Why I should be a lady of leisure

Now that the Christmas rush is over and I'm still on leave from work I've had the chance to have a little me time, which I've spent sale shopping, baking and movie watching. But today I thought it was about time I made a venture into the great outdoors and did two things; the first was visit my new gym. I recently ended my gym membership with Fitness First and joined The Gym Group, www.thegymgroup.com because of cost - it's £26 a month cheaper which is a £312 saving over the year, as well as actually being closer to home #winning. I will miss Fitness First because it had a great range of classes, although I only went to Spin, and the free magazines - I am going to have start buying Look. Today was my first visit to the gym but it had all the equipment I needed and was clean and I would totally recommend it if you have a local Gym Group gym near you - my gym going isn't always as regular as it should be so it makes sense to not spend a lot of money on membership fees. If you prefer to attend classes you may wish to try another gym but if you happy to focus on using machines then this is perfect for you, you can trial the gym for £5 and its open 24 hours, so if you feel the urgency to exercise in the middle of the night you can.

My next stop was one of my favourite places in London, the V&A, where I spent the evening viewing the Ballgowns - British glamour since 1950 and Hollywood Costume exhibitions. The Ballgowns exhibition was exquisite especially the more recent dresses, I always stay up to tweet the red carpet so I just loved the contemporary ballgowns, but the whole collection was beautiful and if you are into glamour then I would definitely go and see the exhibit. It ends on Jan 6 so do make sure to go ASAP if you are interested. It costs £10. The Hollywood Costume exhibition showcases costumes from many classic films including Titanic, Batman, Indiana Jones, Legally Blonde, Elizabeth and much more and includes interviews from directors, actors and wardrobe designers. The exhibits showcase the importance of costume to a film, and the vital role they play in getting the actors into character.

One of the things I liked most about the collection and the interactive displays was that it enabled you to get a real feel for the role of a costume designer - unless it's a period drama my view was that it was a relatively easy job, but there is a lot more to it than just choosing a wardrobe and ensuring continuity. Costume is a key part of the film and the importance of its role in the success of a movie is showcased superbly. I would totally recommend this exhibition for film buffs, general film goers, or just anyone interested in clothes. Be warned it takes about 1.5 hrs to see everything, but it's a really good exhibition to go and see with someone who isn't into museums or galleries. It costs £14 but tickets are sold out on line and can only be purchased on site. This exhibition ends at the end of Jan but it was really busy when I went and I've always found that the last weekends are very busy so I suggest you go before then.

As I was in full museum mode I also decided to check out the Architecture collection, which I loved and surprisingly hadn't seen before - I love architecture so I wasn't quite sure how I hadn't checked this out previously. I also saw the modern Iranian photography exhibition, which has some really great photography and provides insight into Iranian society. Who knew that magazines are censored with black crosses and dresses are extended to meet the Iranian moral code?!

I also took the opportunity to pay the African Collection, which I mentioned in a previous post, a visit. This is quite a small collection but showcases items that are in the V&A's archive but haven't been displayed previously. One of the exhibits is a range of photos purchased from an exhibition of negro art at the New York Museum of Modern Art in 1935; as I said this a small collection and I'm not sure I would make the journey just to see these exhibits but if you are at the V&A then do pay it a visit.

If I didn't mention a price it's free to visit these particular collections, the V&A ask for a donation of £3, but I love it there so I'm going to become a member. If you do go and see any of these exhibitions or have seen one that you would recommend let me know. Further info is available at www.vam.ac.uk #ballgowns.

I didn't take photos of the ballgowns or costumes but did take some of the other exhibits - naughty! Check them out ...

One of my favourite places - the V&A

When I was growing up there were a group of kids on my road who hung out together. We went to youth club, camping, Wood Craft together (a bit like Guides but mixed - even then, and pro the environment and sustainability) and generally spent a lot of time at each others houses.

On cold rainy days we would ask to do one of two things, go to a museum or to go to the wave session at Britannia;  which probably tells you a lot about my childhood. But this is really where my love of museums stems from and probably why I still love architecture and looking at historic finds to this day. I'm truly mesmerized by seeing and trying to understand how people lived centuries and decades ago including what they wore, their culture and the amazing feats they achieved (this could be just living) without many of the comforts we have.

Other than travelling where I am able to immerse myself in different cultures, I find another way to get my fix is by visiting museums. Living in London I have an opportunity to visit these regularly and best of all for free (or a small donation). My favourite museum of all is the V&A (I have a liking for all things Victoriana) and over the next few weeks plan to see a few exhibitions there. One that is free that I'm keen to check out is http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/v/v-and-a-africa-exploring-hidden-histories/, which looks at the museum's African archive and reflects on the changing attitude to the collection since the Victorian era.

It looks like it will be quite interesting and I'm gutted that I missed a talk today by the curator about the exhibits. I plan to go in the next couple of weeks so I'll let you know my thoughts. Hopefully one of the 'lates' will encompass this.