San Francisco to London help!!!

Wow. I did not think fleece or no fleece would be a sensitive subject.

To clarify, the reason I asked was because, like gretel mentioned, we had been going back and forth regarding mens fashion, ie no shorts (I had no idea on this one), less conservativee suiting, no wind breakers. We would prefer not to stick out like American Tourist since we will be in London for the better part of this decade. However, on the same note I'm not giving up my beloved yoga pants of puffy vests, I just wanted to know how silly people would think I was if I wore them to the market (like I do here).

I appreciate all the insight regardless of how long someone has been in London. Everyone's experience is different and I appreciate everyone sharing theirs with me.

I sorry some of you find this discussion 'silly', but I have gained some valuable information from this conversation in regards to neighborhoods, cafes, wine bars, and yes, clothing. I believe this forum was created to help people find out more information about the UK and help prepare them for their moves, which is exactly what this forum and in particular this dicusiion has done. If my questions are so silly, feel free not to respond.

Ok, I give up. I've actually lived in Central London for the past 6 years but apparently I have no clue what I'm talking about.

It's not a competition. People are allowed to have different opinions/experiences!!

Wow. I did not think fleece or no fleece would be a sensitive subject.

 


Nor did I! honestly though, wear what you like, it's not a big deal in London.

Wow. I did not think fleece or no fleece would be a sensitive subject.

To clarify, the reason I asked was because, like gretel mentioned, we had been going back and forth regarding mens fashion, ie no shorts (I had no idea on this one)

He can always wear shorts if he wants to, but I would think he might be a little cold! I only find it warm enough to break out the shorts about 5 days a year (when/if it gets above about 75 degrees)... the rest of the year I live in jeans . The only other time I'll wear shorts is if I'm on vacation in another country where the weather is actually hot!

I don't live in London, but I wear my fleece all the time (most of my family wear them regularly - we're pretty outdoorsy people and go walking in the country and cycling quite a lot)... I just bought a new one actually because I'm off trekking in the Andes in a couple of weeks and fleeces and windproof jackets are pretty much a requirement .

London is so diverse that you're gonna get people from different cultures wearing all kinds of clothing there - just wear what you feel comfortable in and you should be fine. When I go over to the US (or anywhere else, for that matter), I like to wear my favourite clothes from the UK, even if they aren't in fashion over there .

Your questions aren't silly at all! It's natural for someone new to wonder about things like this. However, I don't think you need to worry about sticking out like a tourist. As others have said, London is a big, diverse city and you'll see all sorts of people there wearing all sorts of different clothing - including shorts! I find that London can get very hot in the summer, to be honest, so don't throw your shorts away! 

I live in London, a specific area in the UK where I and others have commented that styles are different than they are in the US. We have been having a lighthearted discussion about mainly men's fashion sense.  The original poster has joked about things in her husband's wardrobe which she is going to "misplace" in the move.  No one is telling her what she can and can't wear. 

I have lived in London for 6 years which I think is relevant to a discussion about what people are currently wearing in London. And that was what I was referring to when I mentioned how long I have lived in London.

[MOD NOTE]

Move along, people.

There is no right answer here.   Some people wear fleeces, some men wear shorts, some people don't wear fleeces.  You might stick out but it'll probably be for something that you'd never expect.  Bring your clothes that you like and feel comfortable in.  You'll figure out what you like and don't like wearing but there really are no hard and fast rules. 

But the bicker-fest portion of this thread is over and any other posts about who is right and who knows more are going to be deleted.  Nobody is right.

However, on the same note I'm not giving up my beloved yoga pants of puffy vests, I just wanted to know how silly people would think I was if I wore them to the market (like I do here).

I think you probably do see less people wearing things like that to the market here than you do on the West Coast (I'm from LA), but you won't stand out for it. 

OK, no more fashion talk, I promise.   

SFO, I want to go back to something you mentioned earlier...that you are looking for a neighborhood that will be comfortable for your dog.  I don't know how large your dog is and how far it is willing to walk for its relief breaks.  (My dog has short legs and is a dawdler as well, so our walking radius from home is usually pretty small.)  In central London you may have to walk some distance before you find a patch of dirt or grass.

On your map of London you will have noticed a lot of green spaces, many of which are public parks, but you should keep in mind that some of them (and in some neighborhoods, for example South Kensington, most of them) are private, for residents of that particular square.  And many of the private ones do not allow dogs, so even if you live in that square, you won't be able to bring your dog into the shared garden.  Or there may be a waiting list.  So you'll want to keep this in mind when checking out neighborhoods and flats.  I did not find our agents to be particularly knowledgeable about the local rules, so I had to walk around and read signs myself, and a bit of internet research helped as well.  For example, we looked at one place on a dog-friendly garden square, but when I emailed the local residents' association a very nice woman informed me that unfortunately the waiting list was rather long and it might be a year or longer before our dog could enter the garden.

Something that impressed me about Mayfair is that in addition to the obvious options of Hyde Park and Green Park, you are also allowed to take your dog into Grosvenor Square, Berkeley Square and Mount Street Gardens, which are all public spaces, and indeed I saw happy dogs being walked in all of these places.  

You should also bear in mind that public parks, including all of those I just mentioned, are closed between dusk and dawn.  There is a gate, and they lock it.  So in the winter when daylight hours are limited, you will need to have a backup plan, like curbing your dog (using the gutter) or training it to use a litter box indoors.  Or try to find a patch of dirt under a tree near your building, if you can.

I am not sure what the dog-friendly spots are in Marylebone, but perhaps someone else here will be able to advise you on that.   

Happy hunting!

I might cry if I had to get rid on them and my 'poofy vest',

Just a wee 'heads-up'. 
At least in my part of the UK, 'poofy' means 'gay' or 'effeminate'.
Not sure exactly what you mean by a 'poofy vest', but hoping you mean what I am wearing (in the house!) at this exact minute, which is a gilet.  A sleeveless jacket.   If it's quilted and stuffed, it's probably a 'puffa' jacket or puffa gilet.

I figured my days of wearing yoga pants and puffy vests while doing everyday errands woud be limited. I think SF is exceptionally more casual about this, including other places we had lived in the US.

Our dog is a city dog and is very use to going potty on sidewalks, streets, curbs, etc. There are small tree planters that are in our sidewalks and he likes to 'use' them. We did know about the private gardens, however, we didn't know that your dog had to be granted access. Thanks for the info!

We have narrowed the search to Marylebone, and from what I understand it is close to public parks. Is this right?

Of course in a perfect world we would love to find a place that had a private garden!

Just a wee 'heads-up'. 
At least in my part of the UK, 'poofy' means 'gay' or 'effeminate'.
Not sure exactly what you mean by a 'poofy vest', but hoping you mean what I am wearing (in the house!) at this exact minute, which is a gilet.  A sleeveless jacket.   If it's quilted and stuffed, it's probably a 'puffa' jacket or puffa gilet.

That is exactly what I am talking about and currently wearing 

Marylebone does have some private garden squares including Montagu Square, Bryanston Square, and Portman Square and they are lovely. You get a key to the garden if you rent a flat around the square.  However, there are usually rules which include no ball playing and no pets. But, yes Marylebone is close to both Regent's Park and Hyde Park which Re public parks.

Flats with outdoor space are rare in Marylebone and usually come at a premium but they do exist and with your budget you could certainly find one.

Although outdoor space is not too easy to find in Marylebone, you'll want to look for flats on the ground or lower ground floor. Or a maisonette which is on 2 floors. Our 1st flat in Marylebone was a maisonette on the ground(1st floor in the US) and lower ground(basement in the US). We didn't have outdoor space though which is generally referred to as "a garden".

We have been able to find some places that look nice on globrix.co.uk. We are trying to find outdoor space, but that is one thing we are able to be flexible on, three bedrooms is non-negotiable! Our dog has grown up in the city and is use to having to walk a few blocks in order to get any type of greener. He oddly prefers mulch to grass anyway. Silly City Dog.

We are currently debating renting vs buying, I think we are leaning towards buying. I don't think we really comprehended how expensive renting in London is! I think we will be getting a housing allowance so that will offest a mortgage.

I can't believe three weeks ago we were wrapped up in our remodel (luckily we aren't scheduled to start demo until April) and now that seems like a distant memory! I do tear up every time I look at the plans or have conversations regarding, what is going to happen to your house here!

Have a look at our money matters board regarding mortgages. Buying a place in London would be awesome but I think some people have had difficulty obtaining mortgages here if they don't have indefinite leave to remain here.  Not to say it can't be done, just something for you to look into.  Would you still be looking at somewhere as central as Marylebone if you're buying?

The problem with buying a flat is that you will have no credit history when you come here.  Yes, that's right, your US credit history does not follow you.  You are starting over building a credit history.  It is also just difficult to get a mortgage in general these days due to the current economic climate.  Some banks are asking for a minimum of 40% down.

Like you and your husband, we both came here as USCs on my husband's work permit.  We bought a place after we had been here for 3 years.  That was 2 years before we had indefinite leave to remain.

Here are some other property websites:

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/
http://www.primelocation.com/
http://www.findaproperty.com/


Some Marylebone Estate Agents:

http://www.druce.com/
http://www.harrislatner.co.uk/
http://www.kayandco.com/
http://www.manors.co.uk/
http://www.mcglashans.co.uk/
http://www.jeremy-james.co.uk/
http://www.lurotbrand.co.uk/

The last one specializes in mews houses which can sometimes have terraces or balconies.