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[ambientlight]

okay, f-list, i need your help! especially those of you based in the UK. i'm looking for a plain v-neck sweater vest, of the sort which preppy men wear over shirts. sadly, the only ones i have been able to find in my brief survey of high street shops are, predictably, for men - and hence too large for me.

any ideas? i've tried M&S, H&M, and Next. i would go to Primark out of desperation, but the nearest one is ages (read: half-hour walk) away.

Comments

[hopei.livejournal.com]

whistles (expensive), topshop, dorothy perkins, john lewis..?

how is cambridge? :)

[ambientlight.livejournal.com]

thanks! i briefly glanced at topshop and dorothy perkins, but will give both of those another try, as well as john lewis. i think one problem is also my unwillingness to pay more than, say, £10 for any item of clothing. :D;;

cambridge has been cold and rainy for the most part, but very beautiful when it is not! any recommendations for small independent coffee shops or places for brunch, incidentally? and nice sandwich places? i know of the indigo cafe and rainbow cafe, and auntie's tea room presumably does brunch-shaped things, but otherwise there seem to be lots of chains.

[hopei.livejournal.com]

me too. if you're not in a hurry, it can be worth waiting for sales! otherwise, try ebay or bigwardrobe.com ?

haha, do you mean that it's more cold and rainy than oxford? rainbow cafe is a little pricey, but does excellent cakes. the copper kettle a few doors down is touristy but nice. try michaelhouse cafe (which is in a church). there are also a few cafes and restaurants off mill road that are worth eating at, including 'ethnic' places like al casbah and a brazilian cafe.. mill road is about as ''gritty''' as cambridge can get!

[ambientlight.livejournal.com]

yep, i've already tried ebay and bought something which looked likely. am still getting one from zara though.

it certainly seems that way! thanks for the tips, i'll give those a try. we have a cowley road in oxford that sounds similar to mill road here, hee. will definitely check out the establishments there, but i'm really just looking for a brunch place where i can become a regular (fitzbillies being rather too expensive).

[hopei.livejournal.com]

pembroke college does fry-ups and cereal for brunch during term time, you pay a bit more than college members but it's pretty decent!

[acanti.livejournal.com]

as I recall (and I have hit oxford street over five times in the last one and a half week), h&m had plenty! :/ but dorothy perkins has them too, yes. new look ought to have them, but their quality is not so good.

[ambientlight.livejournal.com]

really? ._. maybe i am just terrible at spotting things. what colour were these vests, and were they relatively fitting and/or high-necked?

will definitely check out dorothy perkins, then! thanks for the tip re: new look, i really know nothing about high street brands. :D;;

[acanti.livejournal.com]

if I recall correctly: grey, oatmeal, black, navy blue, possibly a pale pink/peach; they weren't skin-tight and they have them in both round and v-necks I think. not that high-necked but not revealing either?

:D

[ambientlight.livejournal.com]

ah, i see. that's a nice range of colours, but i'm looking for something fitting, because i look androgynous enough as it is (i've been called 'sir' at least three times since entering the UK! it is pretty funny) and i want to look semi-smart when meeting my tutors. ^_^;; thanks, though!

[acanti.livejournal.com]

HEE. ahh, I see! in that case dorothy perkins may be your best bet. :)

[anappletree.livejournal.com]

Uniqlo! (http://shop.uniqlo.com/uk/goods/064663) : ) They also have more expensive cashmere versions.

[ambientlight.livejournal.com]

thanks for the suggestion! unfortunately i'm looking for a sleeveless thing, and i think uniqlo might be a bit out of my price range, because i am cheap. :(

[anappletree.livejournal.com]

Oh ok, then try Zara (http://www.zara.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product/uk/en/zara-sales/11021/10343/KNITTED%2BV-NECK%2BJACKET), this only costs £10 : D I'm thinking of getting one myself but haven't been arsed to go down to the high street yet xD

[ambientlight.livejournal.com]

ooh, thanks! that's pretty much what i need. :D will go to Zara tomorrow, yay.

[erushi.livejournal.com]

I have nothing to add to this, since I'm still not in the UK yet, beyond expressing my shock that you consider a half-hour walk 'ages' away.

[ambientlight.livejournal.com]

i spent three years in oxford, remember? :p