If I dress well, will people presume I'm dumb/shallow? (Seattle: fit in, school)

[zorph]

I am getting ready to move to Seattle next week. From the comments I have read on this forum and other websites, people do not put much effort into how they look in Seattle.

I am coming from a metropolis where you need to look great to go to the grocery store, hence I have come to fit in and as a result I have nice clothing. While I certainly don't wear 4 inch heels everywhere, I like to look nice and maybe put on some eyeliner/mascara when I leave. If I do that in Seattle, will people presume I am shallow/dumb?

Here people will give you a look of disdain if they think you're underdressed. It's annoying. However, since people are less overt in Seattle, I presume I will get no heads up about their reaction to the way I carry myself. So I am curious? What would you think of a female walking down the street wearing a great outfit and looking put together?

**I know the only people who truly matter are those that will first talk to me and then make an impression. I'm just curious about what to expect****

[portlanderinOC]

You probably won't get too much attention for it. If you're in a higher up area, they'll just assume you're a business woman. If you're in a lower income area, people may look at you a bit strange and possibly think "she's not from here" but you won't really get treated any differently.
Often times though, people will know if you have that Seattle 'look'. You will often feel overdressed but just be confident in who you are, don't change simply because you think you should.

[flyingsaucermom]

I think some will appreciate it and some won't. It's as simple as that.

Really matters what/who's attention you are trying to draw.

[Zima1349]

I'd love to hear more about the Seattle 'look' - what does that entail, exactly? For men as well as women.

[bostonguy1960]

Just curious where you now live where dressing decently is en vogue for grocery shopping or even a quick trip to Walgreens?

Here near Boston, I sometimes scoff at what I label white trash...those wearing sloppy running pants when already fat, tank tops sand sometimes pajama bottom-style pants. This occurs in some zip codes here, like probably any part of America, unfortunately.

[DP79]

Yes, they will. But trust me, it won't take you long to get accustomed to Seattle. In a couple months you'll be going out on a Friday night in jeans, a sweater, and no makeup. And it will feel completely natural.

[zorph]

Originally Posted by Zima1349

I'd love to hear more about the Seattle 'look' - what does that entail, exactly? For men as well as women.

I have been given the impression that most people tend to wear jeans and a t-shirt without putting much effort into their appearance from this forum and websites. I do not recall reading about guys going out in button downs/slacks nor girls getting gussied up and putting on a dry with heels. I also tend to see a lot of moaning about female not wearing make-up. Mind you, if this is only a small set of people then that is great. I am just curious to see if this is a larger trend or it's just the outspoken few?

Perhaps I jumped the gun by presuming that most Seattlites wear similar clothing as opposed to finding that out prior to my earlier question?

Originally Posted by bostonguy1960

Just curious where you now live where dressing decently is en vogue for grocery shopping or even a quick trip to Walgreens?

Here near Boston, I sometimes scoff at what I label white trash...those wearing sloppy running pants when already fat, tank tops sand sometimes pajama bottom-style pants. This occurs in some zip codes here, like probably any part of America, unfortunately.

It's en vogue to go to both wearing nice clothes. Granted, I am probably a little biased because the grocery store I go to is across the street from Walgreens. :-)

To clarify, I will try to describe what I mean by dressed up below:

While waiting to cross the street this morning to the train, I was standing next to
-a women (late 20s/30s) in 2 inch heels with a cute wrap dress, nails painted, and a gorgeous purse
-a man (mid 30s) in a three piece suit
-a female wearing a black slacks with a white blouse, 2-3 inch heels, and a cute purse

While waiting to cross the street the other morning to go to brunch, I was standing next to
-a girl wearing a long fitted maxi dress with heels and make-up
-a guy wearing nice sun glasses, shorts, and a polo

[Sadie181]

Dress how you want to dress. Sometimes I am dressed up and sometimes I am dressed down. Nobody cares how you dress out here, make yourself happy!

[sll3454]

Originally Posted by bostonguy1960

Here near Boston, I sometimes scoff at what I label white trash...those wearing sloppy running pants when already fat, tank tops sand sometimes pajama bottom-style pants. This occurs in some zip codes here, like probably any part of America, unfortunately.

I never wear sand, but if I did, I hope I wouldn't be judged harshly. Sand is uncomfortable enough without that.

Originally Posted by zorph

I have been given the impression that most people tend to wear jeans and a t-shirt without putting much effort into their appearance . . .

While waiting to cross the street this morning to the train, I was standing next to
-a women (late 20s/30s) in 2 inch heels with a cute wrap dress, nails painted, and a gorgeous purse
-a man (mid 30s) in a three piece suit
-a female wearing a black slacks with a white blouse, 2-3 inch heels, and a cute purse

While waiting to cross the street the other morning to go to brunch, I was standing next to
-a girl wearing a long fitted maxi dress with heels and make-up
-a guy wearing nice sun glasses, shorts, and a polo

You obviously are in the habit of noticing people's clothing. (I would not have noticed any of this, but I do not know if most people in Seattle would.) If you like to be dressed like others, it won't take you long to figure out what that means.

So, Seattle-ites: Is "dressing down" a style in itself? Is it expected? Or is it simply one result of the freedom of not caring so much about clothes?

[shaylahc]

I definitely would not do that here.

A personal story--there is this lady at our school who dresses in THE flashiest clothes to drop her kids off at school. She makes a big production about getting out of the car to help her kids out (kids are perfectly capable of getting out by themselves, and you shouldn't be parking in the carpool lane, but I digress). You can tell she thinks she's AWESOME! Out at 8 a.m. wearing stilletos and skintight pants, full on make up and jewelry, perfectly coiffed hair....honestly....she looks nuts. Most of us SAHMs roll in through the carpool lane in bathrobes or pajamas (lol), this woman looks like she's ready to go clubbing in NYC. It is completely bizarre, and I can bet it's a deterrent to trying to relate to the other moms.

Someone said once that Seattle fashion is "one step above pajamas", and I agree. I still do a double take when my husband goes off to work at his IT job in jeans and a Star Wars tee, but that's how people dress here for work *shrug*