A woman that I work with was curious about the styles that I saw over in England. And, just in case I forgot, I thought it might be a good idea to keep track of it all here. So, to the American eye, this is London:
- All of the men wear terrible pointy leather shoes a la cartoon Beatles. Really. Ryan and I had noticed it quite a bit until we finally decided we must keep a tally. In just our last two days we had blasted our way through the 30s and our count was well into the 40s…and that was just when we happened to be looking down.
- Jeggings everywhere. And not just the tasteful ones. There were those ugly cheap-looking jeggings all over the place, too. This is one trend I didn’t quite fancy.
- Conversely, girls do not wear jeans in London. Chanel said she noticed this as well and brought it up to the two girls she lives with who were born and raised in England. They confirmed it. Between the two of them they owned one pair of jeans.
- The hair and makeup is flawless. I got pretty close to some people on the tube, too, so I can say this with certainty. They’re all so well-kept, and the amazing thing is that none of them really seem to care that much about it. Nor do they worry over their appearance the way Americans do. I’ve seen American girls actually flirt with themselves in the mirror…and not just in their bedrooms. When I was working in the boutique on Exchange Street there was one girl who was winking at herself or blowing a kiss every time she passed a mirror. She wasn’t doing it to be funny, either. Her friends were in a different section of the store. She just loved herself that much. The English girls I saw didn’t even cast a glance at their own reflection as far as I could see. Maybe they’re just better at hiding it?
- Everyone dresses nicely (other than the jeggings). It was almost as though they were all on their way to tea with Gran. In the States we leave the house in sweats, with our hair sloppily tossed into a bun, but this just isn’t the case in London. I saw hardly any sneakers, and those that I did see were in tip-top shape, and still paired with a collared shirt or a skirt. No one wore sweatshirts, just sweaters or classy jackets. Or tee-shirts. The boys can wear them, but if girls do they’re light, flowy, and feminine. Usually sheer or a low boatneck so as to expose a layer beneath. Even flip-flops were a scarce sight. For the most part, girls wore flats or boots, super cute skirts, often paired with leggings or pretty tights, and some chic/feminine sort of top.
- Fashion isn’t just for the ladies! Chanel said she was so proud of Max (her English romance) when he purchased a coral colored V-neck (or something to that effect) and he didn’t even think twice. Apparently this is normal in other cultures! Somehow it has become unmanly to consider ones appearance in the U.S. I applaud European men for their fine taste in apparel (minus those hideous Beatles shoes).
- Scarves. And nice bags. Accessories in general are well done here. Not too many, just the right taste for my liking.
- Lots of rompers. As you can imagine, I was quite happy about that. Come to think of it, almost all of the fabrics being worn right now are loose, flowy types. Nearly all of them belted at the waist. I think we’ve got this one down pretty well in the States, too.
- Harem pants, too. And for the most part these ladies really pull them off! There was one guy wearing denim harem pants, though. And there was an opening in the bottom? Almost like a skirt? But with legs? It was very strange. He was most likely an Asian tourist, though, so discount this little mention.
- I saw a lot of horizontally striped tops. It seemed quite French to me, but perhaps they were just playing on the nautical aspect of Summer.
- And cardigans. Being layered over rompers, or bodycons. I love this.
- For the most part, girls are neglecting the low-rise stuff. I also love this. They’re showing off their waist lines with belts, or high-waisted shorts. Or, they’re wearing tunics with just a peak of a skirt coming out beneath. I didn’t really see any low-rise pants. If they are being worn they’re getting covered up by long tops.
- Most of the girls had long hair that they wear down. Usually somewhat wavy. In colors that seem quite natural for their skin tones.
- Denim-like button ups as cardigans. I was foretold of this new hit, and wasn’t disappointed. I saw it everywhere, and it was done quite well! It wasn’t at all country-Western like I first feared, but instead girls are wearing these long tops almost as cardigans over something that is quite flattering for their shape.
I googled “London Style 2010″ and whether or not they’re all really from the streets of London, here are some photos that pretty well exemplify what I was seeing:
* The dress, though, is American Apparel (I have it in navy…).
* I feel like I may have seen this exact girl.
* I think this is actually taken in NY, but it’s the same idea.
* This is about as casual as it gets.
