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When I traded FX at First Union (after college) I wore a suit every day.
At the very least a sportscoat and tie (casual Friday).
I now work at my own business, but going to Wal-Mart at 7pm on a week day and seeing people in sweatpants and flip-flops is frightening.
I wore madras pants, white bucks, and a white starched shirt at a party last week Ani, I think that is still Southern.
I also have TWO seersucker suits in my closet which I regularly wear to church when it is humid.
At the club it is obviously sportscoat and slacks all the time.
Dinners at nice restaurants are the same.
And NO I am not ghey or feminine in ANY way, it is just the way I was brought up.
I have a picture of my grandpa in a seersucker suit after church one Sunday circa 1950 rebuilding a carb of a church member.
oh, my. People actually had a dress code when they were not required to?
In Chicago, the weather and finances dictates your dress. When I graduated from grammar (elementary school; 8th grade), it was exciting to find out that they abolished the dress code for schools starting in the fall of 1970.
This was very important as previously, girls were required to wear dresses/skirts to school and in the winter, that was pretty inconvenient. We would have to wear our slacks to school and change into our skirts before school started.
So, when that changed, I (and a lot of others) said that we would never again wear a skirt/dress to school. I lived up to that and only wore a skirt once a year for my high school years. My style was the Gap, early years.
Have never worn a skirt/dress to work in my life.
From that point on, until today, I wear jeans/t-shirts or jeans/sweat shirts except for work when I wear dress slacks and shirts.
Lol Ani, my Moms nickname for me is Scarlett (I tend to have a dramatic streak. lol) so you may be right!!
In my defense...the homeless look is usually only seen before noon at Harris Teeter.
My favorite everyday look is actually jeans (or capris if it's hot), a 1950s blouse or beaded cardigan over a wifebeater paired w/ one of my beloved Chanel 2.55's and matching Chanel slides or ballet flats.
I like to pair vintage and classics with an unexpected twist like ripped up jeans or a metal studded belt. Lol
Have you shopped at Sleepy Poet for any vintage wear? I can totally picture your outfit, cute!
going to Wal-Mart at 7pm on a week day and seeing people in sweatpants and flip-flops is frightening.
Oh crap, now I have to go shopping too! LOL Actually I'm more shorts and flip flops, I'd never pair sweatpants with them. We're more Old Navy here (WV) but that's because it's such a novelty having a store like that around (you still have to drive 40 minutes to get to one).
I do have to say I love this thread though, gives me some ideas of the difference, and I've been dying to leave some of these clothes behind! Just couldn't decide which ones. And...well I love shopping anyway. So there's good shopping there?
I do have the Toyota though! Just got it today (oooh I soooo love it!), but it's a Sienna, not a Camry, will that do?
I used to know what it was but the demographics here have changed so much - I am no longer sure.
So what do you all consider to be Charlotte's "style?"
For example - style of 70-80-90s:
Used to be very preppy for casual daytime wear
This has always been a suit/tie sort of town. We raised our sons to start wearing suits at a young age (to church and to dine out, etc).
Also - what its the Charlotte car these days? Used to be any Mercedes Benz (and in some circles, BMW) and Toyota Camry was also very popular.
Guys - tell me about your shoes. For summer, it was always Topsiders, lol.
My hubby wears Borns for comfort and Johnston Murphy and Cole Hahns - w/ tassels (used to be a Charlotte staple - not sure now).
Khaki pants for men and women (women - seems to be khaki capris in summer now)
Just wondered what you all would define as Charlotte's style. Or have we lost a sense of style?
Well Ani, I often work Uptown during the day and one style I'm starting to see a lot is guys in these "skinny pants", like the skinny jeans. To me, it looks a bit unprofessional, because I'm thinking they look more like they're going to a club than to work, but then again, perhaps I'm just getting old, LOL.
BLUE!!! Those are pants straight out of the 60s! LOL! I can't believe they are back again. How funny. Every time I see them, I think of the Beatles!!! I wonder if "Mad Men" has had any influence on this trend? Makes me wonder!
MULLMAN: Seems we are on pretty much the same wavelength w/ clothing and I think that is b/c between church and club - that is how we dress in the South, lol. I think it is a mix, depending on season, b/n country club chic (wh/ is a world unto itself), resort wear and prep - throw in some old school quality and enduring classics (white bucks - hubby wears them, too) - and you have Charlotte style. At least - the traditional Charlotte style. You can show up anywhere wearing the clothing you know is acceptable and feel totally at home.
I LOVE SEERSUCKER!!! Hubby has two seersucker suits, too! One blue, one grey. And he loves his madras jackets.
Well, it seems to me that the natives probably still wear the Charlotte "classics" and add some trends to it . . . and I think no one is even noticing that there is much of a Charlotte "style" b/c the folks wearing the madras are a minority now.
Pearls are still as timeless as ever - now that is one thing I am sure of - and Charlotte has always been a "pearls" kinda town. I was wearing pearls w/ jeans 30 years ago . . . and they are still one of the finest gifts to give your daughter when she graduates, or your bride when you marry, or your wife when you have your first baby . . .
This is so much fun - hearing what others enjoy wearing . . . but I am really wondering if anyone thinks Charlotte actually has a "look" anymore . . . I am kinda thinking we don't. And that is kinda sad!
You must be talking about a specific crowd/group/class (however you want to define it) in Charlotte as not everyone can afford Mercs/BMs, to be a member of a "club" or wear Chanel and Kohl Hanes? Even if they could there must be a lot of people who wouldn't want to?
This thread has helped me to understand a lot about where some people are "coming from"-and methinks it aint the same place as my family or a lot of folks in the South-at least from my experience so far.
Ani-I rememeber you mentioning about women from Lake Norman (I think you were talking about new money) dressing like hookers, and I remember wondering if that would apply to me (not that we a lot of money,new or old-LOL)
I always think it is nice to have your own "style" as we all have different personalities and come in different shapes and sizes.What I wear reflects the weather, my mood, how much weight I am carryng ,where I am going and also to a much lesser degree,what is in fashion at the time. I don't buy designer labels, too expensive and here they are too common,even amongst those that can't afford them and have very little natural style.That puts me off labels.
I am probably going the get blasted for this because I am not a native,or even from the US, but just interested to know how others think about style and what affects how they dress.
I wonder if it makes a difference if you have a daughter? I don't, but interested to hear if people think it does
I wanted to try and find some examples of my kind of style, to see if there were other people with similar style-or whether I meet the classification of dressing like a hooker
Although I don't buy mail order-I quite like the style of some of the clothes here,although quality varies.I see that the US La Redoute has now gone.
I guess I would also wear this sort of style too
Women's T-Shirts | Ladies Tops | Women's Tops | Ladies T-Shirts | Next Official Site (http://www.next.co.uk/shopping/women/casualwear/1/ - broken link)
Smart/casual?
I don't do -shorts, or short anything above the knee.As I'm tall (5'10'') I can buy short dresses and wear them as a top with Jeans,cropped pants or leggings,But have to be careful they aren't too long or look ridiculous.
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When I graduated from grammar (elementary school; 8th grade), it was exciting to find out that they abolished the dress code for schools starting in the fall of 1970.
My style was the Gap, early years. 
