Regional style differences.

[Parker]

Regional differences were probably more noticeable before globalization. Most people in large cities can now access stuff from all over the place that was once limited to locals or travelers. We also have magazines and the interwebs for showing off style from all over and can adopt whatever bits that we want.

The question that came to mind was how much your personal style was influenced by your environment and how much by your own making and preferences.

 

[comrade]

1. Will is correct about San Francisco. I live 35 miles south of San Francisco
in Palo Alto. When I go into the "City" I often dress like New York's upper East
Side. At home I usually wear jeans.

2. I was impressed with the understated elegance I saw in Vienna a
few years ago.

 

[radicaldog]

Originally Posted by ManofKent

Zombie thread

but yes it is interesting.

On the UK front I'd disagree with Styleman's idea that the South is better dressed than the North. Differences in dress tend to be much more related to educational level, which is still linked to 'class'. Yes 'The City' as opposed to London as a whole tends to be well dressed, but beyond that, I don't think there's a great regional difference.

In terms of differences across the world Bernard Roetzals (sp?) book covers some of the differences quite well.

I agree that in the UK the differences are more to do with class than with geography (from a causal point of view). One may mistakenly think otherwise because of the variations in class concentrations between regions.

 

[voxsartoria]

Originally Posted by Will

But there are twenty square blocks in the City that dress like New York.

Will

Alcatraz?


- B

 

[Ich_Dien]

Originally Posted by ManofKent

Zombie thread

but yes it is interesting. On the UK front I'd disagree with Styleman's idea that the South is better dressed than the North. Differences in dress tend to be much more related to educational level, which is still linked to 'class'. Yes 'The City' as opposed to London as a whole tends to be well dressed, but beyond that, I don't think there's a great regional difference. In terms of differences across the world Bernard Roetzals (sp?) book covers some of the differences quite well.
I too believe this is the case in the UK. Those attending Oxford are far better dressed than those at Cambridge.

 

[JesseJB]

So Im picking up that the Pacific Northwest is the worst dressed region in the world.

If you are into style here, you get marginalized for caring about "petty outdated traditions" and such. And yeah, stylish guys get labeled "effeminate." Stylish women get snatched up quickly but are asumed to be "snobbish and high-maintenence." The remaining slovenly women act a bit entitled and get mad when guys tend to not notice them for their personality and eventually they become asexual. And the guys become milquetoast because there's no one to impress.

IMO, when you take style from a population's daily life, its just one more thing to make life boring.

 

[radicaldog]

Originally Posted by JesseJB

So Im picking up that the Pacific Northwest is the worst dressed region in the world.

If you are into style here, you get marginalized for caring about "petty outdated traditions" and such. And yeah, stylish guys get labeled "effeminate." Stylish women get snatched up quickly but are asumed to be "snobbish and high-maintenence." The remaining slovenly women act a bit entitled and get mad when guys tend to not notice them for their personality and eventually they become asexual. And the guys become milquetoast because there's no one to impress.

IMO, when you take style from a population's daily life, its just one more thing to make life boring.

I lived in Seattle for a year a few years ago. Streetwear with discernible attempts at style was quite common, but MC stuff quite rare.

 

[82-Greg]

Originally Posted by AlanC

...I think in the South, for example, you're more likely to see bow ties and seersucker. That's a generalization of course...

I don't believe it is an over-generalization as far as seersucker. I was born and raised a Connecticut Yankee and never saw seersucker until I went to college in South Carolina. (Same holds true for pickled pigs feet.)

I think bow ties have a small--but dedicated--following across the country.

Red pants are easily observed in some New England climes in the summer, but rarely seen (on men) elsewhere. Bolo ties are rare outside of New Mexico (thank goodness)! Cowboy hats are definitely mid-western or western attire. Shearling coats are common in the midwest areas and mountain states; however, they are rare in the east and unseen (and largely unnecessary) in the south. California is significantly more casual in attire than the east coast.

I largely attribute these observations to normal weather patterns. (Bolo ties are unattributable.)

 

[lasbar]

The generalization we can be sure of is the casualization of big cities...
People tend to go for comforatble clothing instead of more elegant combos..
Even upmarket brands such as John Lobb or JM WESTON are going down the road of the semi-casual shoe...

 

[JayJay]

Originally Posted by lasbar

The generalization we can be sure of is the casualization of big cities...
People tend to go for comforatble clothing instead of more elegant combos..
Even upmarket brands such as John Lobb or JM WESTON are going down the road of the semi-casual shoe...
I seemed to notice differences years ago when I traveled domestically and internationally, but not so much anymore. I attribute it to globalization, the web, etc.

 

[lasbar]

When I came to the UK in the eighties , it was really a different country ...
In my country, We used to have the same pop songs and movies but 3 months after ...The same phenomenon was also true in terms of street fashion for example...
Now, my 16 year-old niece is listening to the Kooks ,Snowpatrol ,Kazabian and all the British indie group and her look (skinny jeans,leather jacket) is the same than British teenagers...
With globalization ,the world is becoming smaller every day...

 

[JesseJB]

I think globalization is helping people dress much better. I like it. For example, here in Seattle we have never had an inexpensive place to buy fashionable clothing. But with all the fashionistas on the internet blabbing about "why dont we have an H&M?" and such, the chatter got to be so big that H&M noticed the market potential and moved in. Without the internets, only people who traveled would know what H&M was.

Also I don't think we give enough credit to Stacy and Clinton.

And so ends the gheyest post I've ever made.

 

[voxsartoria]

Originally Posted by JesseJB

And so ends the gheyest post I've ever made.

Don't worry, you probably have more posts like that in you.


- B

 

[TheFoo]

DC, NYC, and Boston seem markedly more formal than Chicago. Jackets and ties in Chicago were a rarity, and positively alien amongst twenty-somethings (unless worn with irony). In contrast, nobody in Washington or Manhattan thinks twice about a young guy in a suit.

 

[lasbar]

82-Greg is still making a very valid point by pointing some sartorial regionalisms...
In Venice , the coloured trousers for example...In Russia ,the taste for loud tee-shirts with massive designer names on them and gold shoes and handbags for ladies...