Wednesday 17th October 2012

Massive pre-boarding tension: tomorrow to New York with the Gay Mother for huge events. The temp there is 19c in the daytime. Hell from the frock point of view. Will I ever wrench forth from summer clothes?

‘This is a summer outfit,’ said Joshua Baring, puzzled by my get-up at his party. I was in that white crooner jacket with the satin cowl collar,  a Prada (factory shop) flower-power Corregès-style T-shirt and the little Prada (full price! horror!) khaki slacks. My shoes were Prada (factory shop) light mahogany with outsize fringed tongue.

I just can’t get out of cream, white and white and cream. Last night I took the Waitrose book launch in cream – my Topman cream suit. Jenni Murray and John Humphrys were there, with Rachel Johnson – she had fuchsia clucks with a bottle-green draped light wool frock.

Robert Nevil was at the Hilary Mantel party with Cousin Matthew from Downton. Get him!

Dear Blanche Spain has asked for more on the frockage at Joshua’s party: volumes could be written. Mama Baring was in spots – white spots on navy, a gown-style, knee-length ‘top’ with black trousers and important mother-of-pearl clip-ons (that’s earrings). Young men were in jeans with waistcoats and ties (a new look for Autumn), Patrick Lockyer was totally pointy: tiny, tiny black jeans,absolutely clamped to the entire leg, black winkle pickers and black leather indoor bomber jacket, some necklaces.

What about Joshua himself? He had a burnished silvery jacket (not jackette), glinting low in the candlelight, and underneath a butterscotch-whip knit  with plunging neckline worn next the skin, an exquisite wool soufflé or froth, an incredibly rare piece.

I should mention that Joshua’s brother, ‘Bovver’, real name Benson, has cut-glass vowels.

Odd too, how the birthday centre person at their own birthday celebration evaporates just a little. It happened to Harry Rollo last year and just the other day in the neighbour street, to Muriel McGlorian. Perhaps a mystique surrounds, they’ve already begun to ascend a little, as the Virgin and Our Lord did.

There’s been another astonishing turn of events – arising out of Frieze Art Fayre.

More to come, more to come.