This collection spans Nancy Mitford's career as a journalist, from its beginnings to shortly before her death and includes pieces from "Vogue", "The Sunday Times", "Atlantic Monthly" and "The Spectator" among other periodicals. The book includes "The English aristocracy", "The secret history of a London wedding" and "A queen of France" and many other pieces on fashion and fashionable life, both contemporary and historical, in several countries. Most of the essays begin with excerpts of correspondence between Mitford and her friends, including Evelyn Waugh.