I look cute! I paired a pastel 1950s pink and white striped skirt with a mint green sweater, sheer stockings, a blue raincoat, and black accessories.

Sweater: Oasis, gifted Skirt: Vintage, gifted Coat: Black Rivet, gifted Shoes: Royal Vintage ($99)

Corset: What Katie Did (£139) Petticoat: Thrifted (£5) Stockings: M&S (~£10) Purse: Vintage, thrifted (£12)

We decided to wear new additions to our summer wardrobes on a day out to trendy Coal Drops Yard.

James: There is little that says English Summer to me more than a 20s Summer garden party, with bunting and scones.With this mind I put together an outfit fit for a 20s summer party. I wore the latest addition to my wardrobe, a pale blue and white striped linen blazer, with my pink suit waistcoat and trousers. I finished the look with a blue and white checked tie, spectator shoes, pink socks and my vintage 1920s English straw boater hat.

Jeordy: This was a 'just because' outfit. I wanted to show off my new trousers, and show them off I did. I paired them with a white top and blue silk neckerchief, as well as baby blue heels and a vintage handbag. Pastels are supreme any time of year.

Top: M&S, thrifted (£6) Silk tie: Thrifted, (~£2) Trousers: Vivian of Holloway (£47) Shoes: M&S (£25) Purse: Vintage, thrifted (~$15) Sunglasses: ATTCL (£12)

For a causal outing to a local park, we donned decidedly themed attire.

James: I put together this outfit staying true to my 'vintage archaeologist just returning from the field' aesthetic. Posing next to some bamboo added to the effect. I wore a vintage cream blazer with vintage waistcoat and trousers, a blue striped shirt, yellow tie and vintage panama hat that belonged to my grandfather.

Jeordy: This outfit was created thanks to the Vintage Summer Challenge on Instagram. The prompt was 'Edwardian,' a style I don't often dress in. I was really pleased with how it turned out, especially since every item is secondhand! I wore a 1970s-does-Edwardian blouse with a green velvet maxi skirt, and Edwardian inspired boots. This outfit was all about the accessories: a straw hat, pearl drop earrings, an antique cameo brooch, a green silk scarf, and white vintage crocheted gloves.

Blouse: Vintage, thrifted (~$10) Skirt: Vintage, thrifted (~£5) Boots: Thrifted ($13) Hat: Thrifted (£2) Earrings: Vintage, thrifted (~$12) Cameo: Antique, family heirloom Silk Scarf: Vintage, thrifted (£1) Crocheted Gloves: Vintage, gifted

One of the highlights of this summer was James' birthday. It was spent exploring Hastings for a surprise day trip.

James: For my birthday I went for a relatively simple and light outfit for a day of wandering. I wore my pink linen suit, a blue shirt and vintage blue tie with spectator shoes. pink and light blue are probably my favourite summer colour combinations which is why elements of the two are seen in a number of outfits. I am lucky enough to have a pink suit and plenty of blue shirts and ties to make this happen.

Jeordy: For our trip to Hastings I wanted an airy summer look that I wouldn't get a sunburn in. So, I pulled the same trick I've been using all summer and wore a vintage dirndl blouse underneath a sleeveless dress. This way I was cool, looked very vintage, and didn't burn my delicate shoulders despite spending hours in the sun.

Dress: Vintage, thrifted (~£10) Top: Vintage, (£15) Shoes: Royal Vintage ($99) Hat: Primark (£4) Necklace: Vintage, thrifted (£8) Sunglasses: Vintage, stolen from James

As August drew to a close, we scrambled to get out and do a few more summery things before it was too late. One afternoon we ventured out to a bar in Coal Drops Yard to work on the blog with cocktails and gelato.

James: For an afternoon sipping Milano style cocktails and eating gelato I opted for a sharp italian style with a white suit, black shoes and a black shirt with white polkadots.

Jeordy: I was eager to wear some items that were new to my wardrobe. I finally found a lemon dress (I've been pining after one for years) at the beginning of summer, and have been wearing it as much as possible. The white heels I actually found in Hastings a few days prior, and seized the opportunity to see them in action. I finished the mediterranean ensemble with pearl stud earrings, my black mid-century leather handbag, a costume jewellery necklace, and lipstick with an orange tone.

Dress: H&M, thrifted (£12) Shoes: Vintage (£5) Earrings: Gifted Handbag: Vintage, thrifted (£12) Necklace: Vintage, gifted