UK Clothing Sizes

I am paranoid that I will find no clothes when I am in London. I want to have English clothes, so that I don't perpetually look like a tourist. I am convinced, though, that I am a giant American bound to have to go naked. I have recently discovered this is not true. After culling the websites of British retailers like Debenham's, Boden, and others- I have discovered that I am securely in the "regular" category. It's a bit different than being assigned a number in the US system (though admittedly, the numbers vary from shop to shop, and I have a variety of numbers living in my closet).

Being an ardent feminist, I must consider whether being branded "regular" is good or not? The other categories are "slim" and "curvy." The delightful Brits then qualify the system further, by asking if you are "tall" or "petite" and ask what shape you are (pear, hourglass, etc). Sure, American retailers often ask this to "aid" (more like trap) you in deciding what styles to choose. The Brits though seem to live by this slim-regular-curvy system. Is slim-regular- curvy better than the US small-medium-large mantra? Should one be proud to be regular? Or is regular lesser than say slim? Certainly the "curvy" designation is friendlier than Large/Xlarge, right? And just to be extra confusing, the numbers are all four off from the usual American numbers. Hmmm....

Pictures from Mr. Radar's House Hunting Trip

Mr. Radar is in London on a house hunting trip, has sent me some pictures of Balham and Clapham South from his iPhone. Not the best quality, but it gives better detail into the housing stock than what I could find on the internet.





I'm so excited. The brick Victorians were exactly what we are looking for. You can't tell from the pictures, but Mr. Radar informs me that these pictures were taken on the edge of Clapham Common- the giant park.
Let's hear from Mr. Radar himself:
"I really like the area. There are a variety of small shops several coffee shops and the area is quite large. The area around the tube station is lively and the residential streets look clean and kept. There is a great mixture of families, students, etc. I think you will like this area."

Bring on the Wellies!

Yep, I've always harvested an inner desire to look like the Morton Salt girl. London is finally my excuse to buy Wellies, raincoat, and matching umbrella. I really do think it's necessary. One problem: I hate yellow. It has to be my least favorite color. So, here is my take on rainy day attire.

Raincoat by Boden UK


Hunter Wellies in Turqoise


Lindy Lou Domed Umbrella

Mind the Gap

Mind the language gap, that is. I'm currently searching for books to help us adjust to the Queen's English. I don't want to accidently insult someone's grandmother. My goal is to brush up on the Brits before taking off for Old Blighty. Here are a few books I think might help. I will review the books in a later post.


I'm definitely getting "Rules, Britannia" by Tony Summers Hargis.



I'm also considering an anthropology text, "Watching the English: The Hidden Rules of English Behaviour" by Kate Fox


"Brittania in Brief" looks like it would be good for someone going on holiday.

New city, new neighborhood

We put together a little wish list for our new neighborhood in London. Finding a neighborhood that fits is a tall order. We value civic engagement, green space, transportation links, and friendliness. Finding a neighborhood in London with these qualities will be difficult, but we're up for the challenge.

Here is our wish list, in order of importance.

1) Price is very important. We have a budget specified by Mr. Radar's employer. Although this budget is generous, London is expensive and some areas are simply out of our price range. Adorable Notting HIll, trendy SoHo, and posh Chelsea are out of the picture.
2) Proximity to Mr. Radar's office. We would like to find something within a 1.5 mile radius of his office, located in Camden Town, North London.
3) We need at least two bedrooms and a decent sized kitchen.
4) Neighborhood character. We want something with access to pubs, markets, and a park to walk our dog.
5) Modest garden for our dog, Buddy.

University College London, where Mr. Radar will work.

*image courtesy of http://ucl.ac.uk

Our wish list is pretty big, I know. From scoping out online lettings sights, I know that there are flats & terrace homes available in our price range that satisfy all of our criteria.

Neighborhoods in consideration: Islington, Kings Cross, Canonbury, Kentish Town, Tuffnell Park, and Holloway. We also like Swiss Cottage and St. John's Wood, but they are a little farther from Mr. Radar's office than we would prefer.

And so it begins...

Beginnings and ends always seem to be filled with boxes. Fragile ones, heavy ones, dreaded ones. Some boxes-filled with pictures and memories-bring delight. Others contain unwanted items never to be seen again. Today, there are boxes everywhere, imposing order on chaos.



I am moving. In fact, we are moving across the pond. I'm following my husband, Mr. Radar to the land of fish and chips. I have about 7 weeks to grab all my stuff, my dog, and my husband- and hop a plane to another world. I'm not really the expatriate or adventuresome type. I'm a wife, writer, and urban advocate. Mr. Radar is a bit of a mad-scientist, and is taking a three year research assignment in London. Many friends have asked me to chronicle our time in London.

This blog is my attempt. In the next weeks, I anticipate struggles as we say goodbye to our beloved home, bid our friends farewell for now, and try to navigate through our new world- sans a few boxes, of course.