Sydney fashion

[whistler]

Just got back to my hometown of Perth, Australia after a stint in Tokyo. Aside from a few problems finding big enough clothes, Tokyo is basically a shoppers' paradise. As you walk through the streets, you can see people (guys and girls) pay a lot of attention to fashion.

Perth, though, is a complete desert when it comes to fashion unfortunately. Everyone seems to wear surfer t-shirts and ill-fitting/ugly clothes. I've visited most of the shops in Perth city, and the clothes on sale are pretty bad, which explains why people aren't so fashionable.

I'm considering a move to Sydney. Would you consider Sydney a "fashionable" city in terms of clothing shops and what people wear?

 

[Star]

Originally Posted by whistler

Just got back to my hometown of Perth, Australia after a stint in Tokyo. Aside from a few problems finding big enough clothes, Tokyo is basically a shoppers' paradise. As you walk through the streets, you can see people (guys and girls) pay a lot of attention to fashion.

Perth, though, is a complete desert when it comes to fashion unfortunately. Everyone seems to wear surfer t-shirts and ill-fitting/ugly clothes. I've visited most of the shops in Perth city, and the clothes on sale are pretty bad, which explains why people aren't so fashionable.

I'm considering a move to Sydney. Would you consider Sydney a "fashionable" city in terms of clothing shops and what people wear?

No.

Melbourne imho is more fashionable than Sydney.

The clothing stores in Sydney are very ordinary other than 1 or 2 very overpriced stores around the Financial district. If you want decent shoes forget it. It does however have one very good MTM shirtmaker out in Parramatta (probably the best in the country) but thats about it.

Don't forget that Sydney is a relatively humid coastal laid back city with sprawling suburbia that never ends. Its about lifestyle and not about being dressed properly. Dressing well is about making a conscious decision and most Sydney siders either consciously choose not too or are oblivious. When people (men in particular) try to dress and look cool they end up looking like 'court jesters' with their rediculous shoes and puffy outfits because they have never heard of buying clothes that fit properly as opposed fitting like a tablecloth.

Having said that there are a some people who are well dressed. They know you notice when you walk past them. If you can get to that standard then you will standout from from the rest of us.

Go to Melbourne for a weekend before coming to Sydney.

 

[merkur]

..

 

[apropos]

Originally Posted by Star

No.

Melbourne imho is more fashionable than Sydney.
+1000.

Melbourne FTW.

 

[Zenny]

Originally Posted by Star

No.

Melbourne imho is more fashionable than Sydney.

The clothing stores in Sydney are very ordinary other than 1 or 2 very overpriced stores around the Financial district. If you want decent shoes forget it. It does however have one very good MTM shirtmaker out in Parramatta (probably the best in the country) but thats about it.

Don't forget that Sydney is a relatively humid coastal laid back city with sprawling suburbia that never ends. Its about lifestyle and not about being dressed properly. Dressing well is about making a conscious decision and most Sydney siders either consciously choose not too or are oblivious. When people (men in particular) try to dress and look cool they end up looking like 'court jesters' with their rediculous shoes and puffy outfits because they have never heard of buying clothes that fit properly as opposed fitting like a tablecloth.

Having said that there are a some people who are well dressed. They know you notice when you walk past them. If you can get to that standard then you will standout from from the rest of us.

Go to Melbourne for a weekend before coming to Sydney.

Charles Nakhle is a bespoke shirtmaker IIRC

I have only 1 shirt from him, a pink and white candystripe with contrast collar and cuffs (which I use as a template for MTM, as a student I can't afford all my shirts from him).

He got my pattern perfect the first time. I found out about him from SF, Sator has probably given the guy quite a few referrals.


But on the whole Sydney is a mass of black suits and square toed shoes.

 

[apropos]

Originally Posted by Zenny

I have only 1 shirt from him, a pink and white candystripe with contrast collar and cuffs (which I use as a template for MTM, as a student I can't afford all my shirts from him).
If you don't mind me asking, how much did it set you back?

 

[Zenny]

Originally Posted by apropos

If you don't mind me asking, how much did it set you back?

Around $230 - 240 I think. My dad paid for it as a gift for my graduation.

 

[GuidoWongolini]

FFS give it a break- every city that has a music video culture of mall rats will be the same as Sydney.

I'm from Sydney & like all cities it depends on where you frequent as the demographics dictate the stye & life style. Each city has its charms & quirks.

Perth has great qualities that other Aus cities don't have & one should appreciate it for that, like wise Sydney & Melbourne.. Brisbane & Adelaide - different story

As for the shopping comparison between Melb & Syd.. Guess what, there are only a a handful of importers & they are present in both cities.

Though Melb may have more home grown designers, the international labels or brands have larger presence in Syd as that is where the international dollar is.

Rant over..

 

[james_timothy]

Sydney has the best coffee shop culture I've ever seen- and the best espresso I've ever had.

Single Origins in Surrey Hills is simply magic. Better even then Cafe D'Arte near Pike Place in Seattle.

 

[Flame]

Originally Posted by whistler

Just got back to my hometown of Perth, Australia after a stint in Tokyo. Aside from a few problems finding big enough clothes, Tokyo is basically a shoppers' paradise. As you walk through the streets, you can see people (guys and girls) pay a lot of attention to fashion.

Perth, though, is a complete desert when it comes to fashion unfortunately. Everyone seems to wear surfer t-shirts and ill-fitting/ugly clothes. I've visited most of the shops in Perth city, and the clothes on sale are pretty bad, which explains why people aren't so fashionable.
Hmm I was in Perth last month. I do agree the sartorial scene is quite dismal however there are a few stores worth mentioning.

Now I don't really wear suits or shirts with ties and dress shoes, since there is no need for that in my workplace and I'm not into the "Mens Clothing" items discussed here but rather high-end "streetwear".

I went to this store called Zekka on King's Street and was blown away by their selection of Ann Demulemeester, Attachment, Raf Simons, Junya etc. Other stores in the same district (Kings, Murray) like Dilettante were not bad as well as they featured more playful labels like Henrik Vibskov, Siv Stodal etc.

So Perth isn't truly a desert after all.

 

[Star]

Originally Posted by james_timothy

Sydney has the best coffee shop culture I've ever seen- and the best espresso I've ever had.

Single Origins in Surrey Hills is simply magic. Better even then Cafe D'Arte near Pike Place in Seattle.

You obviously haven't been to Melbourne.

 

[m_wave]

Originally Posted by Phat Guido

Adelaide - different story

Hey!!.... oh yeah fair call. That's why I'm living in London now

 

[apropos]

Originally Posted by Star

You obviously haven't been to Melbourne.
+1 I was just about to say that.

 

[earthdragon]

I left home ( Melnourne), 18 years ago and I'm in no hurry
To move back. I just had 3 weeks there visiting family
& was totally disgusted by the male dress sense ( or lack of)!
PG must be the best dressed guy in Oz' ( and Hong Kong for that matter).

 

[Journeyman]

I agree that the vast majority of Australian men dress quite poorly.

Don't forget, however, that even cities such as Sydney are quite small by global standards. Comparing Sydney to Tokyo, NY, London and other such places is a bit inequitable, given that those places have several times the population of Sydney. Further, whilst demand can create supply, Australia has never (well, not for the past few decades, at least) had a good range of shoes available for sale. As an example, I don't think that Sydney has even one place that sells Crockett and Jones, and shoes like corrected-grain Churchs are only available in a couple of places and they sell for the better part of $1000. Is it any wonder that Australian men think that Lloyds, Florsheim and Aquila shoes are good, when they see hardly anything else?

Also, let's not forget that Australian climate ranges from temperate to tropical. It's generally pretty warm anywhere you go in Australia, particularly in summer, and that militates towards a fairly casual dress code.

I'm not excusing my fellow Australians' sartorial failures, but I do think that there are some reasons why we don't dress as well as do men in other places. Further, I think that there is also a tendency to romanticise the way that men dress in other cities. For every young chap in a well-fitted suit with nicely-shined shoes that you see on the train in London or Tokyo, there will be ten others wearing shabby suits or macs with slip-on shoes that are trodden down at the heel.