I recently caught up with a buddy of mine Stephen Nemeth to get some insight on fashion in the UK. A man all about going green, Stephen recently left Washington, DC for Leeds England to pursue a Masters Degree in Sustainability. Having been there for almost 1 year now, he sheds some light on culture and fashion.
What is the biggest difference in fashion in the UK vs. the US?
It’s hard to choose one. I think clothing here signifies less about your cultural tastes than it might in the U.S. In the U.S. someone wearing skinny jeans, a fitted vintage tee, and Converse might signify that they are a hipster (or hipster wannabe), and you might be able to deduce the kind of music they listen to, the movies they might like, etc. Here, it probably just means that the person is just following a trend of skinny jeans and fitted tee shirts. It seems that people in the U.S. tend to use clothes as a cultural signifier of themselves more than they do here.
What is something that many men wear there that you thought was different or even strange in the beginning?
Casual attire-wise, so many people wear sweatpants out and about on a daily basis. Maybe it’s a function of living in DC for too long, but I want to go up to a lot of them and say “is it that much harder to put on a pair of jeans?”
With regard to business attire, the tailoring on the suits is much better. Even the cheapest suits have a much more tailored fit than the ones in the states. There are also (thank god) far few Tabasco and Snoopy ties on grown men.
Are there any tie patterns that are more popular there than in the US? What about accessories such as shoes, scarves or even pocket squares?
With regard to ties, I can’t say I’ve noticed a particular pattern that’s more popular, though there seems to be fewer Repp striped ties, surprisingly, more solid color, or solid color with a tiny pattern. There are a lot more scarves here, generally. With regard to business shoes, they tend to be slimmer and far less chunky, with fewer square toed shoes. For casual shoes, everyone seems to own a pair of plimsolls. Messenger bags tend to be a bit louder and more varied than the ones in the states.
What do you find yourself wearing that you may think twice about wearing in the states?
I definitely wear far skinnier jeans than I would have in the states. Also, you can go into a lot of clubs in Leeds without really dressing up. Tee shirts, jeans, and trainers are completely acceptable.
What do you like most about the culture in the UK vs. the US?
People in the shops, and perhaps in general, in the UK tend to be far more polite and engaged. In the U.S., half of the time, it feels like I’m burdening the cashier or clerk with my presence. I rarely have that feeling here.
What is unique about the way men in the UK present and/or carry themselves?
I think people in the UK tend to be less focused on brands and more on the actual clothes. Don’t get me wrong, clothes splashed with “Bench,” “SuperDry,” and “Abercrombie and Fitch” logos abound, but people seem to be more concerned with the trend than who actually makes the clothes, in general. I think men over here tend to be more fashion conscious, though, that may be because the trends are more easily accessible owing to cheap fashion in places like TopMan, Primark, and H&M.
If you ever come back to the states to live, what part of the UK fashion will come with you?
I’ll probably be a bit less conscious about wearing something that I’m on the fence with. If you like it, wear it.
If you had one word to describe fashion in the UK, what would it be?
Jumble.
Are woman in the UK friendlier, easier to approach?
It seems to be about the same as in the States. If you’re approachable, they’re approachable.
