I hope you don’t mind, but I’m going to kick this newsletter off with a bit of a moan about London – specifically how it is, on paper, supposed to be this 24-hour global metropolis, but everything shuts so damn early. As you’ll be aware, most of our international counterparts (New York, Hong Kong etc.) do not operate like this. In the rest of Europe, people are just settling down for dinner while our restaurants are calling last orders. Over in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, where my dad lived until recently, restaurants’ peak hours were around 10pm and most public spaces would be open until midnight, sometimes later.

Maybe it’s because I’m single, childfree and work in an industry where going out is part of the job that London’s sleepy nightlife scene irks me so much. A paternalistic, ‘lights out’ culture is bad for a young woman’s romantic, social and professional life, and therefore her overall wellbeing. But it is also a macro issue – and one apparently bad enough that last year Sadiq Khan felt compelled to set up a Nightlife Taskforce and request additional powers from the government to support the nightlife economy. (The tricker equation is really getting ‘Nimby’ residents on side.)

As Rebecca Dolan wrote last summer in GQ, there’ve been a few glimmers of hope lately, with some newer openings in the city making the concerted effort to extend their hours. It was actually this piece that inspired me to scour for a few more and create today’s list of places in London where you can eat, drink, dance and be merry well into the night.

The criteria to be considered for this late-night London guide is as follows: if it’s a restaurant, you have to be able to order food past 10pm on a Friday or Saturday. For places serving drinks, they have to be open past midnight. It’s a fairly low bar, to be honest – but one that an embarrassing number of spots in the city do not pass. (I’m sure any Berliners reading this must think we are absolute wimps – and they would be right!)

As I’d hope you’d expect from Late Filing, these are also the sort of bars and restaurants you’d want to patronise at any time of day, not just because they’re the only places open. In fact, for some of them, going at 10pm is probably your best shot at getting a table. All of them have been vetted by myself or someone whose taste and judgment I trust. Credit in particular to my friend Alia Abdulla, a woman-about-town who more than fits that description and who shared some great intel.

FYI: the full list of 20 late-night spots is for paid subscribers. If you fancy upgrading, it’s just £5 a month, which gets you full access to The Digest on Thursday and a feature like this every weekend.

Central

Below Stone Nest in Soho

Open until 2am

Around the corner from the chaos of Charing Cross Road, Below Stone Nest is an underground drinking den designed by Jermaine Gallacher. It’s run by Frank and Jackson Boxer, with the latter presiding over the food (mostly snacks and small plates). From 10pm until close, you can order from a limited late-night menu that includes aubergine and miso skewers, grilled ham sandwiches and white Russian ice cream. Lines start forming outside later in the night, and last entry is at 1am. I’ve found the crowd is pretty young – mid to late twenties, which makes me feel like an elder. But, on the upside, people actually get up and dance.

Osteria Vibrato in Soho

Open until midnight (kitchen open until 10.45pm)

Opera singer turned restaurateur Charlie Mellor is a big proponent of late-night dining, hence why the kitchen at his new restaurant stays open until 10.45pm (11pm if you’re lucky). Located on Greek Street in Soho, Osteria Vibrato, which opened in February, is modelled on an old-school Italian osteria, with white tablecloths and candelabras. The menu switches up regularly, but expect classics from every region, such as veal tartare from Piemonte, pansotti in a walnut sauce from Liguria and aged ricotta from Sardinia.

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Welcome back to The Digest, a weekly roundup newsletter from Late Filing that covers shopping, culture, going out and talking points.

In today’s issue, I have: the collab between one of London’s coolest bookshops and one of its best-looking hotels; ‘finance for hot girls’ and girlboss podcasts; a discount for the Healf festival; that wedding; the truly insane salaries of junior lawyers at American firms in London; content creator millionaires; the blockbuster exhibition I enjoyed way more than I expected; a taste of Marseille in Westbourne Park; and what South Korea can tell us about the future of dating.

The Edit

Nine things worth shopping this week

1. I have a new (to me, at least) homeware discovery: a British rug brand called Pelican House. If you’re a fan of Nordic Knots, I’m confident you’ll like these guys. Also, the creative director used to work at de Gournay. £2,799.60

2. I wore this fun maxi halter dress from ME+EM to a very casual wedding reception in a pub at the weekend and was lavished with compliments from friends. I can see myself getting a lot more wear out of it once the weather’s a bit less grim. I like it with flat sandals and a shirt around the waist. £125

3. One of my most worn items is a crinkly shirt from Nanushka that fits like a glove, works for the office but also drinks, and requires no ironing. This seersucker dress from them has the same sort of vibe. (There’s a shirt version too.) £180 (originally £445)

4. I’ve had this Jil Sander bag on my Net-A-Porter wishlist for at least a year and now it’s 30% off. Please buy it before I’m tempted to. £738 (originally £1,230)

5. This Emilia Wickstead taffeta skirt is 40% off. It’s still incredibly expensive. But it’s Emilia Wickstead. And it’s 40% off. £492 (originally £820)

6. There’s so much good stuff in the Simkhai sale (including this wholly perfect minidress that I featured a while back and am no less obsessed with). If you fancy something you’ll get lots of wear out of come autumn, this knitted polo is pretty cool too. £190 (originally £375)

7. I’m still in love with the Ceres dress from Tove that I featured in the summer wishlist a couple weeks ago. But if you’re not much of a dress person, you could try their equally pretty Ruhi top. £395

8. Wales Bonner has an archive sale on. My pick is a pair of her tracksuit bottoms, which I consider a wardrobe classic. I get tonnes of wear out of mine. £275 (originally £550 – also available on Harvey Nichols)

9. I have a big summer hosting edit in the works (nothing frothy), which will likely feature a few bits from Service Projects. I probably don’t eat enough ice cream to warrant buying a dedicated ice cream cup but guess what? I still want it. £25

P.S. This section contains affiliate links which means if you end up making a purchase I may earn some commission, at absolutely no cost to you. I only recommend stuff I like and I always link to the best price I can find, regardless of affiliates.

Going Out

Places and experiences worth leaving the house for

• I visited the NoMad Hotel for the first time in forever this week and forgot how much I liked it. (I once had the most incredible lymphatic treatment in one of their rooms with Ricari, which has since moved to the Peninsula.) I was there to check out the already wonderful – underrated, really – library which now has a section curated by Tenderbooks (the independent arts and culture bookshop on Cecil Court). The plan is to have a rotating display from them that’s inspired by the neighbourhood for you to browse. And in reception, there’s also a selection of titles, including one on Peter Hujar I was eyeing up, that are available for purchase.

• British-Japanese cook Millie Lagares is doing another one-night-only takeover – this time at Quality Wines Farringdon on 28 June.

• Good news: I have a Healf festival discount for you. If you fancy going along next week, you can get 25% off tickets with the code 25HX. I’ll be there both days.

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Unless you’re reading this from your corner office at Anthropic or were clever enough to have picked a job that’s completely impervious to automation, chances are that at some point this year you’ve felt a little nervous about the future of your career. I’ve personally experienced my fair share of upheaval and uncertainty over the years as someone who started out in editorial: magazine closures, the rise of digital and social amid the steady decline of print. Like many people, I was also furloughed and then made redundant during the pandemic. Artificial intelligence feels like an entirely new beast, though – and one that’s shapeshifting by the hour. It says something that even my friends in the cushy ‘stable’ careers are a bit panicked. I don’t think any of us expected the CompSci grads to be among the first on the chopping block.

A few weeks ago in The Digest, I wrote about reading a ‘girlboss’ book that I felt didn’t quite meet the moment. I’m a huge proponent of hard work, grit and self-belief, but what happens if the skill set you’ve been honing for a decade has been replaced by AI overnight? What if you’re a plucky new grad who can barely get a foot in the door? The rapidly growing ‘creator economy’ also presents a new frontier for getting ahead. These days, having a profile on TikTok or Substack or LinkedIn can unlock the sort of life-changing opportunities and mega-income that you might never otherwise see if you simply follow the traditional script.

In short, the old rules don’t apply and it’s time for a new playbook – but who exactly should write it? For Late Filing’s version, I’ve turned to six women in London, New York and Sydney who are especially plugged into the world of work as it stands now. Some of them are shaping major hiring decisions. Some of them coach other professionals for a living. Some have established themselves at the hottest, most competitive tech companies in the world. All of them wear more than one hat and are posting content online.

Below, you’ll find their advice on everything from getting in the room without a CV, networking in a way that doesn’t feel cringey and disingenuous, and building skills that are AI-proof. (It’s a long one, so make a cup of tea and strap in.) I sincerely hope you get as much out of it as I did. And once you’ve given it a read, I’d highly recommend following all of them. They’ve got plenty more gems to offer.

The panel

Gabriela Flax is the founder of Pivot School, a fractional product manager, and a content creator championing portfolio careers. She has a background in fintech and product, and has coached hundreds of professionals through career pivots. [LinkedIn]

Hosanna Hali is an enterprise sales manager who’s worked in-house at Microsoft and Zscaler. She also runs The Tech Cornr, an education platform to help women kickstart their careers in tech, and she creates content about work and money on Instagram and TikTok. [LinkedIn]

Kate Citron is a brand and marketing consultant who works with early-stage consumer brands on email, brand strategy and brand marketing. She also writes False Start, a bestselling newsletter on Substack about freelancing and building a career on your own terms. [LinkedIn]

Soph Hirst is an early careers coach who writes a newsletter on Substack called Workbaby with over 22k subscribers and also shares careers content on Instagram and TikTok. She previously worked as a senior manager at Google. [LinkedIn]

Daria Koren is a C-suite headhunter and a principal at executive search firm Praeva. She writes a newsletter for her company called Ahead of the Drop, and creates careers content to help women earn more and aim higher on Instagram and TikTok. [LinkedIn]

Bella Cipolla is the cofounder and CEO of Ponnd World, a platform for modern careers. She specialises in creative direction, design and product development and has built her career across multiple creative disciplines, including running her own creative studio and now founding a tech company. [LinkedIn]

The playbook

On job hunting

Kate: Resumes and cover letters don’t matter as much as people think. I’ve seen people spend weeks optimising their documents, only to get immediately disqualified because their background doesn’t perfectly match a job requirement. I’d recommend spending that energy elsewhere. Figure out who the hiring manager is and reach out directly. Write a personal email or LinkedIn message with something you made that’s relevant to the role: a campaign pitch, a mock social post, a sample email. I’ve hired a lot of people, so trust me when I say no one is doing this.

Daria: The best candidates are the ones who can tell you a compelling story while making it extremely relevant to the job at hand, picking out key metrics and not waffling. I would always go for a ‘get your foot in the door’ strategy. Start with your immediate network, and then move to cold LinkedIn outreach but with warm messages that get your personality across. And you can’t just send one message and hope for the best. Share a useful insight (‘I noticed this on your website) and follow up.

People are so worried to ask someone that they don’t know to refer them, but so many companies will pay for successful referrals, so internal employees have become far less selective when it comes to who they put across. Use that to your advantage.

Soph: We underestimate how much career opportunity comes from luck. One of the smartest job hunting strategies is increasing your luck surface area. Luck surface area = connections. Connections = referrals. Referrals = jobs. Put yourself in environments where you’re meeting new people and creating moments of serendipity. If there are people who have careers you admire or work at companies you like, ask: What events do they go to?

Meeting people is part of it, but the other part is being ready to jump on opportunities – having a confident answer to ‘tell me about yourself’, putting yourself out there and asking for email addresses and who else they think you should meet.

On nailing the interview

Daria: Beyond showing the company what you can do for them and drawing parallels from your experience, it’s all in the micro moments that show you’re observant. Have you had a look at their team online and found a team member whose trajectory resonates with you? Mention that person by name and talk about how interesting you’ve found their journey. Many people ask about culture, but why not ask about what hasn’t worked out? It shows you’re thinking about how you’d fit into an existing dynamic and gel with the company. Don’t ask about anything that can be easily found online and actually listen. Pause before you answer and take a breath.

Is it possible to salvage a bad interview? It tends to be situation-dependent, but my main hack is to use your questions at the end to redirect. If you can sense an interview has gone badly, be humble and genuine and say: ‘Actually yes, I’m conscious my answer to this question wasn’t particularly well thought-out, so if it’s okay to jump back, I would add XYZ.’ Showing you have the ability to reflect is an excellent skill.

On career pivots

Daria: Think about your CV in terms of competencies and extractable skills, not as a linear path that ‘makes sense’. My biggest piece of advice is not to quit your day job if you are trying to pivot and instead start emulating the career you want. Do free projects for friends that you can test run and add to your CV. Launch a social media account that reflects that passion. And don’t pigeonhole yourself with your title. Be creative about the parts of your job that you can bring out more in your positioning. Don’t lie on your CV, but start to talk about yourself in different ways in different rooms. Linkedin headlines work great for this.

Hosanna: My tip for transitioning is to focus on building a really strong network. The market is tough and almost all the job applications I’ve been able to advance have been through referrals. In the age of AI, everyone can copy a resume or prep for an interview. What they can’t do is replicate the brand that you’ve built through the people who would advocate for you. Beyond that, focus heavily on learning the right technical skills and how to translate them to business value.

On portfolio careers

Kate: The corporate ladder isn’t as stable as it used to be. I pivoted from a 9-5 to freelancing because I wanted more autonomy and because I didn’t want to depend on any single employer for my livelihood. Today, my income comes from five clients, my Substack, paid office hours, and a Pilates certification I’m working toward. I see more people adopting this mindset as layoffs become more common. The best place to start is small (a side hustle, a monetised hobby) and see where it takes you.

Hosanna: A single income stream is the most fragile financial position you can be in. A portfolio career is not about doing everything at once – it’s about building multiple streams of value sequentially. Start with what you already know. The expertise you use daily at work is the same expertise someone will pay you for outside of it.

You don’t have to quit dramatically or bet everything on a dream. Your salary is one of the most powerful tools you have, and that’s why I’ve chosen to maintain a 9-5 while having a side hustle. I’ll be honest: it costs you something. My weekdays belong to my job and my weekends belong to what I am building, but the women I encourage aren’t the ones looking for an easy path. To make it work, you have to decide which hours belong to which world, protect your energy and remember that this season is not forever.

On cold outreach

Gabriela: A warm intro will always beat a cold email, so my first move is to find the one degree of connection before I hit send. If someone can intro you, your response rate will be higher. When you do go cold, the email can’t be about you. It must lead with something useful to them: a specific observation about their business or a problem you can see they have.

A strategy I use a lot myself and with clients is single-client marketing. If there’s a company you want to work with, write a Substack piece that never names them but looks a lot like them. Describe the exact problem they have, lay out how you would solve it, and show your actual thinking. Then drop that link into your cold email. Now you’re not asking them to imagine what you’d bring – you’ve already shown them. That’s how you get creative, agentic and proactive instead of waiting to be picked.

The follow-up is where most people drop off, and it’s where the opportunity actually lives. My clients and I always follow up two or three times, spaced out, and each time we add something rather than just nudging. A new idea, a relevant article, a small piece of proof. Persistence with value attached reads as commitment, whereas persistence on its own reads as need.

On in-demand skills

Hosanna: People are probably sick of hearing it but AI – specifically knowing how to use it to leverage insights and make you more efficient. Outside of that, soft skills are becoming even more important as they are harder to replicate. The ability to communicate, negotiate and manage stakeholders will take you a long way.

Kate: I think generalists are the most in-demand right now, and AI is a big reason why. Companies want people who can work across multiple disciplines and people who can lead strategy but aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty in execution. If that’s not you yet, the fastest path there is a job with an early-stage startup. Nothing broadens your skillset like being forced to be scrappy.

On future-proofing your career

Soph: Everyone working at a company needs to become a mini-entrepreneur (and if you’re not at a company, you probably already are one). It’s the ‘I’m smart and I’ll figure it out’ skill. The skills that will be most in demand are the things AI struggles with: creativity, judgment, taste, EQ, presence and human relationships.

The biggest thing you need to get good at is dealing with ambiguity, because everything is going to be a bit chaotic for a while. It’s about being adaptable, calm, high-agency, unlearning your old way of doing things and asking: ‘Is there a better, faster way I could do this? Let me see if I can do that with AI first.’

Hosanna: As I see it, there’s no such thing as a futureproof career. The pace of change is too fast to know what is coming. The best thing you can do is stay on top of your skills and follow the money. Do what is hot and in demand, and when that changes, adapt and change with it.

On using AI to your advantage

Bella: I don’t think everyone needs to become an AI evangelist, but I do think everyone needs basic AI literacy. The people who will benefit most are not necessarily the people using AI to do everything for them. They’re the people using it to think faster, test more angles, prepare better and remove low-value friction from their day. In practical terms, that might mean using AI for calendar prep, CRM notes, task prioritisation, cleaning up documents, summarising calls, pressure-testing ideas, drafting first-pass emails or making clear a messy to-do list.

For creatives who are resistant, I’d say: decide what part of your work is sacred and what part is admin. Protect the sacred part. Automate or accelerate the admin.

On following your passion vs money

Gabriela: Passion versus money is a false choice, and I’d love to retire the question. The thing worth chasing is the overlap between where you have leverage and where there’s real need. Sometimes your passion sits right on top of enormous demand, and that’s the dream, but you have to cross-reference the problems you’re most excited to solve against what the market will actually pay for.

The only way to understand real demand is to get out into the real world and ask. Talk to people, ask the question, listen for what they’re genuinely struggling with. Demand is something you find in conversations, not something you guess at from your desk.

Daria: I grew up in a low-income family, so I never had a choice but to follow the money. I chose executive search because I knew it could give me access to the rooms where decisions were being made, it was well paid and it allowed me to build a network. While I’m in the industry, I’ve leveraged it to create a platform on social media. If you need to make money, find a way to do that, and the passion will come through in parts of your work that give you joy and energy. It’s then your job to create something out of that.

On networking

Soph: ‘Networking’ feels gross but ‘having a network’ is very cool. It’s impossible to have a successful career without one. CEOs do everything through ‘bat phone relationships’ – people of influence they can call at any time to make almost anything happen. The thing we often get wrong with networking is thinking it’s about trying to connect with the most senior and important people we can. Really, your best network ends up being your peer network – the people you build relationships with at your level who then become senior and important as you grow up.

Daria: My advice here is start small and prioritise internal networking first. I’ve made it my mission to gain and maintain mentors from my old jobs and keep them updated on my wins. That has helped me get new jobs, win new clients and build my reputation in the industry.

On networking to build your client base, you can also just dip your toe in. Find a few warm connections, ask for some intros and stop talking business. If you have an hour to talk to someone, spend 30 minutes of that just focused on building a connection. A lot of my ‘friendly’ relationships have taken years (sometimes three to five years) to become commercial opportunities, and that’s a good thing. People buy from people, so take the blinkers off and start getting to know people again.

On socialising with colleagues

Soph: If you don’t feel like socialising with co-workers or don’t particularly like them, flip it and think about it as making it easier for you to do your job, not about making best friends. When you know people a little better, you have more psychological safety and it’s faster for you to ask for things you need, get help and be more direct.

I think there’s a balance to it. You don’t have to go to every office social, but usually you’ll find the ROI in hanging out and getting to know people’s lives beyond the day-to-day work is always positive. We’re emotional, irrational beings – how much people know and like you plays a bigger part in your job success that you’d think.

On hard work and hustle

Daria: A great CEO once told me that career success is hustle and graft, but mostly timing. My view is that if you have the hustle, the timing will find you, and success is inevitable, but you have to give it time. These days, social media tells us that success comes overnight and it really doesn’t.

Bella: The real skill now is knowing where effort compounds. Not every task deserves the same energy. The question is whether the work you’re doing is actually moving the business forward, building your reputation or creating leverage. If it’s none of those things, it’s worth asking whether it needs to be you doing it at all.

AI raises the floor on output, so the differentiator becomes judgement: choosing the right problem, asking sharper questions, having taste, building relationships, and knowing what not to do. Burnout often comes from confusing urgency with importance.

On knowing your worth

Bella: My biggest advice is to stop thinking of your rate as a number you personally ‘feel comfortable’ asking for. Your rate is the price of solving a specific problem for someone else. Instead of thinking ‘What am I allowed to charge?’, a better question is: ‘What is this worth to the person or business paying for it?’ Practically, I’d map your number from three places: market benchmarks, conversations with people at your level and the commercial value of the work. For freelancers, remember your rate has to account for unpaid admin, tax, sick days etc.

For salary, I think people should negotiate with evidence. Know the salary band, the market rate and what you bring to the table. A good line is: ‘Based on the scope of the role and where I sit in the market, I’d be looking for something in the range of X to Y. Is that aligned with the budget you have set?’ And don’t negotiate against yourself before the conversation has even started.

Daria: There are several things you can negotiate beyond salary. If you didn’t secure the number you wanted, ask for a review at six months. You can also negotiate holiday – extra days, days carried over – and flexibility about where you work. You can ask to change your probation from six months to three months. Also, make sure you haven’t taken a junior title. The best way to avoid that is to ask to meet other people at your level and one above in your interview to gauge and benchmark.

On quitting

Gabriela: Leave while it’s still going well. Most people wait for a trigger like a bad manager, a reorg or burnout. By the time the trigger arrives they’re negotiating from desperation. I made all four of my pivots from a position of strength, and that’s why each one came with a raise. Strength is leverage and waiting until you’re depleted hands that leverage away.

Staying loyal to one company is one of the riskiest things you can do now, because loyalty rarely gets repaid, and the people who stayed get laid off in the same rounds as everyone else. What actually looks bad is movement with no story. A series of moves with a clear narrative running through them reads as range and ambition.

On remote working

Hosanna: Can you build a successful career working from home? Yes. Will it be harder to make it to the top? Also yes. In the age of AI, hard skills are very easy to replicate. When you’re in competition for promotions, leaders default to relationships – who can they see themselves continuing to work with. Usually that’s the person they spend more time with in person.

Bella: I genuinely believe in the importance of showing up in person, especially early in your career. It is one of the most underrated career moves. So much of how people remember you, trust you and advocate for you is built in unscheduled moments.

If you’re working remotely, you have to be more intentional and proactive about visibility and not letting out-of-sight become out-of-mind. Over-communicate progress, make your work visible and show up in person for the things that matter, such as pitches, relationship-building moments and anything where being in the room changes the dynamic.

On building visibility online

Gabriela: Visibility just means the market can find you without you having to apply. I call it becoming an inbound person, where opportunities route to you because people have already seen proof of what you do. The core move is to give your ideas a home. This could be Substack, TikTok, Instagram or a personal portfolio site – essentially a space where you prove what you can do in public. The format matters less than consistency, because repetition builds reputation. One viral post does nothing. Showing up every week for a year is what makes you known for something.

Soph: If your company allows you to make content about your job, do it. Companies are starting to recognise the power of employee-generated content. People love learning from people who are one step ahead of them, so anything you learn to do at work, think about how you can share that.

Internal channels can get so busy that sometimes the fastest way to get visibility is when leaders see your work on LinkedIn. In my 13 years at Google, I never posted on LinkedIn or published my thoughts anywhere. I’ve had to build my personal brand from scratch. I’ve forgotten most of what I’ve done. Not investing in my external profile while I was working is my single biggest career regret. Learn from my mistake – but it’s also never too late.

On building visibility IRL

Soph: No one really knows or cares what anyone does at work, and if you don’t take time to tell people, you won’t get promoted. Spend 80% of your time doing the work and 20% packaging the work so people know your impact. Be a bit selective. Don’t shout about everything. It’s not about sharing what you did – it’s about telling people why it mattered. You need to give it context, otherwise people just do not GAF.

Think about visibility with your manager but also senior leaders who can vouch for you. The best way to get visibility with senior leaders is to get yourself in a position where they can experience your work, such as presenting in leadership meetings, getting involved in events they’re speaking at and putting your hand up for things when they ask.

On layoffs

Bella: Layoffs can feel personal, but often they’re a reflection of company strategy and market conditions. It doesn’t mean your career is over or your value has disappeared. The best thing you can do is rebuild your narrative. Don’t lead with the layoff – lead with what you did, what you learned, what you’re good at and where you want to go next.

I’d suggest a short ‘proof sprint’. Update your CV and profile, write down your strongest outcomes, create one or two case studies, reconnect with people you already know, and be specific about what you’re looking for. Specificity makes it much easier for people to help you.

For people in tech, I’d also look at where your skills sit in relation to AI. The safest place now is often not ‘away from AI’, but closer to the parts AI can’t cleanly own: customer understanding, implementation, regulation, trust, security, commercial strategy, product judgement and cross-functional leadership.

On career resources

Soph: For portfolio careers, Anna Mack. For non-linear careers, I love Hannah Zhang. For career inspiration and the best CV advice, I’m obsessed with Ponnd.World. For podcasts, I’d recommend Working Hard, Hardly Working, and for books, Tiny Experiments and Becoming You.

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Hello and welcome back to Late Filing. How’s everything going? I have another Digest for you today. As always, it’s split into four chunks: The Edit for shopping, Going Out for places worth leaving the house for, Cultural Radar for all things culture, and Talking Points for trending topics. The Edit and the first half of Going Out are always open to free subscribers, and the rest is exclusively for the paid gang.

This week’s issue includes: what to shop in the summer sales (Net-A-Porter, Moda, MyTheresa); how to do London Gallery Weekend; a workout session with LA’s hottest trainer; how to land a job at the world’s buzziest tech company; thoughts on wellness culture, sobriety and self-optimisation; a taste of a Michelin-starred Edinburgh restaurant in Newington Green; and smart career advice for Gen Zs courtesy of a former tech executive.

The Edit

Nine things worth shopping this week

1. I’d never heard of this brand Plan C until yesterday but I think the rope detail on the back of this blouse is so fun. The front looks pretty good too. £245 (originally £350)

2. I wouldn’t have thought to click on this crochet jacket from Maria de la Orden if I’d been scouring online. On the Liberty shop floor, it looked gorgeous. Sadly it’s sold out on Liberty’s e-comm (it’s on sale in-store), but there are plenty of sizes on the brand’s website. £186

3. Rotate is running with the polka dots at the moment, but in a way that doesn’t feel too prim and girlish. I’m liking all the brand’s dresses right now actually, and it’d be nice if they’d offset the custom duties on their website so we can shop the full collection. £175 (originally £295)

4. The Oura Ring 5 is out and not only is it a lot smaller with longer battery life but it also tracks 20 more metrics than the Oura Ring 4. Thanks to Steven Bartlett (more in Talking Points), the PR for fitness trackers is at an all time-low, but I’m afraid you’ll have to pry my Oura off my cold dead index finger. I’ve worn it since the start of the year and it’s been a game-changer in gaining a better understanding of my sleep patterns, stress levels and menstrual cycle. I’ve also synced it with my Healf account to get personalised recommendations, and I’m not sorry about it. £499 (10% off with link)

5. There’s no better time than the sales to get your hands on a fancy bag. My pick is this black leather Khaite Simona, which is wearable enough that you can call it an investment. £1,246 (originally £1,780)

6. Moda Operandi has by far the best jewellery edit of all the luxury e-tailers – so many independent, under-the-radar brands you might otherwise not have heard of. I’m now a fan of Ben-Amun. £123 (originally £175)

7. Another Net-a-Porter steal: this fringed dress from Loulou de Saison which you can wear to any cocktail party in a pinch. £180 (originally £300)

8. I’m very into the D-frame shape and the tinted lenses of these Prada sunglasses. And the fact that they’re 40% off. £225 (originally £375)

9. Finally, this printed mini dress from Alemais is the sort of piece I’d be very excited to whip out of a holiday suitcase. £231 (originally £330)

P.S. This section contains affiliate links which means if you end up making a purchase I may earn some commission, at absolutely no cost to you. I only recommend stuff I like and I always link to the best price I can find, regardless of affiliates.

Going Out

Places and experiences worth leaving the house for

• On Tuesday night, I was invited along to Café Deco to try out a seasonal, California-inspired menu by new head chef Augusta Hood, who’s ex-River Café. Truth be told, I’m not usually drawn to the sort of ultra-minimal cooking that’s super trendy in London right now (you know the spots) but I’ll give credit where it’s due: this was executed beautifully. I have not stopped thinking about the roast chicken and bread salad and the strawberry shortcake. I’d trek back to Bloomsbury just for those.

• On 14 June, Cadet wine bar in Newington Green (London’s new food hotspot) is hosting the team from the Michelin-starred Timberyard restaurant in Edinburgh. They’ll be bringing down some of Scotland’s finest seafood and a few bottles from their cellar with them. You can book ahead here.

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Within a couple of months of moving back to London post-Covid, after some time away in the sticks, I began to notice something: American accents. Everywhere. In the most multicultural city on earth, a foreign accent of any kind isn’t usually something to remark upon. Before the pandemic, I’d worked at offices in London that were teeming with Americans. But in the pubs, in the streets, in the shops, in workout classes, I could just sense a demographic shift.

Turns out it wasn’t all in my head. Back in 2023, the Standard wrote about the trend, still burgeoning at the time, describing London as ‘America’s 51st state’. Then last year, they devoted another feature to the influx, which quoted the Home Office statistic that more than 6,600 Americans had applied for British citizenship in the year prior – the highest number ever on record. A couple of months ago, the New Statesman ran a story with the headline ‘the United States of West London’, referring to the surge in young Americans descending on the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

Over this time, whenever I’ve met New Yorkers in particular who’ve moved here, my question for them is always: Why? Why on earth would you leave the most exciting city on the planet? Obviously I love London, but I’ve written before about finding it a bit stagnant and gatekeep-y and nowhere near as flush with money or opportunities as New York. Many of my most ambitious and talented friends in the creative industries feel the same and have tried (with no luck) to get a job out there. But seeing London through the eyes of ex-New Yorkers quelled a bit of that grass-is-greener mentality and made me more attuned to its upsides. In their view, the considerable pay cut they took to move here was totally worth it for the work-life balance, the green space, the pubs and the NHS. Not to mention the fact you can take a short Ryanair flight and be somewhere else entirely in Europe.

There’s a big New York contingent among the Late Filing readership, and today I have a newsletter for any of you who’ve ever thought about migrating here. Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve chatted to a handful of women who’ve already made the move and asked them to share what they found challenging or surprising, what they love (or don’t) about London and miss (or don’t) about New York, and any advice they have for those who’d like to join them.

Also, it’s a rare five-Friday month, which means today’s newsletter and next week’s Friday feature are both free. But if you want full access to all the Friday features as well as The Digest on Thursdays, then it’s just £5 to upgrade.

Ella Angeric

Ella Angeric is a fiction writer and former New Yorker who now lives in London. She also works as a product marketing manager in fintech. Her reason for moving? ‘Because I couldn’t stand not living here, but also for a boy. I never want to leave, but some days I crave Joe’s Pizza or a good omakase, or being within walking distance of everything and everyone.’

You make less money in London, but the cost of living is much lower.

That being said, you can live in London well on a lower salary. Rent is cheaper. I had a gleaming 1,000 sq. ft. one-bed in the heart of Shoreditch with a full rooftop backyard for £2,200 ($2,955) a month. I’d walk into Michelin-starred restaurants and not spend over £50 ($67). Also free healthcare. Groceries are cheap too, but so fresh it’s improved my health. I had IBS in the US, and the moment I moved to London it disappeared.

There’s less convenience but more joy.

There’s no Target or Walmart or store with Literally Everything in it. Most shops are not open 24 hours. But I’ve come to appreciate the reminder to slow down. Humans don’t need everything at our fingertips. I love when Sainsbury’s doesn’t have a screwdriver. It forces me to walk to a hardware store, but then I pass a cafe that looks cute, and then I notice the glorious summer sheen across the flowering trees, and suddenly my brain has a solution to that plothole I’ve been wrangling for days. Being forced out of automatic ease means having space to think and notice and be present.

Most New Yorkers cannot comprehend how big London is.

Manhattan is 13 miles top to bottom. London is 36 miles across and 25 miles from north to south. It’s annoying when you live in Hackney and your friend wants to play padel in Chiswick. But the Tubes and Overground trains are very fast, and it’s not usually more than an hour to get anywhere. Plus a bigger city means there are more parks and bigger flats.

If you’re moving from New York, I’d stay north of the river.

I really have nothing against south London, but I find it’s just not as approachable. The transportation is worse, too, and it’s not near any of the museums, which every new Londoner ought to take advantage of.

Then you can decide if you’re an east or west person. East is like if Brooklyn was in Manhattan. Cool, edgy, relaxed. A little scrappy around the edges. In New York I was in the Lower East Side, and when I moved to London I went to Shoreditch. It made the adjustment from New York easier. The constant stimulation outside my window was calming. I love west London, too. The houses are beautiful and the parks are beautiful and the people are beautiful. But so much of it feels inaccessible, and I hate the feeling of never quite belonging somewhere.

I live in northeast London, and Islington is a happy medium. I’d recommend it to all. Every day I walk around, I am filled with an immense sense of gratitude, of rightness.

It’s okay to do the touristy thing.

London is a cool, old, historic, wonderful city. Lean into the culture. Go to the football game. (And call it football, not soccer.) Explore the country. Walk as much as you can. Try new places and new things (including black pudding). London is not nearly as intimidating as New York is, but take it in bite-sized chunks until you can draw the map of the Tube in your sleep. Most of all, enjoy it. The old adage goes: If you’re bored of London, you’re bored of life. Agreed, but my personal adage is this: I love New York, but I’m my best self in London.

Chloe Shakin

Chloe Shakin is a reporter and social media editor at the New York Times. She moved to London in 2023. Her most notable London memory? ‘In my first weeks in the city, I accidentally got my foot run over because I was jaywalking and wasn’t used to the direction the cars travel in. I rushed myself to A&E where I was told that I was not the first American to show up after a similar incident.’

It’s worth finding a flatmate, at least at the outset.

I enjoyed living alone in New York, but I haven’t loved living alone in London. Maybe it’s just me being a bit of an outsider. London is so spread out and if you’re used to the hustle and bustle of New York, it can be a bit isolating. No matter how old you are, it doesn’t feel like a college roommate thing here. And you don’t need to be best friends with your flatmate – it’s just nice to have someone there who can guide you a bit. The best way to find someone is Spareroom. I’ve lived in several flats through Spareroom and even made friends with people I didn’t end up living with.

The first place you move doesn’t need to be long-term.

When I first moved to London, I needed somewhere fast so I prioritised finding a nice flatmate in an area that was well-connected, but I wasn’t trying to find the most perfect neighbourhood where I would live forever. I’d recommend trying to find something temporary where you’re not tied in. You won’t know what the neighbourhood will be like and where the friends you make are going to be until you’ve been in London for a while.

I think the winters are worse here.

You don’t get the heavy snow and the frigid temperatures, but the dampness in the air makes the winters feel colder than New York on some days. Also the grey and the early sunsets really can mess with your head. I’d recommend moving in spring or summer – London in spring is phenomenal – and that way you can use that social energy to build connections and then be set up for winter.

‘I have a much better social life here than I did in New York because I’ve had to really push myself and be intentional about the connections I’m making.’

The culture of the city is just a bit more reserved.

This may be a hot take but I find that with New Yorkers, you’re quicker to become their best friend and know all of their business. I think Londoners are more polite and New Yorkers are more brash – but with the politeness can come what feels to a New Yorker like coldness. Oftentimes the Tubes are silent and people aren’t making eye contact. It’s all very cordial. But I like to rely on my Americanness to bridge that gap.

I treated making friends like dating.

I’ve put a lot of effort into it over the last two years. Now, in some ways, I have a much better social life here than I did in New York because I’ve had to really push myself and be intentional about the connections I’m making and nurture the friendships that I want to grow. If you know anyone who has a friend or a cousin or whatever who lives in London, just meet them. And if you’re single, I’d say put your energy into meeting friends and building relationships that aren’t romantic, and then focus on dating later.

Antonia Bentel

Antonia Bentel is a writer and journalist from New York who has contributed to the likes of House & Garden (where she used to work), Condé Nast Traveller and The Fence. She also has a Substack called Anto Aesthetics, and she is writing her first book. One of her favourite things about the UK? ‘I love the casual use of the C-word here. I also have a deep affection for every character on The Inbetweeners. I’ve watched every episode, as well as both films.’

People live differently here.

Not necessarily better, not necessarily worse – just differently. In New York, where I grew up, life often felt organised around a few central interrogatives: who you needed to become, what you needed to become, why you were (or were not) falling behind. When I arrived in London, I thought it seemed oddly committed to just one: where – as in, where you already were. It’s a city built around entirely different ideas about ambition, intimacy, pleasure and time.

London is deeply neighbourhood-oriented.

London isn’t one cohesive city so much as a loose confederation of villages, so choosing where you live matters enormously. Almost every American I know who has considered making the move has initially wanted to live in Notting Hill and I suspect this stems from watching the Richard Curtis film. Your actual quality of life here depends less on fantasy and more on whether you can walk to a decent pub, a decent corner shop and a café where somebody knows your coffee order.

If you’ve ever considered a temporary move to Berlin or spent more than 30 minutes in ‘Dimes Square’, you will probably want to live somewhere east: Dalston, Hackney, perhaps Peckham if you’re emotionally prepared for the Overground. If you can’t relate to any of these things, there’s west London, as well as a few lovely neighbourhoods in the north of the city that’d be perfect for you.

Your life will probably revolve around a pub without you even realising it.

London is a city unusually committed to the art of lingering, and the pub is central to understanding this. Americans tend to think of pubs as dive bars with stickier carpeting. They are not. The pub is Britain’s – perhaps the world’s – best secular third space. It is where people go to process breakups, to discuss politics, to go on dates. It is where people go to celebrate their promotions and Christmas, to flirt awkwardly, to accidentally spend £68 on drinks because ‘just one more’ happened seven more times. Londoners will spend four and a half hours at the pub because nobody wants to be the first to leave. They will miss the last train home because the conversation got too good. They will stand outside smoking in the freezing cold rather than end the night prematurely.

Navigating your immigration status can be mentally challenging.

Unless you already possess a British passport (if you do, I’m jealous), your life here will inevitably become shaped by visas, paperwork, contracts, sponsorships, extra taxes and government portals. I first moved to London on the embarrassingly named ‘high potential individual’ visa, which sounds less like a legitimate immigration status and more like something written on a school report card. Knowing your legal right to remain in the UK is conditional can feel psychologically strange. For a while, it makes you feel semi-fictional.

Eventually, even amid all the paperwork, you realise you are no longer building a temporary life here.

The longer I live in London, the more convinced I become that what people are actually searching for when they move abroad is not perfection, but recognition. They want a city that reflects back some previously unrealised version of themselves. New York made me sharper, faster, louder, a tinge more ambitious. London has made me more patient, more observant and better at lingering. It’s stopped feeling like somewhere I moved and started feeling like the place where my actual life is happening.

Chanel Rivers

Chanel Rivers is a born-and-bred New Yorker who works in marketing and events in the beauty industry. She moved to London in 2024. The biggest culture shock so far? ‘I haven’t had many, but I think I was surprised by how much slang people use. One time on a work call, someone asked about a “recce” at a venue, and I replied, “Yeah, I think they do breakfast!” This is a daily occurrence.’

The visa process can be difficult and expensive.

Be sure to have savings specifically for visa renewals as you have to pay an NHS surcharge every time you apply, which can get quite pricey. In terms of finding a job, if you’re on a visa not tied to work, I think it’s best to find something first (even if it’s not your dream job), get some experience in London, network and then look for a more permanent role once you’re here. You meet so many people and learn so much just from being on the ground.

Recruiters can help considerably with finding a job.

I’ve found the London job market is more reliant on recruiters than New York. When I first moved here, I got in touch with a few and I was constantly following up with them because I find if you don’t, then they forget about you. For me, working in marketing and events, 24 Seven was great, and I also was in touch with Handle. I find that if you have ‘open to work’ on your LinkedIn ‘for recruiters only’, you can get a lot of messages about open roles.

There’s a lot of smaller bureaucratic stuff you might not consider.

For example, make sure you disconnect your US phone number from your online accounts before you change your number. I’ve had many crash-outs about not being able to get into certain bank accounts, personal accounts, my 401k etc. because I changed my number before turning off two-factor authentication. It can be a nightmare calling the US, so just make sure that’s updated on everything. And when you move to the UK, there are other strange expenses to consider like a TV licence and council tax.

You need to be okay with being alone but also with putting yourself out there.

While London to New York isn’t too long of a plane ride, it’s quite expensive to go back and forth, so you need to be comfortable with not seeing friends and family for a while if it’s not in your budget. I think it’s important to build a community in London so that you have people to lean on when you need it. I’ve had a challenging year in my personal life, and I wouldn’t have been able to get through it without the friends I’ve made in the past year. Don’t be afraid to say hello to someone in a coffee shop or a workout class. Chat to a stranger at the pub. Say yes to after-work drinks. Reach out to someone on social media if you think they look cool. Chances are it can turn into a really special friendship.

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Hello and welcome back to Late Filing. How’s it going? If you’re in the UK, I hope you’re holding up after that oppressive heatwave. I have another issue of The Digest for you – and as I hinted to the week before last, I’ve decided to switch things up a bit to align better with my current schedule. For now, it’ll be Thursday for Digests and Friday for features. Otherwise, it’s business as usual.

Here’s some of what I have for you this week: a chef series in Clerkenwell that’s worth checking out; the London creatives who’ve fled for Paris and Lisbon; the next chapter for a counter dining spot in Shoreditch; a skinny novel that I’m going to read all over again; whether or not to go to SXSW London (I still don’t understand what SXSW is); an East Village baker popping up in Hackney; the pros and cons of getting married before having babies; a dating app for wellness junkies; and a film critic’s verdict on the Palme d’Or winner.

The Edit

Nine things worth shopping this week

1. Here’s why I think these Staud heels are a smart purchase. They’re in a colour that goes with almost everything but is less heavy than black. They’re a style and height that is completely bearable should you have to walk around in them all day. And they’re at a price that can be justified if you give them at least a few outings this summer. £285

2. I was introduced to the tailoring brand Laura Pitharas earlier this year and there’s so much to love: it’s woman-owned, made in the UK and the clothes are just so elegant. How pretty is this organza shirt? £595

3. I’m in an experimental phase with haircare, and lately I’ve been trying out Rahua’s hydrating shampoo (after a scalp scrub or clarifying shampoo) and conditioner. I’m really liking them both – they do in fact hydrate but without weighing your hair down. (They smell good too.) My hair is naturally very dry so if it works for me, it’ll work for anyone. £34.49 for the shampoo and £31.99 for the conditioner

4. The St Agni sale is back and there’s so much good stuff is in there but my favourite thing is this lyocell-lined linen top with side slits. Hot. £205 (originally £345)

5. If you’ve got beach trips or even just a day at the lido planned this summer and are in need of a good-looking pool towel, this one from Baina (love this brand) is on sale. £60 (originally £85)

6. Australians do summer clothes best. This label Posse is a new discovery. I would quite like this scarf top to wear to parties. £335

7. My sister gave me this It Cosmetics foundation ages ago and I’ve only just got round to opening it and realised I’ve been missing out. I usually hate wearing foundation but this goes on like water and yet manages to give you decent coverage. No clue how they’ve done that. Sadly it looks like it’s been discontinued (boo) but there are some shades left on Space NK. £28.50 (originally £38)

8. If you saw this Cos dress on the rack, you’d think there’s no possible way you could wear it. It’s completely sheer! Except don’t see it as an actual dress. See it as a layer to throw over white tanks and shorts and bikinis and whatever else to dress them up a bit. £139

9. There was a time when I thought I would DIE if I did not get my nails professionally done, but lately I’ve been doing them myself at home and guess what? I’m fine. Right now the routine is a bit of shaping with this Margaret Dabbs crystal nail file (the best I’ve tried), a cuticle trim and a lick of barely-there varnish. Less money, less damage. £16

P.S. This section contains affiliate links which means if you end up making a purchase I may earn some commission, at absolutely no cost to you. I only recommend stuff I like and I always link to the best price I can find, regardless of affiliates.

Going Out

Places and experiences worth leaving the house for

• I’ve been buried in work this past week so sadly no new restaurant openings to pass judgement on. However, when I am unchained from my desk, I’m looking forward to checking out Moro’s alumni series. (Big fan of Moro.) To celebrate the restaurant’s 30th anniversary, ex-Moro chefs who’ve gone on to run their own spots (Trullo, Cometa, Lucky & Joy) will be cooking one-off lunches on Sundays. The first one is on 14 June with Jacob Kenedy of Bocca di Lupo and there’s one slot left.

• One of New York’s hottest bakers, Lucie Franc de Ferriere of From Lucie in the East Village (featured in Vogue and the Cut), is coming to London for her European book tour. The first stop is Violet Cakes in Hackney for a ‘happy hour’ on 3 June.

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Hello and welcome back to Late Filing. It’s the fourth Friday of the month already, which means I have another Fantasy Weekend for you. In case you’re new here, this is a monthly travel series for paid subscribers where I ask taste-making women around the world to share how they’d spend their ideal weekend in their city. Think of it as a 48-hour-ish itinerary curated by a local should you happen to be in Sydney, New York, Milan, Tokyo or Paris any time soon. (There are also guides to London here and here.)

This month, we’re in Vancouver with Ro Brahmand, a beautifully put-together Canadian creator I’ve been following on TikTok for a while. Lately, I discovered that she also has a bestselling newsletter called Fixated, where she curates interiors, beauty, style and travel edits. I’ve been to Montreal and Toronto, both of which I’d happily return to, but never over to Vancouver, and a friend from London who moved there a couple of years ago didn’t exactly sell it to me (‘it’s very… outdoorsy’). Ro has convinced me there’s plenty more to it – apparently, you just need to know where to look.

Below the paywall, she’s shared where she goes for vintage and interiors shopping, coffee, flowers and the best Italian food in the city.

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Hello and welcome back to Late Filing. I have another late-night issue of The Digest for you. As usual, The Edit (shopping) and the first half of Going Out (places to go) are free to all. The rest of Going Out as well as Cultural Radar (art, films, TV etc.) and Talking Points (commentary on hot topics) are available to paid subscribers.

In this edition I’ve written about: the spicy laser treatment I got last week; a summer-y womenswear brand for beach holidays or even bank holidays; the New York culinary duo popping up at London restaurants; £5k house deposits; a hot literary party in Notting Hill; modern matchmaking; what’s buzzy in Cannes right now (courtesy of a film journalist friend who’s out there); and the phenomenon that is ‘trimester zero’.

The Edit

Nine things worth shopping this week

1. There was so much more I wanted to squeeze into last weekend’s summer edit, especially from Sara Cristina. I’ve already said how much I love their bikinis, but this matching set is the latest on my wishlist. You can wear them in town, by the pool, on the beach. (They do them in a bunch of colours with coordinating swimsuits.) £210 for the top and £255 for the bottoms

2. I also didn’t have enough room for these A.Emery suede sandals. Their prices are very good. £140

3. I clocked this shirt in Harvey Nichols the other day. It’s by Citizens of Humanity, it’s made from a cotton-silk blend, and it’s on sale. £238 (originally £340)

4. These sorts of oversized space-age aviators are everywhere right now and they are a bit ridiculous but I can’t help but want a pair. These ones are from Joseph. £190

5. Okay, I’m in proper beach mode now despite having nothing beach-y on the cards. I’m a sucker for brown clothes, and this contrast bikini from Cos caught for my eye. It’s simple and sporty but not entirely boring. £29 for the top and £25 for the bottoms

6. Jil Sander has a very low-key private sale on – although you’ll need to register your email to see the discounted prices. It’s all still pretty expensive (it’s Jil Sander) but if your purse needs an upgrade this one’s just a little baby splurge. £161 (originally £230)

7. This 100% silk top from Tove isn’t super summer-y but I felt I had to let you know about it because not only is it very pretty but it’s also massively discounted on The Outnet. £244 (originally £695)

8. I don’t need any more lip products but I really have missed this lip gloss from Haus Labs (in the shade Cocoa) since I ran out. I feel like this brand is wasted on the Sephora tweens. £22

9. Another find I couldn’t quite squeeze into the summer wishlist: these pom-pom mother-of-pearl earrings from Rejina Pyo. Her jewellery is highly underrated. £225

P.S. This section contains affiliate links which means if you end up making a purchase I may earn some commission, at absolutely no cost to you. I only recommend stuff I like and I always link to the best price I can find, regardless of affiliates.

Going Out

Places and experiences worth leaving the house for

• The neighbourhood around Mount Street is the most charming pocket of Mayfair, although that isn’t saying much. It feels a world away from the Fendis and Guccis round the corner, and is home instead to the deli Farm Shop, the upmarket pub The Audley and the fanciest stationer’s in the world Mount Street Printers. As part of the ‘neighbourhood festival’ in early June, Thames & Hudson is opening a pop-up bookshop in 62 Audley Street and hosting a series of cultural talks. And my former colleague Sophie Dunn is also doing a floristry residency (if ever you’re in Marylebone, you should stop by her very pretty shop on Blandford Street).

• I’ve been privileged enough to be offered lots of laser treatments over the years, but unless a clinic can show receipts that they’re experienced in dark skin is, my answer is: thanks but no thanks. Dr Tego (who shared some of her expertise in the aesthetics guide) is someone I felt confident handing my face over to at her clinic in Pall Mall for a bit of Laser Genesis (treats inflammation, boosts collagen, feels like warm raindrops) and Pico Genesis (targets stubborn pigment, pretty spicy). I looked hideous for a few hours after, but it’s definitely helped fade some pigmentation and I’m convinced I look at least year younger. I’ll be back for more rounds.

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Hello. I’m in your inbox again. How’s it going? I got some great news via email a couple of days ago and I also had my face lasered during the week (will share more in The Digest) so I’m in a perky mood.

The story I had planned to run on Friday had a little hold-up so instead I’ve spent all weekend putting together this summer shopping edit that I’d scheduled for the end of the month. (I may not always get it out on Friday but rest assured it’s always coming.) Pretty much all the summer collections have dropped now anyway so you might as well capitalise before the good stuff sells out.

Summer dressing doesn’t come naturally to me to be honest with you. I love warm weather (it’s in my blood) but the big hitters of my wardrobe are the coats and boots and knits. I know how to layer. On the other hand, floaty blouses and sun dresses and florals are alien territory. I don’t particularly want to look cute.

Over the years, I’ve figured out how to do summer outfits in a way that feels a bit more instinctive – the sort of stuff I want to wear rather than feel I have to. Things like organza shirts, matching linen sets, elevated flip flops, knitted tanks and scarf tops. Maybe the occasional polka dot or print. Below, I’ve put together a selection of my building blocks for the new season. I hope you like them too.

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Black linen

Linen in neutral shades can sometimes feel a bit wholegrain. A bit MAHA. Linen in black? Automatically chic. The halter top is from Deiji Studios and the trousers are from WNU (10% off with code LATE10).

Slinky polka-dot dresses

Specifically this brown and white combo. This obsession was singlehandedly sparked by the Rotate dress I featured in the wedding season edit. There’s also the one from Faithfull that was in The Digest last week. The one pictured is from Matteau (and there’s also this mini version). I want them all.

Knitted tanks

I’m evangelical about a knitted tank. A classic tank is sexy but not quite smart enough to wear to parties or dinners. A knitted tank is sexy but also structured and polished and there’s no visible boob. I live in the Róhe bustier tank, but these scoop-neck tanks from Cos are a quarter of the price.

Raffia bags

The magic ingredient for transforming a plain, season-less outfit into a summery one. Cos has this curved shoulder bag. And if you want something a bit more structured and dressy for parties, there’s this one from Mansur Gavriel. I also fell in love with this one from Khaite, which IMO is way too expensive for raffia, and then found this one from Massimo Dutti which has that same speckled look.

Scarves-as-bandanas

The return of the bandana gets a yes from me because I loathe having to style my hair every day. But also a woman in a bandana is nomadic and mysterious and free-spirited. (Secretly, I am none of these things.) This is one instance where I’d say more is more. I’m liking Rejina Pyo and Stine Goya at the moment.

Scarves-as-tops

You can either fashion one for yourself or go to Sir.

Big gold jewellery

Because it glows in the sun and elevates linens and seersuckers and other summery fabrics. The spiked earrings are from Completedworks (I’d wear it with the cuff), the hoops are from YSSO, the bracelet is from Tilly Sveas and the ring is from Jenny Bird.

Elevated sports shorts

I’ve tried tailored shorts and they always look so awkward. Maybe it’s just me. I find a sporty short much more flattering and wearable. I featured these from Cos in The Digest, though my go-to for elevated tracksuit styles is always Wales Bonner.

Sheer shirts

I like to play it pretty loose with shirting whatever the time of year (I’m talking two buttons done up and a bralet peeking out) but summer is when you can really get away with anything. Rejina Pyo does this fabulous chiffon blouse with exaggerated cuffs and a wide collar. And I love the cinched shape and colour of this organza shirt from Staud.

Boxer shorts

Along with sporty running shorts, I’m a fan of boxer-style shorts – although they do need dressing up a bit. The best ones are from WNU. They’re even better as part of a set (10% off with code LATE10).

Lacy not-quite-lingerie

Ideally as separates and layered in with shirts and smarter pieces so as not to look too bedroom-y. The top is from Rixo and the shorts are from By Malene Birger.

White trousers

Specifically these satin ones from Cos. They work for day. They work for evening. Chef’s kiss.

Beach-y but bougie jewellery

The pearl necklace is from Rixo. The rope necklace is from Eliou. The fishbone earrings are from Alémais. If an outfit feels too stuffy (say, workwear), a beach-y but bougie piece of jewellery knocks it all back a bit and infuses it with some charm.

This big white maxi dress

I’d usually steer clear of anything that could be classified as cottagecore BUT Tove has made it far cooler and sexier with the plunge neckline. I’d still throw in some hoops and heels to make it as un-twee as possible.

Straw hats with ribbons

This is about as whimsical as it gets around here. For sunhats, the bigger the brim the better IMO because we don’t play about sun protection. The one on the left is from Eugenia Kim (I also like their visors) and the one on the right is from Zahati.

This waistcoat suit

Waistcoat suits can sometimes look a bit… frumpy. A bit earnest. Not this cotton-silk set from Rejina Pyo.

Heeled flip flops

I feel like these heeled flip flops are real fashion-girl shoes in that normal people / parents / men do not get them at all. They’re like the Tabis of sandals, which is a good thing in my book. These are from Staud. Or if you fancy a flat, I’d recommend these chunky ones from Ancient Greek Sandals, which I bought a few summers ago and tell myself are dupes for The Row’s Ginzas.

Mesh Mary Janes

I’m still figuring out whether I’d actually want to traipse around the streets of London in these but I do think they’re cute. The holy grails are from Alaïa, obviously, but these from Le Monde Beryl cost considerably less.

Graphic baseball caps

The best baseball caps are old, vintage, beaten-up ones. The second best baseball caps are from Drake’s. So many options. (You should still beat them up though.)

P.S. This post contains affiliate links which means if you end up making a purchase I may earn some commission, at absolutely no cost to you. I only recommend stuff I like, and I always link to the best price I can find, regardless of affiliates.

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Welcome back to Late Filing. I hope this week’s been treating you well. I have another Digest for you – again on a Thursday because Wednesday is proving a bit tricky with other commitments. I’m thinking I might switch days officially but let’s see how things get on in the coming weeks.

If you’re new here, I send out a roundup email in the middle of the week that covers shopping, culture, going-out recommendations and talking points. Free subscribers get partial access (plus a fortnightly Friday feature), while paid subscribers get full access (plus a weekly Friday feature).

Today’s Digest covers: the luxury gym that’s officially raised the bar; a new line of cool bridalwear; dating advice that’s worth forwarding to friends; a free drop-in event with one of Britain’s coolest artists (this afternoon!) and a talk with one of America’s funniest writers; how to land a job in 2026 (no CV spamming); employer-sponsored egg freezing; a Dalston dining experience to gift to newlyweds; what to shop in the Harvey Nichols members’ sale; the ‘AI gender gap’ and the Bank of Mum and Dad.

Enjoy!

The Edit

Nine things worth shopping this week

1. My sister, who works in beauty and is my oracle on all things hair and makeup, got me this Nars bronzer for my birthday and I’ve used it most days since. Shade 08 is great for adding depth and dimension to dark skin. £32 on Cult Beauty with the code LISA CB (usually £40)

2. Harvey Nichols has a big sale on for members (and if you’re not a member, you should be because the perks are worthwhile). This checked shirt from Vince has been on my list for a while. It looks even better with the matching trousers. £222 (usually £370)

3. Róhe now does bridal and, as expected, it’s all very cool. (I love that they’ve used older models for their e-comm too.) I want to be the bride in this fringe dress. £1,065

4. And since we’re on the topic of cool brides, Clio Peppiatt makes the most fun, sexy party dresses for the evening reception, and they’ve just opened a new shop on Motcomb Street. This one is embellished with over 86,000 beads, pearls and crystals. £1,850

5. I’m in love with this cobalt blue scoop-neck tank from Cos. I’d happily take it in the other colours too. £45

6. I desperately need a new pair of go-to shoes for parties, weddings and so forth. These Loeffler Randall sandals are wearable, versatile and at a price point I can bear. £285

7. One of my favourite Covid purchases was a Rue de Verneuil bag shipped straight from France (before the Brexit tariffs). Fortunately, there are now a bunch of them in the Harvey Nichols sale. £220.50 (usually £315)

8. I care as much about how a hair oil smells as how it feels, and this one from Davines has a potent herbal scent that I love. £47.75 for 100ml

9. Also from Cos – these track shorts. Shorts can be so tricky and awkward, but I find this satin drawstring style and also those boxer-style shorts work with everything and look good on everyone. £75

P.S. This section contains affiliate links which means if you end up making a purchase I may earn some commission, at absolutely no cost to you. I only recommend stuff I like and I always link to the best price I can find, regardless of affiliates.

Going Out

Places and experiences worth leaving the house for

• Third Space is opening locations faster than I can keep up with, the latest being in Chelsea. Let’s get the price out of the way, first: £325 a month. Whew! There’s also a three-month waiting list and you can only sign up over the phone or in-person. Is it worth it? If you live or work nearby and have the money, absolutely. (I’d be in there every day.) It’s another level of luxe, with every amenity you could think of. Dyson AirWraps in the changing rooms. Hyperice gear for recovery. Robes and slides to slip into before you head down to the gorgeous spa. The spin studio feels like an immersive experience. There are Reformer Pilates classes almost every hour. It’s a ‘Group Plus’ gym, which means it’s only open to Mayfair and Chelsea members. And because it’s Chelsea, the peak hours are 8am to 2pm, which means if you’re going before or after work, you’re golden. A few members have come over from the Equinox in South Ken, and KX Gym is currently undergoing a big facelift, which may or may not have anything to do with its new neighbour.

• I had the loveliest time at new pub The Latimer earlier this week, where I had dinner with a group that included the incredible Jon Spiteri (of St. John and The French House fame), who runs the place with his family. I went for the cider-braised pork belly skewers and the venison, and we shared the milk bread and pickles, all the sides, and the amaretti crumble and mousse for pudding. All divine. Friend of the newsletter Lauren Joseph says she also recommends grabbing the burger at the bar. Food aside, it’s just so warm and unpretentious. The Spiteris are proper hosts and if you’re lucky enough to have this place as your local, I am incredibly jealous.

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Hello and welcome back to Late Filing. I hope you’ve had a fabulous weekend. I’m sending this one on the train back from the most gorgeous wedding in the Cotswolds, feeling slightly worse for wear.

I’m super excited to feature my friend Sophie Watson on today’s newsletter. Sophie and I met at Mr Porter, where she was a fashion editor, and since then she’s also been at Who What Wear. She’s a super-talented stylist and one of the best-dressed people I know, and she has a real knack for hunting down gems. If, like me, you want to get better at shopping second-hand and find the thought of rifling through rails upon rails or pages upon pages overwhelming, then you might enjoy this guide she’s put together for paid subscribers, including where in London to go for the best pieces and how to scour the likes of eBay and Vestiaire more effectively. As a bonus, she’s also shared some of her best second-hand finds and where she tracked them down.

If you fancy reading it – along with other paid subscriber exclusives such as this A-Z of aesthetic treatments (with expertise from some of London’s best doctors), this guide to London’s restaurant scene from a chef and food writer, and insider itineraries for Milan, Sydney, Tokyo and more – then it’s just £5 a month to upgrade.

Handing over to Sophie below.

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Hello and welcome back to The Digest. Apologies it’s a day late. I actually sent out an email on the patchy train WiFi yesterday evening about the delay – though because I’m a Substack whizz it only went to 3% of subscribers.

In case you’re new here, every week – usually Wednesday, occasionally Thursday – I send out a roundup of shopping, going-out recommendations, culture and talking points. Free subscribers get access to the shopping section and half of Going Out. Paid subscribers get access to all four sections for £5 a month, or £45 a year until Saturday. (I also send out a feature on Friday – one every week for paid subscribers and one every other week for free subscribers.)

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Today’s issue covers: the hot Soho restaurant that’s worth the hype; a podcast interview with a Vogue weddings editor; Old Master exhibitions (and a discounted museum membership for under-36s that’s worth the money); ‘emergency’ postgrad degrees; cultural events for fashion and food lovers; a big sale; and my favourite takes on TDWP2 and the state of glossy magazines.

The Edit

Nine things worth shopping this week

1. I am rubbish at styling my own hair but I’m going to attempt to do so for a three-day wedding this weekend. This spray from ColorWow will be in my ginormous kit. It’s a bestseller for a reason. £21.60 (originally £27)

2. I put together a wedding season guide a couple weeks ago, which I’ve since realised has zero options if you don’t want to wear a dress. Here’s one: a three-piece suit from Loulou Studio, which is currently 25% off on Farfetch. I’d wear this with a slingback. £356 for the blazer, £240 for the waistcoat and £218 for the trousers

3. Jones Road makes these concealer pencils that offer great coverage for on the go. Also, it’s a properly inclusive line by which I mean they’ve actually thought about the undertones and there are no ginormous leaps between shades. Beauty brands, take note. £26

4. Spanish brand Zahati is a new discovery by way of Liberty’s accessories department. How gorgeous are their hats? £242

5. I’m a Healf nut, hence why I mention them all the time. (My latest order arrived while I was writing this.) I’ve raved enough about their Healf Zone membership, but I still feel compelled to let you know that they’re now offering one-off at-home blood tests for a lower price. Strong recommend. £89

6. These days, I don’t travel anywhere without this LED eye mask from Dr Dennis Gross. To be clear it’s not going to do the job of polynucleotides or a plastic surgeon. BUT as someone who is in a perpetual battle with their under eyes, I find this helps considerably with depuffing and firming if used consistently, with the added benefit of giving me a shiny forehead that gets Botox allegations. £199

7. It’s funny how trends work. I thought I’d just developed a taste for polka dot dresses. Turns out they’re everywhere. This one from Faithfull is much sexier than the words ‘polka dot dress’ would have you believe. £180

8. For the aforementioned wedding, I’ll be setting all the makeup I’ll have on with my ride-or-die Charlotte Tilbury powder, which is currently on sale at Cult Beauty. It’s the best powder on earth – even better when applied with the tapered brush. It fixes your foundation and concealer in place, but leaves you glowing not dusty. If I lost it, I would go out and buy another one immediately without even thinking about it. £32 (originally £40)

9. Net-A-Porter is currently doing 30% off a bunch of pieces at checkout, so if there’s a very expensive pair of shoes on your wishlist – say these embellished crepe-de-chine Manolo Blahnik sandals – I’d recommend adding them to your basket just to see if they’re on sale. (Also if you’re getting married this summer and haven’t bought your wedding shoes yet, there’s no time like the present.) £864.50 (originally £1,235)

P.S. This section contains affiliate links which means if you end up making a purchase I may earn some commission, at absolutely no cost to you. I only recommend stuff I like and I always link to the best price I can find, regardless of affiliates.

Going Out

Places and experiences worth leaving the house for

• As expected, I loved Impala, the new restaurant on Dean Street from the guys behind Smoking Goat, Brat, Kiln and Mountain. I’d go as far as to say it’s everything I want when I go out to eat: interesting crowd, sexy but low-key decor, an open kitchen, chatty waiters and creative, utterly delicious food. The premise is north African small plates – and they are small, but if you throw in the bread (I went for the aish baladi), you can absolutely dine for under £40pp and leave full. I adore a pastilla and Impala does a gorgeous one with a pickled walnut sauce. The sheftalia (recommended by the waiter) was a highlight too. It’s the sort of place you could book for a meeting, a dinner date, a catch-up with friends, a solo lunch at the counter. I want to go back with a big group and order everything on the menu.

• Next time I’m in Selfridges, I’ll be heading down to the basement to check out MagCulture’s pop-up – a print lover’s dream. As part of the store’s ‘Club Culture’ event series, there’s also a talk to celebrate 25 years of Another on 12 May and a panel and party with travel platform Trippin on 21 May.

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Welcome back to Late Filing. I hope you’ve had a fabulous week!

Every quarter or so, I do a big Q&A with an expert – a divorce lawyer, a personal trainer, a nutritionist. For a while now, I’ve wanted to talk to a money guru, but I just couldn’t find The One. As you are probably aware if you’re a regular reader of Late Filing, I really like nice things. (I imagine you do too if you were inclined to hit ‘Subscribe’.) Most of the personal finance experts I come across, ostensibly, do not. Saving is good. Investing is great. But I also want to wear beautiful clothes and go out to eat and enjoy my life. Ergo, I am not inclined to take advice from anyone who’s living in a sensory deprivation tank just so they can retire at 40.

When I came across Hannah Mayfield, who runs What Is Wealth, I knew she was my person. First of all, she is accredited, which I felt was important. But beyond that, Hannah has style! She used to work in fashion before training as a financial adviser. She’s into interiors! And after I watched a bunch of her videos, it was clear to me that her philosophy wasn’t one of short-term misery. I absolutely loved chatting to her, and I felt excited about applying some of her wisdom rather than guilty for having expensive taste in skincare.

A note to non-UK readers (of which I know there are many) that some of the things we got into are UK-specific: Plan 2 student loans, ISAs, what happens when you earn over £100k. However, a lot of Hannah’s advice – about investing, earning potential, what to do with a lump sum – is pretty universal. And if you are a finance whizz who works in The City, then you likely already know a lot of this stuff, but I wanted it to be as accessible as possible and really cover the foundations.

Also, I deliberately don’t paywall these expert Q&As so as many of you can read them as possible. But if by the end of this interview, you think, ‘Hey, I really got something out of that’, then consider upgrading to a paid subscription, which gets you access to more Late Filing and allows me to deliver bigger, better stories to you. It’s just £5 a month, which I truly believe is insane bang for your buck. Better yet, if you’re in savings mode, there’s 10% off annual subscriptions (which works out at £3.75 a month) until next week Saturday.

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Fedora: I’d love to know a bit more about your own journey into becoming a financial adviser.

Hannah: It was very much through circumstance. I started my career in fashion buying and then when I was 22, my dad died and I received a chunk of money because he hadn’t made it to retirement. I’d grown up with a single mum in a low-income household. I was good at budgeting, but in terms of actually having money and how to grow it, I’d never had any education around that. I taught myself what to do with money and how to invest, and it was just a personal thing, but over time my investments grew and I got more confident with it. In 2020, I started teaching my friends over Zoom how to set up an investment portfolio and theirs started growing too. I realised there were so many other people out there who could be doing this but the information’s not out there, so that’s when I started speaking about money online.

When I got my financial adviser qualification, I knew I didn’t want to go down the traditional financial advice path because it only really helps a small percentage of people. I took it down the financial education route instead where I’m sharing best practice: this is how to think about money, this is how different assets work. I do work with clients, mainly women, teaching them all this stuff, but then also there’s this whole creator industry that I’ve ended up in as well.

What would you say was the most important thing you learned in your financial education?

I’d say there were two things. There was that practical side: how the stock market works and that it isn’t just gambling. And then there was the emotional side, which is that you have a relationship with money and it’s probably based on weird stuff from when you were growing up. I had to really interrogate: what have I been taught about money and what do I want my financial life to be like as an adult?

Obviously a big part of how much money you have is how much you make. I read this quote about how you can’t fight the market – if you work in an industry that is struggling, it doesn’t matter how brilliant you are, there’s a real cap on your earnings. Do you think knowing what you know now you’d have picked fashion buying in your twenties?

Knowing what I know now, probably not. Because it isn’t the most well-paid career. At the time I was very much like, ‘I don’t care about earning loads of money – I just want to do something I love.’ And actually, I think it’s helpful to be a bit pragmatic because life is quite expensive. And why can’t you get both as well? Something that is highly paid and that you really enjoy. People can make good money in fashion, but it’s a bit of a grind and especially at the start, it’s not well paid. I would probably go back and be like, tech! The internet! This is what’s growing, and that’s probably good to get in on.

Do you ever give clients advice on boosting their earnings?

I always say your earning potential is your biggest asset. I’m always in favour of earning more. I share an office with my friends and our WhatsApp group is called The Money Makers and we all hype each other up to earn more and pitch more and negotiate. My audience is a lot of women, and I just don’t think we’re culturally socialised to think like that as much. I think in your career, it’s about preparing for your negotiations, practising the number, making sure you know the market rate. Think about what you’re adding to the business and approach your salary in that way. Keep a record of everything and go in prepared and ask for it. Because if you don’t ask, you don’t get.

Do you abide by the 50-30-20 rule with take-home earnings? (As in 50% to necessities, 30% to non-essentials and 20% to savings, investments etc.) Or would you say it’s case by case?

I always think with money, there are so many factors to consider, and the 50-30-20 rule is useful to give someone an idea. But with the 50%, for example, a lot of it is going to be housing costs and that depends on where you live. I think it’s a good framework to have, especially if you’re looking at whether you can afford to move somewhere more expensive. Maybe those costs would be 60% of your take-home pay and perhaps that’s a bit unaffordable. Or maybe it’s ‘I should try to earn a bit more so that I can put aside that 20% for my future self.’ But I’m not into strict frameworks. I think the main thing to take away from it is the percentage that you’re putting towards your future.

I think about wealth as these three levers that you get to pull. First is your income. How much am I going to earn over my lifetime? What am I doing about that? The next lever is how much of what I’m actually getting am I retaining and putting towards the future? Is that 20% of my take-home pay? Is it 10%? And obviously the more you can pull that up to have that higher savings rate percentage, the more you’ll have for your future. And then the third one is the rate of return, or how much your money’s making for you. There are a lot of people who are good at saving and have stashed up all this cash, and they’re not doing anything with it. It’s making them 3 or 4% when it could be making a lot more.

What sort of challenges do you find that your clients come to you with consistently?

I work a lot on the investing side, and I think the real challenge is people just don’t understand it. It’s in the zeitgeist enough that they get that it’s something that they should be doing, but they find it overwhelming. And then what happens when I’ve explained it to them is they’re like: ‘Is that all I have to do? Surely it’s not that simple?’ I’m personally a passive investor – I invest in index funds. And when you understand it, it’s like: ‘Oh, that’s it?’ You just have to put it in there and just keep it growing for years.

Do you have a particular strategy when getting into investing? I was definitely late to setting up an account on Vanguard and getting into index funds.

I’d say the main thing, if people are kind of starting from beginner, is to learn about index investing. You want the investments you choose to have low fees, because a 1% fee really adds up over time. And you want it to be diversified, which means you want to spread your money out a lot. Index investing is a really great way for those two things to happen. You own little bits of these companies and then you get a little bit of their profits. These funds are basically just bundling loads of companies together for you, so instead of having to go out and pick every single one, you can just buy one fund. It’s less risky because if some companies don’t perform well, you still own plenty of others. It’s just the best starting point.

What’s your approach to student loans – specifically the Plan 2 loan? Is it worth paying it off in one go if you can?

So, for anyone who went to university from 2012, only one in three people are ever going to pay that off, so you can kind of think of it as a graduate tax. If you’re a higher earner and you’re definitely going to pay it off, then of course, if you paid it off sooner, you wouldn’t have to pay all that interest. But equally, if there are other things your money needs to go towards, like a house or a pension, it’s better to put it towards that rather than paying off your student loan in one go and you just kind of have to accept that it’s going to come out of your bank account every month.

What would you classify as a high earner? I think in one of your videos you made you said £50k, which really surprised me.

So, I’d say if you’re on £50k and you’re on track to be on around £100k as you get further into your career, then you would probably be someone who is more likely to be that one in three.

Is there anything you’ve changed with your spending since you’ve become more financially literate? I feel like part of what puts me off so much personal finance content is that it’s all just: ‘This is a waste of money! You don’t need this!’ Their houses have bare walls and sad furniture. I don’t want to live like that. I’d love to know what your approach is.

Growing up, I was a very restrictive spender. It was always ‘I can’t have that’ by default. I sometimes say there are two types of spenders: default yes and default no. Default yes people are like ‘I want to get it’ and have to talk themselves out of it, whereas default no people are like ‘I can’t have anything’ and have to talk themselves into it. I was always very considered with my spending but at the same time I’ve always liked nice things and would save up for them. I love interiors, for example, and I have all these Pinterest boards.

If you’re like that, then you just have to be a bit more strategic on what you’re spending in terms of maybe sourcing it and taking a bit longer to find the right thing. Figure out what you care about, so you can say in advance: ‘It’s fine for me to spend that.’ And then with other things, it might be: ‘I overspend on this and it isn’t ideal.’ If you can do it, then do it, but if it’s compromising your future and you want to have more in savings and investments, then you probably need to add in some filters.

I feel like what you decide is worth spending your money on is so personal. I’d love to know what ‘luxury’ is worth it to you and what you’d say is a waste? I’ve definitely wasted money on Deliveroo.

For me, it’s anything that’s for your health and wellbeing. I have a really nice gym I go to and it actually makes me want to go a lot and I think that’s so worth it. One of the best things I’ve ever spent money on is therapy – if you’re having any kind of issues and you can afford therapy, you should go. What’s not worth it? Yeah, it probably is stuff like food delivery. They’re good for convenience, but there’s also the hedonic adaptation thing where you just get used to a certain standard and then it’s not even a treat anymore.

And then when it comes to savings, what’s your approach to that? Sometimes it can get tempting to move a chunk of savings to investments when you see how much more they’re growing.

I’d say the first thing is pay off any expensive debt, like credit cards or loans that have high interest rates because they’re just going to be dragging you down. Then you move on to savings. So, do I have three to six months of living expenses in a separate savings account? That’s a kind of standard goal, because if you lose your job, you have a three-to-six-month window to get a new one and you can get yourself into a really good position. I think a lot of personal finance is making sure you’re not backed into a corner.

Then other than that, save towards any big things that are coming up in the next year – like if you’ve got a holiday coming up. And then is there anything big happening in the next five years? Say, if you want a house deposit or a wedding or to cover maternity leave or a kitchen renovation or whatever. I would probably keep that in cash. And then anything I think is for the future – five years plus is the rule of thumb – I’d invest.

Do you have any savings accounts that you particularly like? I moved some of my savings to Monzo a while ago because I noticed their interest rate was a bit higher, for example.

It always changes. I think if you have a big chunk of cash, always look for the best interest rates. Otherwise, I am just a fan of whatever’s simplest. Maybe you need to have it in a savings account where you can’t just keep transferring it back and forth. But in general – not specifically for saving – I do like the current accounts that have really good functionality. Revolut and Monzo have all those good budgeting tools in them and the pots features and the roundup features. They also categorise your spending for you, so you can see how much you spent on food shopping or eating out and whether it’s more than you thought.

How do you feel about credit cards? And what would be your advice to anyone who’s accrued credit card debt and wants to pay it off and boost their credit score?

I think the first thing is actually looking at your credit score because it’s really important. One thing people don’t know about as much is that being registered to vote at your address boosts your credit score. Also when you get a joint account with someone, you become financially linked in the eyes of credit providers, so before you go into that, you need to have open financial conversations.

With credit cards, it’s about knowing yourself. If you’re someone who can get into the habit of whacking it on a credit card really quickly, maybe it’s not the best thing for you. They can give you a bit of extra protection, say if you book a holiday on them, and some people like them for points. I’m personally an advocate of having the simplest financial setup – I don’t want to have little random amounts I have to pay off and not have good oversight, so I don’t really spend on a credit card because I just find it annoying. I just have one for car hire and stuff like that.

If you’re someone who has accrued credit card debt, it’s about having a plan and writing them all out. What’s the card? How much have I got to pay off on it? What’s the interest rate? There’s the snowball method, which is paying the smallest one off first, just so you get that satisfaction and motivation from being able to close it down. Or there’s the avalanche method where you pay off the minimum on all of them and then can overallocate on the one with the highest interest rate.

I think it’s about just trying to be quite matter-of-fact about it as well. Money can feel super emotional and sometimes we avoid it because we’re avoiding these horrible feelings of shame and guilt. Try to be a bit neutral and pragmatic about it: ‘This is a number. I’m paying a lot in interest. It’s just not helpful and I want to get it paid off. What can I do?’

What do you think are the financial conversations you need to be having before you embark on a relationship, move in with someone or get married?

It will probably happen differently for everyone. I think you should know whether you have the same vision for your future together. Do you care about the same things, like living in a certain area? It’s important to have a picture of what your life together is going to look like because money affects that. I think before opening a joint account, it’s good to have a conversation of how it’s going to work. Are we both going to put in all our money? Are we going to do 50/50? Are we going to do it proportional to salary? I don’t think there’s necessarily a right way of doing it – I think the right way of doing it is the one that you’ve spoken about together and feel comfortable with and which feels fair. What I do have very strong opinions about is when people, especially women, have children. The ‘motherhood penalty’ is when everything gets super inequitable.

In what way?

I’m going to be a bit gender specific, but typically the mother is the caregiver, and they maybe take time off work or they’ll take a bit of a backseat in their career or they’ll go part-time. And if you’re out of a workforce for a few years, you don’t get any pension contributions, so there’s this problem later down the line where whoever’s going to work, they’re getting all their pension contributions and promotions and their earning potential as an asset is increasing. And for the person who’s the caregiver, it just becomes really hard to catch up. Because of the way these kind of investments work, a small amount of money now is so much more powerful than the same amount of money ten years later. I think that’s when you have to have conversations like: ‘Okay, if I’m taking a step back from my career, I’m going to be financially penalised in all these ways, and how are we going to navigate that as a team?’

What would your advice be to self-employed people about managing their money – particularly things like savings and pensions?

One thing a lot of self-employed people don’t think about is insurance, so I’d say look into things like income protection insurance. What would happen if you couldn’t work? If you get sick, it will cover some of your income. And then with your pension payment, what I would say is you probably need to be putting a lot more into it than you think – so run the numbers and figure out how much it should be.

Also, if you’re self-employed, remember that someone hiring you doesn’t have to pay national insurance or sick leave or holiday or make pension contributions. You need to be factoring that in and you might realise that you should be charging a bit more because you need to take on all those costs. It’s good to be aware of that so you can stand behind your rate.

When it comes to buying property, there are obviously so many things to consider: lifetime ISAs, shared ownership, leasehold vs freehold. Is there anything you’d recommend and not recommend?

I think the main thing I’d say about buying a house is that it’s a long-term decision. We’ve had this era of ‘I’ve got to get in there super quick because it’s going to go up in the next few years, then I can sell it for a profit and buy my next house’. Now I think the property market in the UK is a bit more stagnant, and ideally you want to be buying something that you can stay in for a long time. Also stamp duty is expensive and you’re never going to get that back. You might buy somewhere and then realise two years later that you don’t really want to be there anymore. You’ve just lost all that money and then you have to pay it again.

What would you recommend someone do with a lump sum, like inheritance or a book advance or a bonus?

Definitely put it in a different account. With these lump sums, it sounds like a lot but it’s quite easy to spend little bits here and there, and it can really start to dwindle. So try to keep it separate and be really strategic about it: where’s the best place that I could put this money? How can I maybe use it towards my future? Especially if you’ve got your living costs covered and you can just kind of stick with what you’re used to. I had a friend who I was helping a while ago who got a big bonus after her company was bought and she realised she hadn’t been paying enough into her pension over the years and so it all went towards that. Unfortunately, it’s probably about running the boring numbers and thinking: how’s my pension? How are my investments? Should I overpay on a mortgage? Think about the big future things and then maybe you earmark an amount that you’re going to enjoy.

Something I’ve written about in The Digest is the ‘£100k tax trap’. What are some things that you think people should know at that income level?

I think the first thing to know is that when you start earning between £100,000 and £125,140, it’s not that you earn less, but on that section of money that you’ll be taxed more. So don’t be afraid to earn over £100k, basically. But you want to look into pensions and salary sacrifice because in that bracket between £100k and £125k, you pay 60p tax for every £1 that you earn. If you put it in salary sacrifice or pension, you won’t feel it in your take-home pay because it will just be going towards the future in a way that’s a bit more tax efficient. And also it’s important for the childcare funded hours because if you earn over £100k, you lose a lot of childcare funding and that can be really expensive, so you need to get your net adjusted income down.

I see a lot of figures about how much money you should have in your pension by the time you’re 30. Do you think there’s a set number?

I don’t know if there’s a set amount, but I’d say the earlier you put money in, the more it will work for you. A lot of people, especially who are self-employed, get into that mindset trap of ‘I’ll put more in when I have more’, but £1 that you put in today is worth more than in 10 years’ time. Be more aggressive about giving it time to grow.

I have pensions all over the place from previous jobs. Do you recommend combining them and if so, how do you decide which one to put them in?

I think if you’re okay with them being separate and feel on top of it, then that’s fine. But there are billions of pounds in unclaimed pensions in the UK, so I’m a bit more in favour of putting them all in one place so you can see how much you’ve got and how much you need to put in. You need to check before you consolidate that you’re not going to get any penalties for moving them over. But in general, I think having oversight of your finances is really valuable. As for the platform, I’d just say go for the one that’s easiest for you – one with an easy-to-use interface where they’re making the process simple.

Finally, I’d love to know if there’s one money myth or piece of financial advice that you wish would go away?

I think for women, sometimes the emphasis on frugality is a bit OTT. It’s definitely easier to save a pound than earn a pound – literally when you consider taxes. But also as women, I think if we had conversations about growing your money, increasing your income, investing, getting your money working harder for you, that would be more powerful.

Hello and welcome back to The Digest, a weekly roundup newsletter from Late Filing that covers shopping, culture, going out and talking points. In today’s issue I’ve got: a big wellness festival at 180 this summer; a critically acclaimed thriller you might’ve missed during awards season; a Hollywood actor’s new Milanese restaurant (in Hackney); top-tier London reporting from visiting New Yorkers; the unsexy financial side of getting married; investment banking influencers; and an exhibition closing party.

Also, as mentioned in last week’s Fantasy Weekend, I’m running a birthday sale. If you fancy a subscription, it’s £45 a year to go annual, which gives you access to all four sections of the Digest plus a feature every Friday (including a paid subscriber exclusive every other Friday). That works out at just £3.75 a month. A steal!

Get 10% off forever

The Edit

Nine things worth shopping this week

1. Maison Crivelli has become one of my favourite fragrance brands in the last year, and I’m in LOVE with their latest scent, Musc Nurasana, which combines three ingredients that are already staples in my collection – bergamot, rose and tonka bean – with musk and frankincense. It’s warm and sexy, but with that feminine floral note. And since it’s an extrait de parfum, you only need a tiny bit. I’ve started wearing it at home and sniffing my arm every five minutes, which feels highly indulgent given the price but it’s that good. £197 for 50ml

2. If I had a jet-setting ‘Euro summer’ planned (I do not, but things could change), I would be getting all my bikinis from Sara Cristina. £220

3. My go-to brand for sandals is Ancient Greek – I think their prices are decent for the quality and they’ve convinced me I need a pair of green satin flip-flop wedges for summer evenings. £280

4. I was very lucky to receive a birthday voucher from Healf and it will be going towards liposomal glutathione, because it’s one of the pricier supplements I take (for glow!). To be quite honest, I’m not loyal to a specific product – I’ll buy whatever so long as it comes in a liquid form from a brand I trust and doesn’t cost the earth. This one from BodyHealth is reasonably priced and has my sister’s seal of approval. £28.49 (10% off with link)

5. Net-A-Porter is doing a 40% sale on a selection of Toteme pieces. Forty percent. I’d go for this belted bucket bag. £600 on sale (usually £1,000)

6. My top pick for trainers this season are still the Adidas x Wales Bonners from last week (no clue how they’re still available) BUT if you’re on a budget and like the retro look, these ‘Moon Shoes’ from Nike are half the price. £89.99

7. I’ve found the easiest way to make a fancy gown feel context-appropriate for a country wedding is to throw on a raffia bag. This zebra print one from Loeffler Randall is a conversation starter. £290

8. Another knitted tank. My latest crush is this one from Simkhai. £185

9. John Lewis has dropped a second collab with LF favourite Rejina Pyo. I want many things but mostly these cargos. £129

P.S. This section contains affiliate links which means if you end up making a purchase I may earn some commission, at absolutely no cost to you. I only recommend stuff I like and I always link to the best price I can find, regardless of affiliates.

Going Out

Places and experiences worth leaving the house for

• Have you got your tickets to HX26 yet? The Healf festival, which I wrote about here, is back at 180 Studios in June. I had the best time last year and left feeling incredibly motivated, so there’s no doubt I’ll be going again for round two. It’s £65 for the basic tickets, which give you access to the brand village and talks, but I’d recommend the two-day pass for £215, which includes a goodie bag, access to all the talks and workshops (including fitness classes in 180 Health Club) and a complimentary lunch and smoothie on one of the days.

• Charles Finch, who runs Finch + Partners and A Rabbit’s Foot and is probably the most well-connected man in London (possibly the world), has opened a new under-the-radar restaurant and cocktail bar in Mayfair called Bar Finch. The launch has been pretty low-key so far and photos are scarce, but you can get a glimpse of it here. I’ve been told the Caesar salad is a highlight.

• A new Milanese restaurant to have on your radar: Ornella in London Fields, which is taking bookings now for 8 May onwards. It’s the second opening from Theo James (yes, that one) and his partners Ed Templeton and Naz Hassan. I’m going to the press preview next week and will report back.

Read more

Hello and welcome back to Late Filing. I hope you’ve had a fabulous week.

Today happens to be my birthday, which makes it a year since I went on a pretty life-changing trip to New York and the idea for this newsletter came to me. I’d previously run a fairly half-hearted Substack about workwear during my brief stint in a more corporate job, and after realising that neither were for me (and quitting both), I decided I wanted to create something a bit more ‘authentic’ – a place to share tips, recommendations, musings and opinions about the sort of stuff I’m actually interested in. And so this baby was born.

To celebrate, I’m running a mini birthday sale. If you enjoy reading Late Filing as much as I enjoy putting it together and you want to upgrade, then I’m doing 10% off annual subscriptions for the next week. That’s £45 a year for full access to The Digest every Wednesday and a feature every Friday, which works out 25% cheaper than going monthly. (And if you’re already a paid subscriber, I appreciate the support so so much – it’s the biggest motivation to keep going!)

Get 10% off forever

This week’s Friday feature is another Fantasy Weekend – a paid subscriber exclusive where I ask creative tastemakers around the world to share their itineraries. For April, we’re back in London with Georgia Graham, a former model turned writer, presenter and creative consultant. Georgia has a fabulous fashion newsletter and podcast on Substack called Threads of Conversation, and over the course of her career she’s worked in-house at Browns and Selfridges and interviewed Virgil Abloh, Demna Gvasalia and Connor Ives to name a few. Below the paywall, you’ll find some of her favourite spots in the city for consignment shopping, reiki massages and top-tier Mexican food.

P.S. On Monday, I’m interviewing a financial adviser for another one of these expert interviews, and I’d love to know if you have questions for her – about investments, savings, pensions, income, property, being self-employed. Hit me up on latefiling@substack.com. (I always love hearing from you!)

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Hello and welcome back to The Digest, a weekly roundup newsletter from Late Filing. In today’s issue, I’ve got: the long-awaited arrival of Violet Grey in London; a preview of the menu for Jackson Boxer’s upcoming restaurant in Clerkenwell; a magazine launch party this Friday; a smart new townhouse hotel with big discounts this month; two opposing manifestos for career ambition; the latest from Adidas x Wales Bonner; and a series on the decline of dating.

The Edit

Nine things worth shopping this week

1. The launch of Violet Grey in the UK (see below) means that their fragrance offshoot Madame Grey is now available to shop too. The flagship product is their eyewateringly expensive perfume (I tried it on and I’m afraid to say it’s worth the hype – and lasts for ages) but they also sell these highly giftable candles for every sign in the zodiac. £75

2. I am in love with these braided leather sandals from Joseph. The heel is the sort of height and width that I reckon I could get around with for the day without wanting to die. £595

3. I have more concealers than any other product in my makeup bag (they all do different things!) but with wedding season approaching, this one from Hourglass – in the shade Velvet – is what I’ll be relying on for a Full Beat. £37

4. I’ve been so impressed by Claudie Pierlot lately and my newest crush from them is this collarless pinstripe blazer, which I would happily wear on non-work days over a tank. £379

5. I’m pretty loyal to Jimmy Fairly and I’ll be going to them again for my next pair of glasses now I feel like switching it up. The Greg is my new favourite. £100

6. The latest drop from Adidas x Wales Bonner is here and at the time of writing there are a bunch of trainers still available – somehow – on Net-A-Porter. This ‘Karintha’ style might just be my favourite thing they’ve come out with. £180

7. I tried out Isamaya Ffrench’s beauty brand for the first time when I was in Selfridges the other day. I looked dry and knackered and a bit of this primer-highlighter hybrid on my cheekbones and nose made me instantly dewy. It stayed there for the rest of the day too. £33

8. After weeks of being lazy, I’m back in full workout mode and these days it’s pretty much head-to-toe Vuori. I want this racerback sports bra from them next. £70

9. Vyrao now makes a hand cream version of four of its bestselling scents. It’s rich and the fragrance lasts. My favourite is Witchy Woo. £49 (10% off with link)

P.S. This section contains affiliate links which means if you end up making a purchase I may earn some commission, at absolutely no cost to you. I only recommend stuff I like and I always link to the best price I can find, regardless of affiliates.

Going Out

Places and experiences worth leaving the house for

• The world’s most glamorous beauty retailer, Violet Grey – which I’ve been a long-distance fan of for over ten years – has finally landed in London with a pop-up in Harvey Nichols. I couldn’t make the press preview, sadly, but I dropped in yesterday afternoon and it’s expectedly fabulous: a plush lounge-slash-dressing room that’s stocked with magazines, objets and their edit of the best in beauty (including a few exclusives). Word is it’ll be around for the next few months.

• Jackson Boxer has announced he’s opening a new restaurant in Exmouth Market called Vesper next month with interiors designed by Jermaine Gallacher. Some of the best meals I’ve had in London have been in Jackson’s restaurants, so I’m very excited for this one, especially since seeing the menu: chicken liver agnolotti, glazed lamb shoulder with merguez and aubergine, grilled gurnard with crab butter and pickled pepper. In the meantime, I’d recommend booking into Dove if you haven’t already. (Go for an early reservation and get the incredible gorgonzola burger, which is limited to ten for each service.)

• If you’ve ever considered having a bespoke suit made (the dream), then you might fancy going to Emilie Hawtin’s Clementina trunk show with J Mueser in Marylebone next week Saturday. Clementina partners with some of the best ateliers in the world to produce tailoring for women, and at the event there’ll be a chance for you to browse the collection, select fabrics and be measured for custom pieces.

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Hello and welcome back to Late Filing.

One of the best things that’s come from launching The Digest earlier this year is that it has forced me to be a better reader. If ever you need luring out of a slump, I’d highly recommend sending out a roundup newsletter with a Cultural Radar section that you are obligated to fill every week. Three and a half months in, I’ve officially read (and listened to) more books this year than I did the whole of last year, which was shamefully low on literature.

These days, I get my reading inspiration from all over – podcasts, bookshops, Instagram, newspapers. However, one person whose stamp of approval counts especially highly in my book is Ochuko Akpovbovbo. Ochuko is a strategist and writer who lives between Berlin and Lagos and runs a bestselling cultural intelligence newsletter called As Seen On, which is voice-y and smart and which you should absolutely subscribe to. She’s also an avid reader who posts about books on her Instagram and contributes to Pandora Sykes’ Books + Bits newsletter once a month.

For this week’s Friday feature, I asked Ochuko if she’d be up for ‘prescribing’ some fiction to Late Filing readers. Below, her recommendations on what to pick up if you’re on the cusp of a big birthday, going through a break-up or simply need jolting out of your own reading stasis.

For the person who’s anxious about a milestone birthday

The Amendments by Niamh Mulvey
‘There’s something about milestone birthdays that makes people behave as though time has suddenly started moving, as opposed to the very obvious fact that it has always been moving. I think what actually happens is that you’re forced to confront your life as a finished thing, even though it isn’t. Or at least, parts of it start to feel fixed. This is a novel about that dissonance – the gap between who you thought you’d be and who you’ve become instead. It’s not especially dramatic about it, which I like. No grand unravelling, just a series of recognitions. I kept thinking, while reading, that the version of your life you planned was always a bit fictional anyway. Useful, perhaps, but not something you were ever going to fully inhabit.’

For the person going through a break-up or divorce

Private Rites by Julia Armfield
‘I think people underestimate how much of a break-up is less about losing the other person and more about being left alone with yourself. What you agreed to, what you ignored, the life you built around something that no longer exists. This book is very good on that particular kind of aftermath, which I must admit is not very comforting. I wouldn’t come here for solace, but it is exacting!’

For the person who’s undecided about whether to have kids

Boulder by Eva Baltasar
‘There’s a version of this conversation that is very neat. People speak as though you simply arrive at a position, declare it, and move on. I don’t think that’s how it works for most people, and this book doesn’t pretend otherwise. It sits in the ambivalence, almost to the point of irritation, which I appreciated. Because the question isn’t just about children, is it? It’s about freedom, responsibility, identity, the shape of a life. What you’re willing to give up, and what you think you might regret. This isn’t something I am personally conflicted on, but this book gave me a lot of understanding.’

For the person who’s given up on dating but misses romance and passion

The Happy Couple by Naoise Dolan
‘When people say they’ve given up on dating, I’m never entirely convinced. It’s usually more that they’ve given up on a certain narrative – how it was supposed to happen and who they thought they’d be in it. This book is less about love itself and more about that discrepancy. The relationships don’t quite land, the timing is off, the feeling is there but not in the way it should be. And what you’re left with is a sense of having missed something you can’t quite name. I think it captures that well.’

For the person who can’t decide whether to stay with their partner

The City and the House by Natalia Ginzburg
‘Indecision is often treated as a flaw, but I think it’s usually just a refusal to simplify something that isn’t simple. In this novel, people leave, return, hesitate and circle each other for years. Nothing is resolved in a clean or satisfying way, which makes it feel more honest than most books about relationships. You’re not given a model to follow. You’re just shown how complicated it can be to want two incompatible things at once.’

For the person who hates their job

The Anthropologists by Ayşegül Savaş
‘There’s a very specific dissatisfaction that comes from a life that looks fine on paper. Stable, respectable, broadly what you were aiming for, and yet. This book is interested in that “and yet”. It’s quiet, maybe even a bit evasive, but I think that’s the point. Most people aren’t having dramatic crises about work. They’re just persistently misaligned and unsure what to do about it. This makes that feeling legible, which is sometimes enough to shift how you see it.’

For the person who wants to get back into reading

Small Worlds by Caleb Azumah-Nelson
‘I don’t really believe in forcing yourself back into reading through sheer discipline. Trust me, I spent six months in a reading slump. It was brutal! So I feel qualified to say that what you need instead is something that makes reading feel easy again, which I think this does. It’s short, yes, but more importantly it moves and transfixes. You don’t have to convince yourself to pick it up, which is half the battle. And by the time you’re done, you remember that reading isn’t something you need to relearn. It’s something you return to.’

Hello and welcome back to The Digest, a weekly roundup from Late Filing covering shopping, going out, culture and hot topics. In today’s issue, I’ve got: a Notting Hill restaurant that deserves way more buzz; a skincare product recommended by one of London’s top aesthetic doctors; my new fragrance obsession; a holistic facial unlike any other I’ve tried; the unsexy reality of dating younger guys; and the diminishing returns of a glossy magazine internship (plus some ‘highlights’ from my days in the trenches).

The Edit

Nine things worth shopping this week

1. I regret spritzing myself with the Matiere Premiere Santal Austral Extrait de Parfum because it is so delicious (a universally pleasing sandalwood) but so outrageously expensive. If you can’t stomach the price, go for the eau de parfum or the lotion instead. £288 for 100ml on Harvey Nichols with the code HELLOSPRINGCUR (originally £250 for 50ml or £360 for 100ml)

2. Likewise these Jil Sander loafers – they come in a hard leather but were surprisingly comfy when I tried them on. (FYI: I found they came up large, and the SA said she recommends sizing down.) £693 on Farfetch (£770 elsewhere)

3. I admittedly featured these Jimmy Fairly sunglasses in a roundup last summer, but after trying on a bunch of ‘designer’ pairs over the past couple weeks, I’m afraid I’m still of the view that their markups are too ridiculous to be justified and these are my top pick yet again. I have the optical version and despite putting them through the wringer in the past three years, they’ve held up exceptionally well. £135

4. You could wear these Dries van Noten heels with anything because they are the outfit. Equal parts quirky and sexy. £895

5. Yes, yet another chocolate brown full-length dress that’s perfect for wedding season. I can’t help it. This one is from De la Vali and looks a bit like the VB ‘Isabella’, but for considerably less. £496 on Harvey Nichols with the code HELLOSPRINGCUR (originally £690)

6. I’m a jewellery minimalist so this simple, vial-like gold vermeil necklace from west London brand Otiumberg immediately caught my eye. £250

7. I’m newly a fan of Dinosaur Designs’ chunky, misshapen tableware, which is made from resin. This jug would make a lovely hostess gift. £225

8. While I am loyal to my 0.1% tretinoin (which I procure via Get Harley), Medik8’s Crystal Retinal came highly recommended by one of the aesthetic doctors I interviewed for the guide. My sister is also a fan and she has fabulous skin. For retinoid newbies, start with Retinal 1 and work your way up. From £36 on Look Fantastic (originally £45)

9. I spotted a gorgeous raffia bag from a brand I love while in Harvey Nicks and it was over £1,500. For raffia! Madness. This one is from Cos at a price tag that makes much more sense. £95

P.S. This section contains affiliate links which means if you end up making a purchase I may earn some commission, at absolutely no cost to you. I only recommend stuff I like and I always link to the best price I can find, regardless of affiliates.

Going Out

Places and experiences worth leaving the house for

• Last week, I was invited down to Sino, a low-key Ukrainian restaurant on All Saints Road in Notting Hill that opened last year. I had no clue what to expect as I’m not particularly well-versed in Eastern European food but I was so impressed (and my sister, who I went with, was too). We opted for the tasting menu (£80pp), which included a potato and sorrel waffle, black pudding croquettes, cured scallop in a melon sauce and pork belly with beetroot and pickled plum. Every dish was unusual and delightful. No skips! I left absolutely stuffed but also not wanting it to be over.

• I’ve had my fair share of facials, but none quite like the one I had with Flavia at Mina Lee’s studio on Draycott Avenue (£375 for 90 minutes). I’ll be honest: usually the word ‘holistic’ turns me off because what I really want is for my face to be pummelled and zapped with machinery. This, unexpectedly, required me to strip off and involved acupuncture (my first time) in my ankles and wrists, lymphatic massage on my tummy, and then Plazegin-T (plasma technology) and ultrasound – both pain-free – on my face. It was somehow both relaxing and stimulating, a full sensory experience, and most importantly I left with a snatched jawline and a reflective forehead.

Read more

Welcome back to Late Filing. I hope you had a lovely weekend. Today, I have another ginormous ‘Friday feature’ for you about aesthetics. Apologies it’s out much later than usual – it was pretty research-heavy and I wanted to ensure it was in the best shape possible, with accurate information, before I pressed send. (The plan is to go back to regularly scheduled programming soon – I promise!)

I’ve written a fair bit about aesthetics in Late Filing, and every time I feel like I need to offer a disclaimer of sorts – simply because they can provoke quite a strong reaction, no matter the context. Some people draw a hard line with injectables, which is fair. I’ve always cared more about the intended result than whether it’s administered via a cream or a cannula, and to me, being bothered by your under-eye bags or pigmentation or not quite liking how your smile looks in photos is several rungs down from the pursuit of a very narrow, Kardashian-esque beauty ideal.

However you feel about them, what is clear is that aesthetic treatments – which include injectables but also peels, lasers and other energy-based devices – are increasingly common. There’s a tonne of information, misinformation and hot takes out there, and as someone who is lucky enough to be in touch with some of the top practitioners in the field, I really enjoy sharing the knowledge I’ve gleaned from them. (I often get asked for advice by friends about treatments and 75% of the time my response is: ‘You absolutely do not need that.’)

If you are someone who is remotely interested in this stuff, then below the paywall is a glossary-style primer to the latest and greatest in the field with expertise from some of London’s leading aesthetic doctors. Obviously, I couldn’t cover everything but I’ve distilled it down into what I believe is the most relevant, useful and up-to-date information. Then at the very end, I’ve divulged everything I’ve personally tried and included a short verdict on it (including pain level!).

To gain access to this story – along with other paid subscriber exclusives such as this restaurant guide, these monthly travel guides and all four sections of The Digest every Wednesday – it’s just £5 a month. Even less if you go annual.

About the experts

Dr Paris Acharya is a cosmetic doctor and maxillofacial surgeon who runs a regenerative aesthetics clinic in Marylebone.

Dr Jenny Doyle is a consultant oculoplastic surgeon and cosmetic doctor who specialises in eyelid surgery and advanced facial aesthetics. She is the cofounder of The Clinic Holland Park, an aesthetics, dermatology and ophthalmology clinic in west London.

Dr Christine Hall is an aesthetics doctor who practises out of the Taktouk Clinic and is one of the UK’s leading experts in Korean beauty. She’s also a GP and a pharmacist.

Dr David Jack is an aesthetics doctor who initially trained in plastic surgery and burns. He has an eponymous aesthetics clinic with locations in London and Edinburgh as well as his own line of skincare and supplements.

Dr Tego Kirnon-Jackman is an aesthetics doctor. She is the founder of Skin Menu, a clinic on Pall Mall, where she offers lasers, peels and injectables, and is an expert in pigmentation.

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Hello and welcome back to The Digest, a weekly roundup email from Late Filing that covers shopping, going out, culture and talking points.

Today, I’m very excited to say I have a guest editor with me. When I first launched The Digest back in January, I knew I wanted to occasionally bring in writers whose taste and point of view I trust to take over different sections. This week, Going Out is covered by my good friend Alia Abdulla, a cultural strategist and woman-about-town who always has the best recommendations. (All of Going Out is un-paywalled today.)

Also in this issue: what to wear now the sun has made an appearance; the ways New York is becoming more London, and London is becoming more New York; why single women are throwing blowout parties; the staggering pay gap at prestigious firms in the City; the rise of indie food media; an upcoming talk with a Condé EIC; and the non-vain reasons you should be working out your glutes.

The Edit

Nine things worth shopping this week

1. My go-to brand for shirts, WNU, comes out with these matching sets for summer that I’m obsessed with. You can wear them around town, throw them over a bikini on holiday, dress them up with heels and jewellery for evening. An investment, really. £205 (10% off with code LATE10)

2. While putting together last week’s wedding gift guide, I ended up falling in love with everything from Gohar World. I can’t think of a more sophisticated hostess gift than these silver-plated cocktail picks. £125

3. After months of nudging my sister, who is a beauty whizz, to try out the Fara Homidi compact that I gave her, she has finally done so and given it a rave review. Mine hasn’t left my bag since I opened it. £83

4. While hunting down homeware gifts for the wedding guide, I also came across this gorgeous Sister by Studio Ashby stool. If money were no object, I’d throw in the Toucan Bench and the Patchwork Kilim Rug too. I love Sophie’s eye. £1,000

5. This sporty knit dress from Staud is an easy one-and-done spring-summer outfit for when you can’t think of what to wear. And it’s on sale. £86 (originally £215)

6. If you’re as obsessive about sun protection as I am, then I’d recommend this Solbari visor. Is it the sexiest thing I own? No, probably not. But it doesn’t mess up your hair as much as a normal sunhat, and the wide brim gives you proper coverage. I wear mine everywhere without shame! £45

7. I’m a fairweather gardener, by which I mean I only take an interest in it when the weather is fair. Now that it’s warmed up (and I actually have a garden again), I’ll be making use of my beloved Niwaki ‘Hori Hori’ trowel. If you love gardening or anything Japanese, then you have to stop by their shop on Chiltern Street. £32

8. Another gem from the St Agni sale: this draped dress. I love how it’s cinched at the waist (less sack-like), and the back is fabulous too. £125 (originally £405)

9. The body sunscreen has officially made it out of the bathroom cabinet (face sunscreen is every day!). My favourite is from Ultra Violette because it’s not sticky and it doesn’t leave you with a lilac cast. £24.30 at Liberty (originally £27)

P.S. This section contains affiliate links which means if you end up making a purchase I may earn some commission, at absolutely no cost to you. I only recommend stuff I like and I always link to the best price I can find, regardless of affiliates.

Going Out

Edited by Alia Abdulla

• Elystan Street – famously of langoustine-gate – is one of those places I’d walked past a hundred times assuming it was way out of my league, until I found out they had £30 three-course lunch menu (insane value). On Sunday 19 April, chef-patron Phil Howard is handing over the kitchen to his former Eleven Madison Park colleagues Charlie Watson and Emily Hall, the husband-and-wife duo behind pop-up dining experience (and soon-to-be-restaurant) Bad Neighbor. It’s £75pp to preview what they’re cooking up before anyone in New York. Book here.

• London has a new-ish listening bar that’s not in east: New Forms on Manor Street. I visited with a few friends and I’d say it’s still finding its feet – but I was pleasantly surprised by the music programming and the fact that people actually dance. I doubt it’ll remain a hidden gem for long, though. There are no bookings, so make sure to go early in the evening.

• My favourite listening bar in town is still Space Talk. Everything is so considered and intentional – the best speakers, a great sushi menu. You can tell they’ve put so much thought and care into everything. I also love Goodbye Horses in De Beauvoir, which was playing Brazilian funk when I last went. And Bambi in London Fields is a very fun night out – it’s more of a ‘listening restaurant’ and then around 10 o’clock it turns into a dancefloor.

• A friend of a friend, Marc Flekei, is behind Kumori, a new handroll bar opening in Soho on 16 April. (I’ve loved following along the behind-the-scenes journey on Instagram.) Head chef John de Guzman was previously at Masa and spent a decade at Nobu. He’ll also be joined by chefs from the likes of Zuma and Dinings. They are only 30 seats, so definitely book ahead.

• I popped into the newly opened Pavilion Press over the Easter weekend and crowds aside, I was pleased to see a strong selection of less mainstream titles across art, film and culture, plus coffee and treats from Reemie’s Cakes. It’s of those places you go in for a quick look and end up lingering – if you can find a seat.

• I’ve heard lots of good things about Burn Lab, a new infrared studio in South Ken – mostly from my sisters, who are the real authority when it comes to fitness. They offer 50-minute sessions of hot barre, hot yoga and hot Pilates, and have top-of-the-range hi-fi speakers, which apparently make all the difference.

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