New York of the South (Dallas, Highland Park: neighborhoods, buy, live)

[Mr. Chad]

What kind of cars do $30K millionaires drive?

[BeanyMalone]

Generally speaking though, people are a bit more casual than the northeast. I was way overdressed when I first got here (from Boston).

When I first moved to Dallas in the early 1990's (I've been away and back since then), there was something called "Dallas casual". You'd get invited to your boss's in Highland Park for the annual pool party where he showed what a regular guy he was. His wife would say "It's casual". That meant the women should show up in white linen shorts and full make-up and jewelry and the men in polo shirts and pants (never shorts). And as everything fashion-wise, it was harder on the women then men. It was both tragic and comical to see the wife of a new recruit show up in what to her was causal in a mid-western college town. But standards have loosened up everywhere since then, although if you get invited to the home of a native Dallas-ite of a certain generation, by all means overdress.

[Metro Matt]

Originally Posted by GBCommenter

I am moving to the Dallas area in the next few weeks for a job offer I received (offices in Addison). I was talking with what will soon be former employees and they mentioned they have friends that live in the area and regard Dallas as "New York of the South". Specifically, the reference is talking about a belief that Dallas is all about status and image. The claim is people don't go out on the town without $200 shirts and $400 shoes. In other words, maybe "money with class"?

This soon former co-worker contrasted that to Houston as more more "money but less class" - more your oil people that are a bit more rough and tumble.

While I admittedly know little of Dallas and always assumed Dallas is still a large city, I wonder if the stereotype is fair? For the record, while I can get all gussied up and use a salad fork, I'm more likely a guy that will enjoy a good beer at the restaurant (that means not Bud...) rather than 15 year single malt (though I like that too, on occasion).

So, is Dallas all about status and image? Is my great new job not as great because I'll have to go shopping for $400 shoes and I'll have to pick up some additional source of cash?

In the Park Cities I could see this as being partially true. Its like a very watered down version of Beverly Hills.

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

Dallas isn't the NYC of the South. No city is a NYC of any other region. NYC is way too unique to be compared to anywhere else.

[Made_it_To_the_Metroplex]

Originally Posted by justme02

Dallas isn't the NYC of the South. No city is a NYC of any other region. NYC is way too unique to be compared to anywhere else.

...as is our DALLAS!

It never ceases to amaze me how New Yorkers continue to see their city as the Center of the Universe, despite ample evidence to the contrary... <smh>

[Metro Matt]

In all honesty I think Dallas is still trying to find itself as a city & where it fits in with other major cities.

The Dallas of today isn't the same Dallas as 15-20 years ago yet the population hasn't grown all that much. It has diversified, but not grown.

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

Originally Posted by Metro Matt

In all honesty I think Dallas is still trying to find itself as a city & where it fits in with other major cities.

The Dallas of today isn't the same Dallas as 15-20 years ago yet the population hasn't grown all that much. It has diversified, but not grown.

You must be talking only of the city in which case that would be pretty accurate from a population stand point. Although I will say the city has improved quite a bit since I moved here four years ago.

The region, on the other hand, has exploded with growth and diversified greatly as well.

[Metro Matt]

Originally Posted by justme02

You must be talking only of the city in which case that would be pretty accurate from a population stand point. Although I will say the city has improved quite a bit since I moved here four years ago.

The region, on the other hand, has exploded with growth and diversified greatly as well.

Dallas has only grown 200,000 people in the last 23 years. It has however gotten more dense & demographics have shifted greatly (less Whites & Blacks more Hispanics & Asians).

[Mr. Chad]

Originally Posted by Metro Matt

Dallas has only grown 200,000 people in the last 23 years. It has however gotten more dense & demographics have shifted greatly (less Whites & Blacks more Hispanics & Asians).

200K is not a lot of growth. Are there any stats about natives leaving for other states? I wonder what those figures are?

[Metro Matt]

Originally Posted by Mr. Chad

200K is not a lot of growth. Are there any stats about natives leaving for other states? I wonder what those figures are?

That's because Dallas' suburbs absorbed all of the rapid growth & sucked the life out of the city.

This is changing, but at a gradual pace.