A fairy tale for the modern generation

Musing the bleak state modern romance, Carrie Bradshaw famously states,

“Then I realized, no one had told her about the end of love in Manhattan… No one has breakfast at Tiffany's, and no one has affairs to remember. Instead, we have breakfast at seven a.m., and affairs we try to forget as quickly as possible!” Cinderella stories are well and truly a thing of the past, if they ever really existed in the first place...

However, thanks to the example of women like Carrie, women everywhere have learned to make their own fairly tales come true!

A week ago, on a very wet and windy London day I set about making my very own fairy tale a reality and like most modern remakes, things are often now what you may expect…

My ‘Prince’ Charming

With two ugly step sisters and an evil step mother, it was no wonder that dear old Cinders wanted to find her Prince Charming. But the reality is that while HABs (Husbands and Boyfriends) are great, they are pretty rubbish at most of the things that we girls enjoy! They are terrible at shopping, struggle to walk in high-heeled shoes and get really angry if you paint their nails in this seasons hottest shade (even if you do it when their sleeping to save them the inconvenience)!

With endless changing-room patience and the perfect combination of honesty and compliments the modern fairly tale companion has to be your mum, sister or your best friend! Who else would happily take on the streets of London for you in torrential rain!

So with my fairly tale companion in tow…off we went!

You will go to The Ball…

With the exception of current trend for School Proms, for most of us, the closest we will ever get to a ‘Ball’ will be on a football pitch. Our generation has traded the pomp and circumstance of gloves, gowns and the quickstep for bandage dresses, stilettoes and dancing around our handbag!

Thankfully, The Berkeley provides an experience that will leave you feeling like a princess. Their Prêt-à-Portea Fashionista afternoon tea has all the ceremony you could possibly desire, as their wonderful team make you feel like the most important guest in the hotel. The luxurious surrounding of the Caramel Room also lends itself to any kind of dress. Look effortlessly chic in jeans with a crisp white t-shirt, or throw yourself into the elegance of the environment with 1950’s style tea dress and high heels. Take your pick Cinderella…I opted for a fashion favourite with my trusty Kenzo sweater with skinny jeans.

Fashion will almost certainly be on your mind as you tuck into the delicious treats on offer! Once you’ve polished off the sandwiches and canapés, you can them move onto the cakes. If they didn’t taste so nice, it would break your heart to eat them… Inspired by the season’s most desirable garments, tasting these dainties is an experience not to be missed!

Given the fact we’re told we eat with our eyes, food and fashion must be a marriage made in heaven! No one knows this more than pâtissière Stefi Jakab who created this fabulously fun shoe cake. Cake decorating is an amazing way to indulge your inner fashion designer and get creative, and if you’ve been inspired by these delicious dainties, Stefi Jakab’s classes will show you how to bring your imagination to life!

Finding your very own 'Glass Slipper'

Cinderella found her happy ending together with some stunning footwear. Following in the well-soled footsteps of my heroine; I continued my own fairy tale with a quest to find the perfect footwear but like Cinderella, the road to my ‘glass slipper’ was not an easy one!

Perfectly positioned in Knightsbridge, the Berkeley is a mere hop, skip and a jump to the shoe heaven that is Harrods, which is where we found ourselves next. The stunning collection has everything the aspiring princess could possibly desire but unlike dainty footed Cinders, my size 41 feet represented the biggest glass slipper barrier!

The first shoe that really caught my eye was this metallic number from Dior. Playfully designed with two different shaped shoes, and Dior’s signature ‘common’ heel I wanted them the moment I saw them. You can imagine my disappointment when the lovely assistant explained there was none left in my size and went on to use those two words no one wants to hear in this situation…’Limited Edition’. It would seem it was not meant to be!

Next I came across a lovely designer, previously unknown to me. Rene Caovilla’s entire range is how you may imagine the of shoes worn by a Grecian goddess or an Arabian princess. Glistening with Crystals and sporting her trademark fine glitter sole, I’m certain that Cinderella herself would have eBay’ed her famous shoes for a pair of these sparkly beauties...

However, once again…’I'm sorry madam, none available in a 41’.

Somewhat forlorn, we made our way to the escalators, but on our way happened upon the new Christian Louboutin concession. The display area is reminiscent of a Barbie dream house, instantly bringing out the overgrown child in me – the main factor responsible for the events that followed.

Following the bad shoe-size luck I had experienced, I didn’t see any danger in requesting to try on a pair of Fifi spike’s. These rather elaborate shoes have been a high on the ‘I want it, but can’t afford it’ list for some time, but in the back of my mind was the fact that they probably wouldn’t have them or they wouldn’t fit properly. I was wrong; as they slipped easily on to my feet I knew I had to have them…even if it meant living on super noodles for the next month and eBay-ing half my wardrobe!

30 minutes later, and safely on the Central line, I pondered my perfect fairy tale. Amazing shoes, tasty cakes and my mum to share the experience! Who could ask for more!

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