Next up in our series of interviews with London bloggers we chat to Olivia from My New Favourite Thing, a fashion & lifestyle blog, who reveals herself to be a bit of a London expert with some top tips for Qypers, not to mention a very ambitious schedule for her ideal London Sunday!

Qype: Can you tell Qypers who you are and what you do?

Olivia: Hi Qypers! I’m Olivia and I’m a fashion and lifestyle hack from London. In other words, I sing the praises of beautiful clothes all day on a well-known luxury website, then come home and do the same on my blog, My New Favourite Thing. I also have a soft spot for 80s B-movies, procrastination, carbs, Wikipedia and Dolly Parton. Oh, and list-writing.

Qype: What prompted you to start your blog, and what elements do you think have contributed to it becoming so popular?

O: I was made redundant when a magazine that I worked for folded – starting a blog seemed like the best way to carry on being creative. I think popularity comes through perseverance more than anything but I’d like to think that people enjoy my writing and photography too! I try to put a mixture of posts up – anything from a gratuitous outfit shot to a mortifying excerpt from my teenage diary and many, many odes to tea and cake inbetween! I try and keep it personal, a bit kitsch and overall quite tongue-in-cheek – I want people to feel happy that they stopped by for a visit!

Qype: Who’s your fashion icon?

O: I love slightly eccentric, larger-than-life characters like Joan Collins, Anna Dello Russo and Little Edie Beale -  women who aren’t afraid to do four costume changes a day and who embrace glamour and all its impracticalities! I’ve learnt the hard way that 6 inch heels don’t work on the tube but, godammit, I’m still trying! I also have a serious style crush on Miroslava Duma, The Olsens and Christine Centenera – they all have an amazing eye and put things together in a way that is really unique and inspiring.

Qype: What would your perfect London Sunday consist of (let’s assume it’s a perfect Sunday weather-wise, transport is working perfectly, and money is no object!)

O: What a fabulous question! I’d start off with breakfast with The Boy in the courtyard at the Sanderson Hotel – we’d order their amazing eggs Benedict and drink English Breakfast tea over the Sunday papers. I might circle a couple of things in the Sunday Times Style magazine and then head over to Selfridges to go hunting for them (in reality I’d paw the Alexander Wang bags and dribble on the Chloe blazers but this is hypothetical so I would buy, buy, buy!). I’d then grab some red velvet cupcakes from Lola’s on the way out and jump in a cab to Borough Market to pick up some ingredients for an impromptu picnic. I’d head to Kensington Gardens via Bea’s of Bloomsbury where I’d collect a ready-made hamper (they give you plates, silverware, tea, cake and sandwiches!). We’d then ride the old-fashioned carousel if our stomachs could handle it, before heading up the road to Portobello to potter around watching the people go by. In this idyllic weekend fantasy I’d find a vintage Hermes watch for next to nothing, then walk up to the Electric Cinema where they’d be showing Mannequin. If we were still feeling peckish after the film (doubtful but always a possibility!) we’d buy some jollof rice from Spinach & Agushi and eat it out of the polystyrene trays as we wandered through the stalls. I’d kiss The Boy goodbye here and head over to Wah in Topshop Oxford Circus to meet some friends and get Minx manicures ready for our big night out! We’d then go onto Michaeljohn for a quick haircut from Charlie Chan (he kisses your head when he’s finished!) before heading to our suite at 40 Winks to get ready for dinner and dancing. If we were lucky we’d get James Read to come and do our spray tans in the bathroom, too! My ideal supper would be at Amaya but we’d charm our way into Cipriani afterwards just to get a slice of their heavenly cream cake for dessert! Then we’d drop by Aqua for a cheeky rooftop cocktail before dancing on the tables in 24 London til the wee hours! At the end of the night we’d jump in a cab to Brick Lane for salt beef bagels with lashings of mustard and the best cup of tea you can get in the city. And the cherry on top? A big, fat lie-in the next day – my perfect Sunday would mean absolutely no work on Monday!

Qype: What are your favourite places in London to visit when you want a new outfit?

O: We’re incredibly lucky that we have the best selection of high street shops in the world – even if I’m one day very rich (here’s hoping!) I still think I’d trawl my trusted favourites of Topshop, H&M, Zara, Whistles and Urban Outfitters. River Island and New Look never fail to surprise me with their directional designs and Cos and Reiss are great for timeless pieces, too. In and around Oxford Circus you have all of them, plus there’s Bond Street nearby if you’re feeling extravagant and all the quirky boutiques around Carnaby for unique little touches – Beyond the Valley and Marshmallow Mountain are great. I love Liberty for shoes, Kabiri for jewellery and Browns Labels For Less is always good for a mooch around too! For everything else I look to my mum’s wardrobe, Portobello or net-a-porter.com.

Qype: Where do the fashionistas of London hang out and where do you get the best snaps?

O: London is teeming with fashionistas! East is best for artfully dishevelled types and West is full of more polished, uptown characters. I love people watching in Soho so if I wanted to take some great street-style pics I’d get a window table at Floridita on Wardour Street. They do great mojitos too!

Qype: Can you tell us your trend predictions for next season?

O: Aviator jackets, parkas and capes – basically, your outerwear has to be killer.

Qype: Give us one place which you think every Londoner should have in their ‘little black book of hidden gems’.

O: Every Londoner should know where to find no-nonsense, traditional fish ‘n’ chips and The Rock and Sole Plaice on Endell Street is the best! Served with a great mug of builder’s tea and mushy peas to die for, it’s the oldest chippie in the capital. Authentic, a bit grimy and absolutely perfect!

So there we have it – the most jam-packed perfect London Sunday schedule to date – think you could manage it? Spotted a blogger you think we should be grilling? Let us know in the comments!