Are British men scuffy? (short clip from BBC Radio 4)

[Tangfastic]

There are a few things that give British men a slight edge over most other countries. Britain is relatively wealthy and people have disposable income to spend on clothing. There is a tradition of correct dress that everyone is exposed to (famous photos of eminent Victorians, constant costume dramas on tv etc). Also some of the best quality mens clothes are made, designed and available here.

British men are still scruffy on average, but maybe marginally less so than men elsewhere. Italy is the only clearly 'smarter' country, though I think the French have more style in general.

 

[George]

Originally Posted by Tangfastic

There are a few things that give British men a slight edge over most other countries. Britain is relatively wealthy and people have disposable income to spend on clothing. There is a tradition of correct dress that everyone is exposed to (famous photos of eminent Victorians, constant costume dramas on tv etc). Also some of the best quality mens clothes are made, designed and available here. British men are still scruffy on average, but maybe marginally less so than men elsewhere. Italy is the only clearly 'smarter' country, though I think the French have more style in general.
I agree with you about the Italians, even though some of them do tend to lapse into affection too easily. I think French women dress well, French men, no.

 

[lasbar]

Originally Posted by George

I agree with you about the Italians, even though some of them do tend to lapse into affection too easily.

I think French women dress well, French men, no.

George ,you haven't met me ...

There is a little elite who dresses as well as Savile Row customers but in general they like casual clothes...

We wear less football tops and more fashion forward casual gears...

Where I live , the South East of England which not a poor part of it, it is a sartorial wasteland...

The average English guy doesn't dress better than the French and the Italians...

People wear black shoes with everything, suits are ill-fitted and ties are cheap and nasty...

Sweeping statements anyway are always a bit off target...

 

[George]

Originally Posted by lasbar

George ,you haven't met me ... There is a little elite who dresses as well as Savile Row customers but in general they like casual clothes... We wear less football tops and more fashion forward casual gears... Where I live , the South East of England which not a poor part of it, it is a sartorial wasteland... The average English guy doesn't dress better than the French and the Italians... People wear black shoes with everything, suits are ill-fitted and ties are cheap and nasty... Sweeping statements anyway are always a bit off target...
Yeah, but you've defected to Rostbif-land. In my trips around Paris and France, sadly all too infrequent these days, I've never been impressed with the way Frenchmen dress. Frenchwomen dress [very] well, much better than Englishwomen. especially when they are young. They have a certain chic-ness which I like. Englishwomen tend to become better dressers as they get older, which is the opposite of Italian women, who start of good and end up like Donna Versace. Sweeping general-isms of course and why not.

 

[lasbar]

Originally Posted by George

Yeah, but you've defected to Rostbif-land.

In my trips around Paris and France, sadly all too infrequent these days, I've never been impressed with the way Frenchmen dress. Frenchwomen dress [very] well, much better than Englishwomen. especially when they are young. They have a certain chic-ness which I like.

Englishwomen tend to become better dressers as they get older, which is the opposite of Italian women, who start of good and end up like Donna Versace.

Sweeping general-isms of course and why not.

You 're right on the quantitative side of it...

Most Parisians are too casual for my liking...

There is a small elite in the well-off districts who are wearing bespoke shoes and suits like in Paris but you tend not to see them in the streets or the tube because they're all working.

Paris is not France like Mayfair is not England...

The average English ,French or Germans are equally wearing bad outfits...

Even the average Italians with their cheap designer logo t-shirts are not sartorially great..

 

[George]

Originally Posted by lasbar

You 're right on the quantitative side of it... Most Parisians are too casual for my liking... There is a small elite in the well-off districts who are wearing bespoke shoes and suits like in Paris but you tend not to see them in the streets or the tube because they're all working. Paris is not France like Mayfair is not England... The average English ,French or Germans are equally wearing bad outfits... Even the average Italians with their cheap designer logo t-shirts are not sartorially great..
I believe there used to be many great tailors in Paris, the equal of, if not better than English ones. And of course you have Charvet, who's shirts have caressed the skin of the very best , regardless of nationality.

 

[Raralith]

It seems most cultures that used to wear suits during their "banking" area have mostly changed. As someone mentioned earlier, there are still "gems" around that dress in suits and ties while doing it properly. I honestly believe though that Britian has the strongest "tradition" of this, and while it is a dying tradition (Abercrombie and Fitch Savile Row), they do better than the US it seems. I'm afraid though that I'm a relic of the past, that the suit I wear today (Tom James, BB tie, BB shirt, JL shoes) will no longer be when I have kids, and they grow up. I just don't see a second renansiance of formal busniess either in a world of cheap and fast, a world where people that buy high end, thousand dollar shoes will be anywhere near the proportion where we currently are at.

 

[lasbar]

Originally Posted by Raralith

It seems most cultures that used to wear suits during their "banking" area have mostly changed. As someone mentioned earlier, there are still "gems" around that dress in suits and ties while doing it properly. I honestly believe though that Britian has the strongest "tradition" of this, and while it is a dying tradition (Abercrombie and Fitch Savile Row), they do better than the US it seems. I'm afraid though that I'm a relic of the past, that the suit I wear today (Tom James, BB tie, BB shirt, JL shoes) will no longer be when I have kids, and they grow up. I just don't see a second renansiance of formal busniess either in a world of cheap and fast, a world where people that buy high end, thousand dollar shoes will be anywhere near the proportion where we currently are at.

Casual chic or casual business (what a contradiction) are taking over...

The cool brigade is wearing fashion forward suits or combos we will not touch with a barge pole...

Why?

A mix of quick fashion guided by the need to sale and replace more than acquire beautiful and timeless pieces...

People are also getting bored with their shoes ,suits and life in general...