For Your Consideration: Kurt Geiger Opens in the West Village

I've been to London a handful of times, and one thing that I'll say about the city is that it's an INCREDIBLE shopping town. Whether my stops are high street or ultra-luxe, I always leave feeling a lot lighter in the wallet. And while I hit many of the classically British department stores like Harrods and Selfridges for shoes, a perennial stop on my UK shopping itinerary has also been Kurt Geiger, a quintessentially London footwear + accessories brand with - until a recent acquisition by The Jones Group (parent company to Nine West, Rachel Rachel Roy, B Brian Atwood and so many other brands) - had no outposts in the U.S.

But, suffer no longer, friends! Kurt Geiger's new West Village store opened last month, and it's worth a visit for the signature shoe chandelier ALONE, but also boasts, essentially, "everything but the dress," i.e. a bold assortment of shoes for both men and women (mostly women, which is fine by me, KG), along with sleek bags and an edited assortment of jewelry.

Brands - all unique to Kurt Geiger - include, in close-to descending price order, Kurt Geiger London, KG Kurt Geiger, Carvela Kurt Geiger and Miss KG. The most expensive is, uncoincidentally, the best made and also unsurprisingly my favorite, but there are gems to be found in each collection. I left the store with the Elliot in Nude, a super sexy pump boasting a sleek metal cigarette heel (available online in White for $335 here).

Visit Kurt Geiger in the heart of the West Village at 375 Bleecker or online, here.

Kurt Geiger Elliot in Nude Patent

Observed: More London Style Essentials

Another day in London for me and another day spent surreptitiously checking out other women (to see what they're wearing, of course - you know you do it too) on the tube and in the streets.

Overall, the vibe here is just so much more low-maintenance than New York. In addition to the trends I noted in yesterday's post - printed and patterned tights, coatigans, flat boots, etc. - I've also noticed a plethora of leather jackets (on guys and girls alike), denim minis (and we're talking VERY mini in most cases), great wool coats (it's very chilly!) and inexplicably, little white sneakers, a la the classic Keds.

I must say, I can get down with almost everything...but the Keds are a conundrum. What do you think?

Observed: The London Look

When people talk about stylish cities, London frequently ranks pretty high on the list, so I've been paying close attention to the street style here.

A few trends definitely seem to be part of the London look for practical reasons. i.e. The city is pretty brisk for most of the year, so tights in myriad patterns, colors and weights are definitely part of the style lexicon.

Sweaters (also known as "jumpers") are also a layering must - be it a vintage (oh yeah - and vintage abounds too!) pullover with a heavy dose of irony or the new "coatigan" - that's a cross between a coat and a long cardigan.

London, of course, is a walking city, so the footwear here is inexplicably much more practical than New York (inexplicable because the latter is also a walking city - but perhaps its women are more willing to suffer?) - flat boots and booties abound, as do low heeled and quirky pumps, mary janes and oxfords.

It's often said that trends start here in the UK, and if there's any truth to that, I think we'll be seeing even more capes next fall. I've spotted a few amazing ones on stylish Londonites - and they're available at every price point in stores, from high street (i.e. Marks & Spencer) to Harrod's.

What's the most stylish city you've ever visited? Tell me about it in the comments!