London's shopping scene is the most developed on the planet, beating NYC hands down

[centrix]

well. if you think nyc is bad, try out singapore

london is awesome

 

[Knowledge is King]

Originally Posted by pred02

Having lived in London and Boston, I agree that the UK is much more fashion forward. Heck, all of Europe is, all my European friends dress much much better than Americans. But I don't think it has much to do with UK, I think UK fashion is very old school and American fashion follows that but with much less style. You must forget that until recently UK commanded a 2:1 exchange rate against the dollar, so eveything in the UK that could be found in the US was almost twice the price. That being said, it's a lot easier to dress well shopping in the UK, in the US you have to dig through vanila rubbish to get to something reasnoble, especially if you are slim and want your clothes to fit, where as in the UK it's harder to find a bargain over the US.
Haha, sorry man but Boston is probably one of the least fashionable cities in America. Not a good comparison to London (or New York)

 

[Knowledge is King]

Originally Posted by centrix

well. if you think nyc is bad, try out singapore

london is awesome

I don't think anyone has gone so far as to call NYC bad.

 

[OxxfordSJLINY]

Mostly, how does London and the rest of the United Kingdom compare to Milan, Naples and Rome? But I am also asking about London and the rest of the United Kingdom versus all areas in Italy other than Milan, Naples and Rome.

 

[Cary Grant]

Originally Posted by OxxfordSJLINY

Mostly, how does London and the rest of the United Kingdom compare to Milan, Naples and Rome? But I am also asking about London and the rest of the United Kingdom versus all areas in Italy other than Milan, Naples and Rome.


Well- for starters the London employess actually come in to work on a regular schedule versus the Naples shops that open at 9...or maybe Noo.. or 230p if they get around to it.

 

[lasbar]

That is the charm of it sometimes...
I enjoy shops still being shops with variable openin hours, opening a few minutes late ..
I miss the human touch of certain Southern European shops..
In England , they want you to buy...If you do not buy ,they're not interested..

 

[mack11211]

NY does sales & discounting better, as we are less fettered by law & custom regarding when & how to do it.

Where is London's C21? Its Daffy's?

I can shop for myself. The only time I genuinely need good personal service is at my tailor.

 

[lasbar]

To be honest ,it depends on your own personal experiences and your luck on the day...
I'm served sometimes very very well in shops i don't even like or vice-versa..Pot luck..

 

[babygreenspots]

Originally Posted by Bounder

In terms of overall selection, I doubt if London is really better than New York. But the overall experience is so much more civilized that I far prefer it.

Shopping in New York can sometimes take on the logistical characteristics of the Normandy invasion. But there are few things more pleasant than wandering down Jermyn Street on a Wednesday afternoon and then up the arcade to New Bond Street or Savile Row. It's all on such a human scale -- a completely different experience than New York. Of course, there's lots of other shopping in London outside of this small area.

Another thing I find unique in London is the number of places that are, for want of a better word, secrets. They don't really advertise, sometimes to the point of having only the smallest and least-notable sign concievable visible from the street. They typically deal in something fairly specific and have been doing so for a hundred and fifty years. I'm still discovering these places and doing so is always a pleasure, even if I have no interest whatsoever in bespoke fly-fishing rods or smoking caps or whatever other niche products they may be offering.


Perhaps this was what I was getting at. I was probably also being needlessly provocative toward New Yorkers.

 

[babygreenspots]

Originally Posted by Knowledge is King

Haha, sorry man but Boston is probably one of the least fashionable cities in America. Not a good comparison to London (or New York)

I don't know if Boston can really qualify as one of the least fashionable cities in America. There are quite a few cities that are not fashionable at all. Perhaps we would expect Boston to be among the very top though.

I would say that the only cities more fashionable than Boston are:

San Francisco
Los Angeles
Chicago
New York
Miami

 

[LabelKing]

San Francisco is not very stylish; even the cars aren't stylish. You wonder where that John Lobb goes to.

 

[jon5986]

I have lived in London, New York and Paris. I can say that London is by far the best place to shop. It is Class.......

Old Bond Street, The Royal Arcade, The Burlington Arcade, Savile Row............WOW.........

Nothing compares....

 

[upnorth]

I lived in London for about 3 years and had a torrid time there. People know me as a 18 year old waiter who doesn't want to be there. Then again, I haven't met a waiter/ waitress who is keen on working at any restaurant or cafe for the long haul. Very expensive city to live in. I would advise any student with less endowed pockets not to go there. The inability to pay for all those wonderful shopping will leave a permanent psychological scar. No better place in the world for a gentleman to shop.

I will not rank them as the most fashionable city in the world but they have a classical charm and the clothes are the kind one would wear for decades and still not feel out of place. I abhor those high street fashion shops that are invading their shores.

I also like Naples .... until I was robbed.

 

[Milgauss]

Originally Posted by OxxfordSJLINY

Mostly, how does London and the rest of the United Kingdom compare to Milan, Naples and Rome? But I am also asking about London and the rest of the United Kingdom versus all areas in Italy other than Milan, Naples and Rome.

I found the shopping excellent in Rome - I don't mean the designer boutiques but mid-range 'smaller' shops (eg on Via Nazionale) that sold excellent clothing at very reasonable prices.

The UK has a wide variety of stores that cater for all tastes and budgets. I also disagree with the OP in that I think River Island sells some very good quality clothing considering the prices.

 

[MLIW]

London is a great city for shopping that is undeniable. I think going back to the bar mitzvah point, younger british people generally dont own smarter clothes as less emphasis is put on looking smart, more on looking comfortable etc. The large percentage of my friends, wouldnt even have a pair of smart trousers... let a lone a shirt and tie