Why Do the English Dress So Horridly?

Perhaps it's interesting to note that http://facehunter.blogspot.com/ moved from Paris to London recently.

Originally Posted by imageWIS

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The Italians in Roma were well dressed, if a bit overdressed for 26 Celsius and 90 percent humidity.

Jon.


I just got back from Rome two days ago. It was fairly cool there-highs about 18-22 Celsius. In six days there I doubt I saw more than two men who were well-dressed. Most businessmen wore boxy cheap-looking navy suits with solid shirts (blue or white) and boring ties. No dash. No flair; they all looked like railway conductors. What happened to all the well-cut olive and tan suits of years past? Not even any grey. The nicest looking shoes I saw in Rome shop-windows were AE oxfords (for a steep 345 Euros) and Alden cordovans.
Of course, however, the worst dressed people in Rome were the USA college students in their "uniforms" of flip-flops or sneakers, shorts, t-shirts, and backpacks, etc. German tourists were nearly as bad.
I was in London and Paris last November and saw many more better-dressed people than during this last trip to Rome, Florence and Venice.

Originally Posted by kennethpollock

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I just got back from Rome two days ago. It was fairly cool there-highs about 18-22 Celsius. In six days there I doubt I saw more than two men who were well-dressed. Most businessmen wore boxy cheap-looking navy suits with solid shirts (blue or white) and boring ties. No dash. No flair; they all looked like railway conductors. What happened to all the well-cut olive and tan suits of years past? Not even any grey. The nicest looking shoes I saw in Rome shop-windows were AE oxfords (for a steep 345 Euros) and Alden cordovans.
Of course, however, the worst dressed people in Rome were the USA college students in their "uniforms" of flip-flops or sneakers, shorts, t-shirts, and backpacks, etc. German tourists were nearly as bad.
I was in London and Paris last November and saw many more better-dressed people than during this last trip to Rome, Florence and Venice.


How very sad to hear! We always think of the English and the Italians as the world leaders in masculine elegance and style. I suppose it has been a manifestation of provincialism on my part to perceive the rot as a peculiarly American phenomenon. You didn't get up to Milan by chance, did you? I have heard it claimed a number of times that the men of Milan are the most stylish and elegant in the whole world!

Originally Posted by kennethpollock

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the worst dressed people in Rome were the USA college students in their "uniforms" of flip-flops or sneakers, shorts, t-shirts, and backpacks, etc.
what else would you expect college students to be wearing while backpacking thru europe? Maybe all of Europe should just put up a dress code sign to keep out the riff raff, or at least provide coats and ties at the border

This begs the question: can one be stylish while backpacking?

The British army managed it but then they had coolies to carry their portable four-poster beds, trunks of silver and dining tables.

Originally Posted by Get Smart

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what else would you expect college students to be wearing while backpacking thru europe? Maybe all of Europe should just put up a dress code sign to keep out the riff raff, or at least provide coats and ties at the border

That may be a good idea actually. And this would prevent French people from seeing the famous German Birkenstock + Socks combination coming in all around Mediterranee...

Originally Posted by iammatt

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The women are absolutly atrocious here. They are typically ugly, dress like carnival clowns and drink more than the men.

Not in some of the places I go to in London

Originally Posted by Get Smart

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what else would you expect college students to be wearing while backpacking thru europe? Maybe all of Europe should just put up a dress code sign to keep out the riff raff, or at least provide coats and ties at the border

Stereotypes are only the partial reflection on our view of other people....
This perception is influenced sometimes by facts but also by myths and legends...
I do not believe in the chosen ones and more racial pseudo-profiling.....
I do know very elegant English women and also extremely vulgar and trashy ones....
The same standard can easy be applied to other ethnic or racial groups..
A fair reflection of what is elegant or not is also tainted by our own believes and prejudices but by the ones we inherited from others....
I do live in the south-east of England and the notion of sartorial here will a white shirt with jeans and cheap tan shoes.....
80 miles from Savile Row ,Jermyn street and so far away from our sartorial dreams and obsessions...

I can't speak for London, but after just returning from Rome I can say that I enjoyed the quiet elegance of how dressing style was conveyed by the men and women in that city.

Originally Posted by Trilby

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I agree completely. The standard of dress in the UK, and even in London, is pretty bad. If you compare NY and London head-to-head, the average standard of dress for men is a lot better in NY. The difference is even more pronounced for women.

However, that's the average. There are still some very well dressed men in London, with the main concentration in St. James's and Mayfair -- hopefully you saw at least a few.

It's been a couple of years since I was last in London so maybe my memory has faded but I'd give the edge - at least in business situtations - to men in London.

The median is pretty poor in both instances but I found London to have noticeably more well dressed guys.

As far as just out on the street, I didn't notice a difference either way. I was impressed by how much thinner people in Europe seem to be or at least the absence of so many really overweight people.

Originally Posted by Cantabrigian

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It's been a couple of years since I was last in London so maybe my memory has faded but I'd give the edge - at least in business situtations - to men in London.
I would agree with that. Average man is worse dressed in London but businessmen (at least in finance and law) are generally much better dressed than Wall St counterparts

Patrick Bateman was very smart!!!!!!!!
These kind of best dressed/worst dressed cities countdown are a bit boring and partial because at the end ,beauty and elegance are in the eye of the beholder.....
If your fashion icons are English tailors,designers ,you will find London absolutely great even if when i'm going shopping in Mayfair ,i do speak to the shops managers equally in Italian or French than in English...
It depends on your fashion culture ,myths and ideals....
Some people love the Italian masters and find Milan an Eden on earth but we're talking dreams not factual reality...
PersonallyI do love both influences....My suits will be more Brioni or Rubinacci than Hunstman or Poole ..It is just a question of personal taste...
I find the Italian cut/construction sharper ,sexier and more attractive....
i'm not a pinstripe fanatic and i do hate checks or other Prince of Wales patterns...
When you are talking about shoes ,i do prefer the Lobb or C&J school and the hybrid French artisans such as Corthay,Anthony Delos or Dimitri Gomez...
Every country has its own style and culture ,tha is why elegance is universal...

My reaction to most of what's in this thread is

Originally Posted by gdl203

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I would agree with that. Average man is worse dressed in London but businessmen (at least in finance and law) are generally much better dressed than Wall St counterparts


I will take it for me. Thanks GDL...