Oxford in the rain

I've been here about three weeks now and am settling into Inklund.  Initially, the weather really threw me off because it is so completely unpredictable, but I am beginning to like it quite a lot now because it keeps things interesting.

Style here is equally interesting because people can play around with different layers because of the cold.  That is not to say it's better than at home (I have never seen so many cases of tights as pants and camel toe in my life) but it's certainly interesting and many people do it very well.  The other day, we saw a girl dressed in an homage to a jockey outfit which was just wonderful.

In the first week, we went on a tour of Oxford, which is a very pretty and charming place but which turned out to be a horrible tour because it rained non-stop.  Standing for hours in the freezing rain so that your breath starts smoking and your hair and socks are damp is liable to make one sick and many people fell victim to the horrid downpour with what is known as the "Fresher's Flu".  (Now I go everywhere prepared.)

So I thought I'd show what little I saw of Oxford and hopefully there will be time for a better, more comprehensive tour next time.

Blouse - Dorothy Perkins.  Denim cut-offs - Self made from Series jeans.

Tights - Topshop.  Boots - Dr Marten.  Beret - United Colours of Benetton.

Coat - John Little.  Earrings - Toa Payoh Central.  Lanyard - University!

I wore a warmish outfit, although let it be known that a beret of pressed felt will not keep you dry in any circumstances.  My brother bought this beret for me and told me that felt is actually a material that is squished together and will come apart in water.  Well, I had tiny purple threads all over my hands each time I tried to wipe the water off.

The coat is five years old and the warmest thing I own.  It has been through hell and highwater and has been on three continents around the world so far!

The university is so gorgeous and old school that parts of Harry Potter were actually shot here.  This is about as close to Hogwarts as you're going to get, kiddies, and it'll take magic to get in, as well!

That day, they were allegedly filming an X-Men prequel as well (I assume the fallen lamppost is part of a fight scene).

It amuses me greatly to think of filmmakers sitting around and saying to themselves "well now, we need an oldish, mystical sort of building for the wizard, Balthazar's lair, well, there's always Oxford or Cambridge, we can just do it from a different angle!" as if there was no better purpose or history behind the buildings.

Also fancy about Oxford:

Even the public toilets are all quaint-like!