Walk through St James's Park in late October and the trees hand you the whole palette: copper, rust and a deep wine red wherever the light sits low. That is the range of this look, and on our route it belongs to just three girls. Auburn is the rarest colouring on the board, which is a large part of its charm, and each of the three wears it in her own distinct way.
They share something else as well, a love of stories. Between them they go to the theatre, paint in watercolour, take photographs, browse bookshops and watch film noir, so time with any one of them tends to include a good tale, well told, and an ear for yours.
Lea has long wavy auburn hair, hazel eyes and a petite frame at 161 cm. Theatre, ceramics and interior design are her passions, and she has a gift for noticing how a room has been put together, from the lamps to the chair you happen to be sitting in. She lives in Belgravia, among the white stucco squares, and she is at her happiest when an evening improves on its own plan somewhere around the second glass.
Luna carries the darkest red of the three, long auburn with real depth to it, alongside brown eyes. She is curvy and stands 171 cm. She lives in Mayfair and loves wine tasting, theatre and photography, which makes her a natural partner for a pre-theatre supper followed by a glass somewhere with a thoughtful list. Claridge's and Brown's are both a short walk from her door.
Patricia wears auburn brown hair long, has brown eyes and a slim, tall line at 172 cm. Watercolour painting and film noir are her great loves, and a bookshop can swallow a whole afternoon of hers without her noticing the time. Also a Belgravia girl, she has an unhurried manner that suits a slow dinner and a longer conversation, the kind that wanders from old Hollywood to the best light for painting the river.
Warm colouring and candlelight belong together. That is why we so often suggest a dinner date with one of these three: four hours at £1,300, enough to take in curtain up, an interval drink and a late table once the applause is over. Theatreland, from Covent Garden across the West End, is a quick ride from both Belgravia and Mayfair, and all three girls know their way around a programme.
With only three auburn girls on the route, a little notice goes a long way. Two of them live in Belgravia, close to The Goring and The Berkeley, and one in Mayfair, so hotels in SW1 and W1 are the easiest to reach at short notice. If your first choice is away, the desk will say so plainly and tell you when she is back rather than steering you elsewhere without asking. Friday and Saturday evenings go first, so an early message is always wise.
If auburn catches your eye, the golden end of the blondes and the lighter brunettes are the nearest neighbours. Lea also appears among the petite girls, Luna among the curvaceous, and Patricia among both the statuesque and the slim and slender. When you are ready, send her name through booking.
Say where tonight finds you and roughly what time, and the desk replies with the names of who can meet you there. WhatsApp or Telegram, answered all night long.
