As I was cycling home through the lamplit cobbled streets of Cambridge tonight, two things occurred to me:
1) how grateful I am to live in such an amazing place (though this isn’t anything particularly revelationary; I have the same thought pretty much every time I walk past Kings College or along the Backs) and;
2) just how preppy my wardrobe has become since living here (again, my style had always tended this way, but I realised it had reached a peak as I was riding past one of the town’s iconic outfitters – generally aimed at the town’s Tory Boys and Nobel Prize-winning professors alike – and thought just how much I fancied the crested blazers styled with raspberry chinos in the shop’s window. I’m fairly sure these are not normal sartorial urges to be having).
I’m not entirely sure whether it’s the magnificent ancient architecture (all dreaming spires, 500 year old libraries and Hogwarts-esque dining halls), the collegiate environment, the truly incredible history or just the sheer volume of clever, well-bred individuals that reside here during term time, but the town has a remarkable impact on the way in dress. While in London I’m all about black skinny jeans and sky-high heels, in Cambridge I come over all preppy and no ride on my Pashley is complete without a dandy outfit to match*. For example on the weekend (ie. when normal people wear something akin to sweat pants), when I was doing nothing more demanding than a trip to the farmer’s market in town and a coffee/cinnamon bun date with my dearest friend S, only my favourite schoolboy blazer would do.
Wearing: Vintage Sportsgirl blazer, Karen Walker frilled tuxedo dress, world-weary Marc Jacobs boots and Louis Vuitton scarf
So if you do ever pay a visit to the glorious place that is Cambridge, please feel free to bust out your preppiest outfit (shiny brogues, preppy oxford shirts and sharp tweed and/or crested blazers all welcome). And because I’m too cold and camera-shy to stand around taking photos for any longer than the two minutes required for the above photos, here’s some more inspiration for the Cambridge preppy look…
Clockwise from left: The Sartorialist, unknown editorial, Jak & Jil
Do you ‘location dress’ according to where you live, or am I the only crazy chameleon in the room here?
Love, Miss B xx
* The same phenomenon happens to me when I travel, when I seem to unconsciously mimic my surroundings.
















