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So, I guess (according to the links) skinny jeans are still popular in Europe? I notice some European designers are doing wide legs and flared legs, now, and this has reached the US, already, mercifully. Skinny jeans look ridiculous on a lot of people.
LOL where I live, wide and flared leg jeans never went out of style.
Just so the Americans on this thread don't feel intimidated by the European fashion scene - here are some candid shots of people wandering around in the streets of Frankfurt, Leeds, Ghent, places like that - not touristy areas (wouldn't want to be told that all these less than glamorous people were TOURISTS!):
This comes off as if everyone in Europe is dressing in the best fabrics, the best quality clothing, designer labels, etc.
The average person going to the grocery store or hanging out in an outdoor cafe in a regular little town like those thousands of little towns across Europe is not wearing a designer label, top of the line, custom tailored outfit. They are, however, wearing clothes that they paid a lot more for than those of similar quality would cost in the US or Canada.
By the way, when my friends come over here from Europe, they stock up on clothes. They bring extra suitcases so they can bring all the clothes and shoes and purses they get over here back home. I guess they're not too turned off by American clothing.
Regular everyday clothes cost the same: for example H&M has the same prices in the EU as in the US. I don't believe people pay 700 euros for a plane ticket to the US to save a few dollars on clothes, even for a suitcase full of clothes it doesn't make sense. Imagine flying to the US with a family of 4, spending 2800 euros on plane tickets to save 200 euros or so on clothes. It's what the British call 'penny wise, pound foolish'.
The exchange rate used to be 1.30$ - 1.40$ for a euro so it somewhat made sense to buy clothes in the US if you happened to visit anyway. Now the dollar is nearly equal to the euro it doesn't make sense anymore. I've also bought jeans and shoes in the US in the past and saved about 20 - 30% because of the exchange rate. Not so anymore.
There are these 'outlet malls' in the US which sell some things very cheap but I always had difficulties finding things which fit well and are halfway modern. I'd rather pay a little more and buy something decent.
Location: God's Gift to Mankind for flying anything
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Quote:
Originally Posted by drro
I don't believe people pay 700 euros for a plane ticket to the US to save a few dollars on clothes, even for a suitcase full of clothes it doesn't make sense. Imagine flying to the US with a family of 4, spending 2800 euros on plane tickets to save 200 euros or so on clothes. It's what the British call 'penny wise, pound foolish'.
I do not think *regular* Europeans make *clothing* trips.
They happen to visit and thus buy whatever they need.
Same thing for USA tourists, they do not go to Europe to buy a Cuckoo clock (only).
We lived and worked in Europe for a very long time, and had 5 kids.
We visited *home* every year, to see Grandma and Grandpa ...
So, yes we did stock up on clothes for the kids !!
With 5 kids, the presents from the USA were almost always clothes for the kids !
What we did experience once and a while in the USA while *on vacation*,
was that the shelves were better stocked outside the tourist season.
I asked why that was, and they said that the tourists snap up most of the sales.
So ... , yes, some tourists do buy a lot of clothes while in the USA ...
But if they make special trips, just to buy clothes ... , uhmmmm ... , no !
Not only clothes are a bit cheaper in the USA,
I even (twice) brought back car tires for our cars !
(Umpteen business trips a year)
This was a while back (1980's).
I *knew* that car parts might have been more expensive in Europe,
so when we moved to Europe, I brought with us, certain items
that I knew I needed over a certain time to maintain our cars.
Inside the container was even 20 boxes of engine oil
When we left we had 3 boxes left and gave that to our land lord !
He was happier than a lark !!
BTW, as was mentioned above also, friends who visit from Europe
stock up on clothes in extra suitcase ...
Happens to us also.
They even get suitcases that fit inside other suitcases !
What they mostly buy is jeans (any brand that is on sale)
and western style shirts !!
Not only clothes are a bit cheaper in the USA,
I even (twice) brought back car tires for our cars !
(Umpteen business trips a year)
This was a while back (1980's).
In the 80's the US seemed cheaper to me too and the standard of living was higher than in Europe but that was the 80's. A few years ago I didn't notice much difference in price, except for the exchange rate. Regular clothes and shoes cost about the same as over here like the link that I posted with current prices also shows.
It seems to me you can buy a lot of crap for cheap in the US but most what I bought didn't last long. Only the jeans I bought in the US seemed fine and still last until today.
Regular everyday clothes cost the same: for example H&M has the same prices in the EU as in the US. I don't believe people pay 700 euros for a plane ticket to the US to save a few dollars on clothes, even for a suitcase full of clothes it doesn't make sense. Imagine flying to the US with a family of 4, spending 2800 euros on plane tickets to save 200 euros or so on clothes. It's what the British call 'penny wise, pound foolish'.
I never said or meant to imply that the family comes to the US TO BUY CLOTHES. They come to the US to visit us, and do some vacationing, and visit other friends, but while they are here they always buy a suitcase full of clothes.
When I'm in Europe, I buy clothes too. Mainly shoes. It's not because they're better quality - it's because they're unique - a different style or cut or color than what I can usually find here. I don't think they're particularly expensive or a bargain - just sort of in the middle - but they're not the run of the mill around here. Maybe that's why our friends buy so many clothes here too - they look slightly different, or whatever. Who knows? I haven't asked.
Basically we buy what we can't get over here when we're there - and they buy what they can't get over there, when they're here. Makes sense to me.
My point was - they don't buy the most expensive stuff or the cheapest stuff. They buy what I'd call "average American clothes" when they're here. They don't seem to have a problem with the quality or styling of American clothes - they certainly don't have any problem finding enough cool things to fill a large suitcase!
But then, I do the same thing so I can't say much.
A little off topic, but, what designers and where in the US to get the flared jeans? Because it seems skinny is every where still. I have no idea why they cannot just offer a few styles.
Yeah, I agree. I don't appreciate having one single style imposed on everyone.
It's coming, boxus. Read the fashion mags, note which companies are advertising the wider legs or flares, then go to their website. You could also try online shopping at the higher-end retailers.
Depends what you're looking for. I bought stable wear, boots and horse tack in online american stores. The thick quality of that work wear can't be found in Europe for those prices. Over here it easily costs double or triple of what it costs in the US.
For normal fashion not so much since the Euro is not that strong anymore. But a few years back a lot of Dutch ordered clothes in online American stores.
When I lived in Germany twenty years ago, I noticed that Germans tended to have a lot fewer clothes but that they were usually of very good quality. When I went back a couple of years ago, I couldn't tell any difference between the clothes in the "regular" stores and clothes in American stores - quality wise. Of course, there were some differences in styles, especially in the shoes, but the quality and prices seemed similar. And what I saw people wearing looked like I could have been walking down any street in the US.
Same with our visit to the UK recently - I really couldn't tell ANY difference in clothing styles at all. Not a whit of difference. Now -I am excluding the clothing I saw in St James Park just after there was some sort of tea on the grounds of Buckingham Palace and the tea goers came walking through the park afterwards in their tails and tall hats and "follies" on their heads - that was interesting but that was also the only time I saw such "high fashion." I'm sure those people don't run to the grocery store in those types of clothes!
The vast majority of people were dressed in the same sorts of clothes I was wearing - jeans, a casual shirt, maybe a jacket and/or scarf - same stuff I wear in the US when the temps are on the chilly side of spring. Except this was in May - LOL - it's already hot here that time of year!
Location: Northern Ireland and temporarily England
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The currency rate was £1/$1.60. I load up everytime I go over there, it is definitely much cheaper for me.
Most of my clothes are GUESS, Ralph Lauren or american Eagle.
This years purchases:
I am not buying anything next year. I have too many clothes at this point.
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