Earlier this week I had the chance to meet an old family friend for a drink and a chinwag in Seven Dials so what better opportunity to explore a little area of London I’ve yet to set foot in. With it being Christmas week the crowd was out in full swing, undeterred by the dull weather or the fact that most of them had to be at work right that minute doing some annual reports *yawn*.
Seven Dials is famous for it’s central sundial which radiates out to seven streets of Covent Garden such as Monmouth Street, Earlham Street and Mercer Street. The sundial is actually a replica of the original 17th century monument and was only re-installed 25 years ago in 1989. Originally the sundial was removed because it attracted undesirables to the area and scuppering the plans of creating an affluent, upper class area. These plans went out the window with shops starting to sell second and third hand goods on a regular basis and it was not uncommon to find things like pigeons, owls and rare animals on display in Seven Dials.
You’ll be glad to know that the days of 17th century chavs have long gone to be replaced by fashionable shops, cafes and theatres. Although it’s not the biggest place I did enjoy having a stroll through the narrow streets checking out the architecture and areas of Seven Dials most people probably do not see like the Ching Court that contains some of the most striking architecture I’ve seen so far in central London. This open air courtyard is the perfect place to escape the chaos of city life, read a book or just meditate for 15 minutes. If you fancy a visit Ching Court is open to the public between 8 – 6pm from Monday – Friday.
Seven Dials Urban Exploration
Seven Dials Street Style
Since I had my camera with me I thought I’d see where the mood takes me and indulge in a little street fashion photography as I heard great things about fashion in Seven Dials. There wasn’t a huge variety on offer considering the time and date I decided to arrive but most of the people I chatted with were nice and friendly and were comfortable with me snapping a few shots. Like the actual special child that I am I totally forgot to use RAW settings so the images perhaps didn’t turn out perfectly but hey, photography is mostly trial and error so I’m glad I took the first albeit baby steps.
Did not ask what they were wearing but I love the fox tail scarf on the left as it goes with the history of Seven Dials when shops used to have all kinds of exotic animals on their displays (read above)
Coat: Jaeger
Coat: Mango
Turtleneck: Zara
So here we are, another little London roundup. What areas should I visit next? Are there any hidden gems in London you want to know more about or should I keep improving my photography skills? Hit me up on twitter @StyleDivision or Instagram
Antonski
