London’s green spaces have always been treasured hideaways for those who live here. However, in 2020, the parks have played a vital role for many. At the beginning of lockdown, we retreated to them for our one government-allowed walk a day, and some of us attempted to complete the Couch to 5K app in them. Then, as the restrictions eased, they became the focal point of our social lives. Walk through any London park this summer, and you’ll see socially distant hen parties, 30th birthday celebrations and family reunions taking place alongside sun salutation yoga flows and personal training sessions. I have even seen someone make their own pub out of towering Amazon boxes. As the role of the park in our daily lives has shifted, so has the dress code. Instead of leggings and hoodies, people have started dressing up in the items they missed when we were unable to venture outdoors. So we sent photographer Nadine Petzke to capture how Londoners are really dressing for a summer spent at the park.
Petzke went to East London’s Victoria Park and London Fields, and her photographs perfectly reflect the styling sensibility that Brits are known for. There’s a mix of high end and the Great British high street. Below you’ll see neon Gucci sunglasses and Burberry trench coats alongside a lot of ASOS and Topshop. Another typically London styling move is to blend old and new. The capital’s vintage shops might have been closed for months, but the images below show the amazing things you can find second-hand. Londoners also have a reputation for never looking too polished or overdressed, either. Yes, we’ll wear our finery to the park, but we’ll mix dresses with chunky boots and sandals to give each outfit a throw-on feel.
