“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life,” Samuel Johnson famously said of the capital. And though Georgian-era pickpockets have been replaced by phone-snatchers on electric bikes, over two centuries later, the sentiment still rings true – particularly, I would argue, when it comes to the city’s fashion scene.
Having lived in London for almost three decades, I never tire of observing the sartorial comings and goings of its inhabitants, and the idiosyncrasies unique to each neighbourhood and its resident social groups. Of course, the idea that London is home to a variety of fashion tribes is hardly new – think of the teddy boys, the hippies, the punks and the grunge set – however it does seem to have intensified in recent years. Call it the algorithm effect, call it Uniqlo sling bag syndrome, but we all seem to want to find our “people”; our very own fashion starter pack community with whom we can exchange knowing memes and self-referential TikToks.
Parody accounts like @socks_house_meeting have east London tropes covered, but as a south Londoner, I feel it my duty to observe, David Attenborough-like, the wardrobe choices of the fashion fan who lives south of the river. And though we are not yet in May, I believe I may have already identified the uniform of the lesser-spotted south London girlie for summer 2025.
It goes like this: a baby tee, wide-leg linen trousers, Birkenstock Bostons, and oval sunnies. When out and about on the streets of south London at the weekend, I spotted not one, not two, but in excess of 10 people in this exact outfit combination. Linen trousers and Boston clogs are to south London girls what cargo trousers and Adidas X Wales Bonner sneakers are to east Londoners. Discuss.
And before you @ me proclaiming #notallsouthlondoners, I ask that you spend 15 minutes on Peckham Rye or in Brockwell Park on a sunny Saturday, and then come back to me. Here’s to a Boston clog summer.
