In exactly one week, I’ll be en route to London Fashion Week, but in order to pack, I’ll have to first switch my closet from summer to fall. Last September, I had to layer every piece of clothing I brought on my trip plus spend way too much money on tights to save my legs from the British chill, and I plan to be prepared this time around. I’ve started my closet project, due to the odd weather in Washington, but it’s not quite complete. Nonetheless, I already know that, instead of planning complicated outfits with a variety of handbags, jewelry, and shoes, I’m going to create a simple, signature look to carry me through the week.

I’m modeling that “uniform,” if you will, after a collection I saw in London last season: Paul Smith. I’m not particularly preppy, but Paul Smith’s modern prep-school looks spoke to me for both their simple chicness and wearable Britishness. The famous designer and tastemaker got his start in menswear, and his attention to cut and fit is evident in his womenswear, too. This year in my suitcase, I’ll have tailored button-down shirts and blazers, slim-cut pants, boots, and a splash of cobalt blue or orange. (I’ll bring a coat, of course, but a new statement coat is on my Oxford Street shopping list.)

Paul Smith Fall 2011

Paul Smith Fall 2011

Paul Smith Fall 2011

As a reporter, I hate to gush–but the only thing better than seeing gorgeous clothing is seeing gorgeous clothing from a quintessential London Fashion Week show at the Savoy Hotel just off Trafalgar Square. I have butterflies thinking about my upcoming trip. And, I have a better camera this year, too.

Sir Paul Smith takes a bow.

The runway photos are my own.