The Royal Armouries Leeds - A Great Free Museum To Visit

It's half term and I've got visitors for a few days. Danny's family are up in Leeds until Tuesday so we've planned in some touristy fun. Yesterday we went shopping in Leeds City Centre (in the snow!) and today we've been to the Royal Armouries at Clarence Dock. I think tomorrow will include a visit to Tropical World (which will no doubt result in another blog post!).

The Armouries are a great museum to visit, not only because it is free, but because it's great fun, loads to see (we spent over 2hrs there) and there are always events on, especially during half terms. On our visit there were various Chinese New Year themed events including a Chinese New Year animal petting zoo (a somewhat tedious link methinks) and Lion dancing, which we managed to see a bit of.

The Royal Armouries most famous piece: the Henry VIII horned helmet

Helmet, complete with nose and moustache :)

Elephant armour in the Oriental gallery

Chinese New Year Lion Dancing

The V&A museum - floral fashion inspiration

I recently spent two weeks living in London with my lovely older sister The Style PA. I was on a university research placement, but when the hard work was over I did a bit of sight-seeing in the capital. I have been to most museums in London, but one that I had never visited was the Victoria and Albert museum, so I went along one day after finishing placement...

It was an absolutely glorious day and I sat out in the courtyard enjoying the sunshine and the beautiful building.

I found myself strangely drawn to the chintz... I think I was definitely born in the wrong era, aside from women being unable to study anything other than embroidery and piano forte, questionable medical "advancements", slavery, the lack of cupcakes, and of course the pain of corsets, I would have loved to live in the 1700's and wear big gowns like these!

However, while admiring these gorgeous dresses it did strike me that there are some similarities with the patterns and styles that are big in high street fashion at the moment... after all fashions come full circle and make comebacks...

Little Mistress Floral Dress £24.99 from New look... here

Paprika Floral Dress £24.00 from new look... here

Trollied Dolly Cutie Pie Dress £55.00 from Oliver Bonas... here

Jarlo Pink and Yellow Rose Dress £69.00 from Oliver Bonas... here

So, perhaps, after a bit of careful consideration... it is best that I live in the here and now and enjoy the best bits of past fashions from a distance.... and live in a world where Cath Kidston and banoffee pie exists!