Which of these cities dresses with nicer, cleaner, "preppier" style? (poll) (metropolitan, Atlanta)

[FL_Expert]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

SWCT and Westchester are good picks- probably top honestly. Then Boston.

NJ and Long Island have too much form-fitting and European-like influence, and too many dark colors.

The last time I was in Manhattan I was surprised by how many people were wearing black or gray. It seemed pretty strange coming from Florida where people wear much more colorful clothing. Technically it looks cleaner so I can’t really say anything, but it’s a unique style for that area.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by FL_Expert

The last time I was in Manhattan I was surprised by how many people were wearing black or gray. It seemed pretty strange coming from Florida where people wear much more colorful clothing. Technically it looks cleaner so I can’t really say anything, but it’s a unique style for that area.

It's ridiculously prevalent and can't really be considered preppy. In Connecticut, they seem to truly favor the colors of the UCONN Huskies though, mucho mucho navy blue, gray, and augmented with white and black. This is more so Hartford Area and New Haven. Not so sure about FFC. Coastal CT to the east is more traditional New England Prep. As is Litchfield County.

[SEAandATL]

Originally Posted by elchevere

Usually cities with dress code enforcement tend to reinforce a predominantly better dressed population. Most cities have some hipster or casual dress/grunge areas (Williamsburg in NYC; Wynwood in Miami). I noticed a huge improvement in dress v San Diego (where I could virtually get into 97% of nice establishments even at night in a tank top, shorts and flip flops) vs Miami where even being a hotel guest and wearing a Canali polo and nice loafers wouldn’t get me into Zuma because I was wearing dress shorts (in vogue these days with some NBA players). Even when the women—who dress demonstrably better here—wear sweat outfits during the day (not at night) they are expensive and colorful gear.

I am definitely NOT a fan of the ungroomed, 9 month beard, tatted out, nose ring, tongue pierced, ear gauge crowd—they also seem to attract the tatted out, nose and/or tongue pierced women, whom I also am not a fan of. Not my style or crowd.

That explains DC as many of the federal jobs require wearing suits. I don't think most people would wear them if they didn't have to (unless you're Barney Stinson from HIMYM). It's funny you mention San Diego as I remember 20+ years ago in most of the places in the Gaslamp District you couldn't get in with jeans. Times must have changed. Also here in the Atlanta area almost no one used to wear jeans to church, but now it's a lot more common (same church). Now many companies are allowing jeans in the office, even before the pandemic.

[elchevere]

Don’t get me wrong—I walk around in athletic gear during the day in Miami (I’m retired) but when I go out at night for dinner and/or a lounge I at least make the effort to wear decent jeans or slacks and a collared shirt with nice shoes. Appreciate others who do the same and establishments that enforce some semblance of a dress code (unless I’m at a sports or dive bar). Also appreciate women who dress with class and style—not like tomboys or $600/hour Eros escorts.

Originally Posted by SEAandATL

That explains DC as many of the federal jobs require wearing suits. I don't think most people would wear them if they didn't have to (unless you're Barney Stinson from HIMYM). It's funny you mention San Diego as I remember 20+ years ago in most of the places in the Gaslamp District you couldn't get in with jeans. Times must have changed. Also here in the Atlanta area almost no one used to wear jeans to church, but now it's a lot more common (same church). Now many companies are allowing jeans in the office, even before the pandemic.

[dcb175]

Originally Posted by FL_Expert

The last time I was in Manhattan I was surprised by how many people were wearing black or gray. It seemed pretty strange coming from Florida where people wear much more colorful clothing. Technically it looks cleaner so I can’t really say anything, but it’s a unique style for that area.

That surprised you? The stereotype is NY'ers ONLY wear black lol.

I voted Boston, and it's pretty open and shut in my book. New England basically invented the preppy look in this country (which was basically co-opted by J. Crew, and Madewell sprung in coastal MA before it was acquired). NYC is too stylish (currently it's more streetwear influenced). I could maybe see a case for DC, but that seems too power suit to me.

Intrigued by Atlanta in this category since I do think there's a bit of preppiness in the deep south that was a riff off of the original New England style (look how people from SEC schools dress for football games, etc.) But the lower penetration of rich yuppies may impact the overall feel here.

For what it's worth, Wikipedia (I know, I know...) attributes the style origins to the private academic subculture in the Northeastern US during the middle of the 20th century, specifically Harvard, Princeton, Yale & Columbia. Since Boston is more heavily influenced by academia, it makes sense to me that would be the spiritual home of the look.

[TacoSoup]

Denver?? How did they make this list?

I’m going with Boston. NYC is just too much of a mixed bag, and DC seemed like a lot of cheap suits. I’m sure most weren’t, but this was the impression I got from those walking around that weren’t the obvious tourists.

[elchevere]

I agree Boston/New England takes the preppy title (with some Southern cities close behind), but the OP’s description also included cutting edge, hip and the latest with preppy to me falling into traditional and conservative (not necessarily cutting edge—I’m talking to you Polo, Brooks Brothers and Lacoste) and stodgy, instead.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Vineyard Vines is founded in Marthas Vineyard, MA and headquartered in Stamford, CT

Alden Shoe Company is headquartered in Middleborough, MA.

Don't forget Bostonians shoes, now a subsidiary of Clarks https://www.clarksusa.com/bostonian

Boston itself has heavy streetwear and athletic wear influence (Converse, Bodega, Karmaloop, Reebok, Puma, New Balance, 47 brand, Concepts) and a more comfortable/sporty vibe but the suburbs? The suburbs specialize in the aforementioned stuff.

DC has the prerequisite loose/ill-fitting polos, pastel shorts, and boat shoes crowd in its burbs but tis not as widespread, albeit more identifiable.

But even a plain polo T and unadorned Nike golf hat were common in Southeastern Dorchester/South Boston when I was a kid ~12 years ago. It was like an inner-city' version of New England preppy, Maybe a black, red, or white polo with a very small logo with some plain blue levis and maybe some all-white Nikes Air Max..

NYC has Brooks Brothers and J. Crew.

Admittedly Boston has asizable share of the sweatpants on the trains, socks and slides crowd too, more than some cities-mostly due to weather and youth of the populace.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by elchevere

I agree Boston/New England takes the preppy title (with some Southern cities close behind), but the OP’s description also included cutting edge, hip and the latest with preppy to me falling into traditional and conservative (not necessarily cutting edge—I’m talking to you Polo, Brooks Brothers and Lacoste) and stodgy, instead.

"I'm not talking about which city is more fashionable in terms of cutting edge styles, the latest drip, etc. I'm talking about which place tends to dress in a more classy, clean, and hip--if conventional--way."

[elchevere]

taking out the word “hip”, then yeah — Boston/New England.

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

"I'm not talking about which city is more fashionable in terms of cutting edge styles, the latest drip, etc. I'm talking about which place tends to dress in a more classy, clean, and hip--if conventional--way."