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I just got back to Seattle from a weekend in Manhattan and can absolutely vouch for the difference. I differ from most of my PNW brethren since I consider sloppy-on-purpose style to be a repressed, juvenile-angsty trait. NY'ers tend to be pretty damn confident and "over it" and don't feel bad for looking effing sharp. At the minimum, the NY winter uniform is decent jeans, boots, collared shirt and nice dark wool jacket. Clean cut, clean shaven. It's a competetive environment and you have to look like you give a damn.
I just got back to Seattle from a weekend in Manhattan and can absolutely vouch for the difference. I differ from most of my PNW brethren since I consider sloppy-on-purpose style to be a repressed, juvenile-angsty trait. NY'ers tend to be pretty damn confident and "over it" and don't feel bad for looking effing sharp. At the minimum, the NY winter uniform is decent jeans, boots, collared shirt and nice dark wool jacket. Clean cut, clean shaven. It's a competetive environment and you have to look like you give a damn.
Yes, I do agree that it is silly to have a looking sloppy on purpose look where you show subtle signs that you are not a true slob, but what is wrong with a relaxed dress code. Maybe you would rather on weekends enjoy sitting in a movie, Barnes and Nobles or your computer in comfortable clothes like a T shirt and sweatpants than have to waste an extra five minutes wearing tight jeans and an itchy collared shirt. I of course wear nice suits at work when meeting on official buiness, but my philosophy is its the weekend, why not chill out relax, why dress up, not the type to speak to random people in public. Without going into much detail, maybe young boys who just wear nice comfy t shirts and sweatpants as children are the wise ones and when they start wearing collared shirts in high school, they are becoming dumbed down. I have no problem with someone who wants to look sharp( More power to them), but if you just want to walk around with a t shirt and sweatpants and no shave on the weekend, why not be more laid back about it, instead of treating those who do so like derelicts.
Why is it that it is abit more acceptable in Silicon Valley for a man to be unshaven than in New York City. Some of the Micrsoft and Apple Old timer programers as well as some esoteric physicist startup venture capitalist professors are just as unshaven as New York City derelicts, yet they are never stopped by store security guards?
Also, why is it somewhat more acceptable for a woman than a man in New York City to wear a kind of t-shirt?
New York is pretty stylish. I'd put it a close second in the world next to London, which I consider the most stylish city in the world. Tokyo being a close third.
New York is heavily London influenced, except that the business casual uniform of shirt and slacks is more prominent in New York. The Brits are obviously more traditional and conservative so everyone wears a suit and the dress code is more formal overall.
Generally if you're wearing a trench coat, knee length wool overcoat, a Barbour jacket, a suit or a wool blazer, dress or slacks and shiny dress shoes or heels for women, you will look the part of a Londoner or New Yorker - the classic look is the norm.
Of course on the weekends, people dress more casually, but you rarely see middle class people and up looking like real slobs in Manhattan or Central London. In London people even wear formal wear on the weekend. I think it's just part of the culture of these two cities. Both have a highly educated, well paid, cultured and sophisticated population with discerning tastes in all aspects of life. Looking the part is just part of the lifestyle.
This is just so exaggerated. I'm always all over Manhattan in many different neighborhoods and all of this is just not true. Maybe 40% of people are dressed in this manner, not everyone. This is just a stereotype. I do agree that Londoners are way more stylish for sure.
Yeah definitely not everyone, but enough that you get a consistent impression of how people dress. For example, if you went to Dallas, Cincinnati or Minneapolis, you wouldn't consistently see people dressed like they do in New York. Even if it's not the majority of people that dress in a "classic" way, enough people dress similarly that it creates the New York look. I'd agree, maybe only 40% or even less dress in the classic way, but the rest of the crowd aren't consistent or discernible enough to create a more dominant look. I'd say in New York you have different variations of the classic corporate look, chic fashionista types and GQs, hipsters, casual stylish, the urban look with baseball caps, then people that are indifferent and just wear whatever. Overall though, i'd say the classic look - trench coats, wool overcoats, suits, slacks with shirts, etc is the most dominant and consistent look in Manhattan. Most people I see put some effort into dressing nice, not necessarily wearing the most expensive stuff, just looking presentable and professional. On the other hand, in London, I'd say the vast majority of people dress really well and formal and a large portion of people look like they are wearing $2000 plus worth of designer clothes or suits. In New York, you'd only have a very small portion of people dressing like that. It's a cultural thing, they're more conservative and steeped in tradition in the UK from speech to ideology to politics to dress. In New York we work 12 hour days so we just want to be comfortable : )
Also, why is it somewhat more acceptable for a woman than a man in New York City to wear a kind of t-shirt?
Thanks
I think it's because there are more women's t-shirts made from higher quality fabrics and cut to flatter. Not to mention all the little details like cap sleeves, ruching, gathering, etc. Rarely do women throw on a t-shirt that is equivalent to a man's Beefy T.
I can't believe no one has mentioned residents of Paris among the world's best dressed. I subscribe to the Parisian ideal of a few high-quality items that are mixed with accessories instead of the American mall ideal of a ton of junky items that fall out of style quickly.
I've also noticed while visiting other parts of the US that folks were a lot more athletic wear. The last time I was at SFO, I was surprised by how many people looked like they were about to go hiking in Yosemite. As other posters have mentioned, not many cloth coats for winter.
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