American Vs. European Style

[pinksatin]

Such an interesting topic! I'm no voice of reason but I feel like putting in my opinions too.

I grew up and now live in the midwest but have also lived in Massachusetts and Hawaii and have relatives everyplace in the US (mostly NY, New England, and Cali though) that I've visited and have also visited London and Paris as well as seen lots of European tourists in this country.

So anyway, I think one way to describe the differences is that European style is more refined and discriminating. In the US I have numerous times decided I want to go out and I need to wear something different. I might leaf through my closet and put together something carefully or just stop at the mall quick and grap a new dress and accessories. Or if my favorite shops are having a sale and even though I don't need anything, I end up going home after spending way too much and have a lot of cute things I never really needed. Like it's been mentioned, I think Americans have just more clothes than they know what to do with. Maybe we are addicted to shopping?

I think Europeans are less heavy consumers and don't buy buy buy so they are more inventive and thinking of new ways to wear the fewer nice pieces they have. It's been said but quality over quantity seems to be more prevalent in European style.

Also I think Americans don't think all the time before they leave the house. You will see someone thinking she's all hot but completely overdone and over-accessorized. Less is more! To prevent such a look I have a rule of no more than two non-apparel items at a time. Like just earrings and ring, or a bangle and a scarf, etc.

Also I think Americans are more influenced by celeb style and will wear things that are popular or imitations of what celebs wear or expensive labels and think this equals style. Europeans I think are more self-aware and dress more with what works for them as individuals.

so summary:
Europeans are better at less is more, and quality over quantity, and planning their look instead of just putting things on.

 

[ewening]

being fashionable is rather a question of personality and or income and status than being european or american.

ita. though i also think that culture has influence too. there is no perfect answer to this question but it's fun to read how people view it.

 

[DansLAir]

I don't know much about European fashion, but as a whole I think Americans are far too concerned with whats hip and in as opposed to what looks good on them and is stylish. We also tend to base everything recently on what stars have. Its very much a sign of wealth and status. When I was in Europe I don't recall seeing this. Clothes were much more practical and I didn't really notice any obvious trends. I may be very mistaken though as I went 3 years ago...

Good luck with your assignment

This is SOOO spot-on! Fashion in the US is EXTREMELY celebrity-driven and trend-driven.

In France, there are trends, but they don't get nearly as out of hand as they do in the US... In the US, they tend to be fashion drones.

I've found that the fashion aesthetic (obviously) varies from country to country in Europe, as it does in the US (the US is quite large to offer as much variety, in that regard, as you would find on an entire continent).

In France, it's definitely about sophistication, or being comfortable and simultaneously stylish (if you're young), but also being PRACTICAL. Also, obvious trendwhores are frowned upon here.

 

[Yanka]

I also think the prices of clothes is a major factor. Everything is so much cheaper in America than it is here! You can get more "value" out of your money and it has a major impact. Like, I know people who'd go shopping in Old Navy, spend like 100$ and come out with 5 bags of stuff. Also, American stores have some sort of permanent sale going on, while in Europe sales are purely seasonal. When I was younger, I used to always get a bit at the sheer amount of jeans & t-shirts and underwear my best American friend had. She was pretty rich, but most of her clothes were Victoria Secret, American Eagel, Express etc. The prices could be the same as H&M but the quality was so much better.

 

[Couture_Tribe]

Americans are all about aspiring to covet that hollywood glam style in clothes, they mimick everything celeb. They get their style inspiration mostly from celebs, but Europeans get their inspirations from runways. Americans buy designer clotehs because a celeb wore it; Europeans buy designer clothes because they truely like it for themselves. European also has that grandma-mother-daughter tradition with a piece of clothing, but Americans are all about cheap mass production pieces they wear once or twice and toss.

To summerize, it is celeb vs. designers, and quality vs. quantity; this is just a general statement.

 

[DansLAir]

European also has that grandma-mother-daughter tradition with a piece of clothing, but Americans are all about cheap mass production pieces they wear once or twice and toss.

To summerize, it is celeb vs. designers, and quality vs. quantity; this is just a general statement.

I don't know about this part about wearing once and tossing out...H&M, which is popular in the US now (in some cities) was founded by a Swedish company, in Europe. It was available for years in Europe, before finally being made available in the US. TopShop, as well, which is a UK company. And even then, Old Navy, etc. followed suit...they did not innovate the "wear and toss" technique. Europe did.

I do agree with the rest of what you said though...

 

[Megzy]

This is my take on European style, it might not be completely accurate so I apologize to those who live in the countries. But it's just what I observed and had conversations about.

I became very close with a bunch of exchange students almost 2 years ago from Paris, Finland, Germany and Iceland. French boys and girls wear converse shoes and earth tones.
While I sported skinny jeans and flats, my French friend wore her baggy jeans (which were absolutely adorable) with her converse.
What I noticed about the girls was that they loved American clothing because 1. Some designer brands were a lot cheaper than what they pay in their countries 2. none of their friends back home would have the same clothing when they went back home 3. They wanted to look American.
The German boy exchange students (and this isn't meant to be an insult) looked feminine compared to the way American boys dress, mostly because of their jeans. European jeans are more detailed and just look different from what are sold at Abercrombie or Kohls.

As for American style, I'm not sure you can really define it. Some have style and some don't. I think it all depends on how much money they have, or if they even care about their clothing. But I think it's unfair to say all of us don't have style. I like to think that I have style, I am after all going to fashion school in a few months haha.

 

[iSpot]

I often sense the clichéd perception of Americans on Europeans. It's not that everyone in Europe is like the perfect dresser and have the best style etc etc. Look at the WAG, Victoria Beckham style etc., ok everyone has their own opinion but I don't consider going to a designer boutique and throw on the latest (tacky and poser) trend as style.

I think the difference is, like some already mentioned, the spending habit.
I was brought up (European) to take care of my clothing, to treasure them and certainly not to overspend or to make any debts! When I read about creditcard debts as a result of buying bags on some fora like the tpf I sometimes can't believe it. Most people here are getting loans for their houses and cars but not bags. Also the debt you have to start with when you're graduated here in my country is 0.
I don't know, maybe it's because of the second world war that people were aware of not overspending and working really hard.
I think there's a different spending culture in America compared to Europe, and even when you compare the 'Anglosaxon' culture to the continent.
But I think it's changing here too, with the huge chains and globalisation of fashion, people are spending more.

As for style, I too as a European have a cliché perception on Americans but I think Americans play it more safe. But on the other hand here in Europe we alse have the' Bcbg look (and I mean the RL style look but in french).
Also, I just hate the American 'casual' Abercrombie- and 'the old granny with white socks and nikes' style. Especially when you're visiting European cities
When I was a bit younger and travelling with my parents, we were travelling from the beach to a city and I was still wearing my flip-flops. My dad wouldn't let my go in that city with the flip-flops Now lots of Europeans are wearing them in cities too (I'm not talking about the nice embellished ones).

To answer the post above me, as a teenager I also looked up to the American culture. I mean, America was really the promised land, the land of MTV and popular culture! The grass is always greener Especially when you're young and you want to dress differently! In the 90's I used to wear a lot of CK, RL etc. I think they still have to find their style. But then again, Europe gets really much idealised.

 

[Megzy]

I just hate the American 'casual' Abercrombie

Oh gosh that is just the worst. It's like American boys and girls are afraid to be different so they dress like all their friends. Walk through my high school and that's what you'll see 70% of the students wearing. I went through the Abercrombie/Hollister faze for a year year but realized I wanted to dress differently and have my own style. I wanted a refreshing and diverse wardrobe that wasn't just one blended-together trend.

 

[Witchbaby]

I often sense the clichéd perception of Americans on Europeans. It's not that everyone in Europe is like the perfect dresser and have the best style etc etc. Look at the WAG, Victoria Beckham style etc., ok everyone has their own opinion but I don't consider going to a designer boutique and throw on the latest (tacky and poser) trend as style.

I agree, and I think it's rather funny that so many Americans have this idea that Europeans are all these perfectly polished super models that sit around in cafés smoking cigarettes and discussing existentialism. B)

I think it's really difficult to try to compare the two. Both America and Europe are very big, diverse places with lots of different people living in them. Someone who lives in the middle of no where in Kansas isn't going to be considered as fashionable as someone who lives in Paris, just like someone from a small village in Northern England isn't going to be considered as fashionable as someone from New York.

That being said, I do think that fashion tends to move a bit faster in the US than in Europe. We go through trends a bit more quickly, which I suppose reflects our more consumer driven lifestyle (though Europeans are quickly catching up).

 

[salomelovesjohn]

Well based on my recent travel I think Italians dress much better than the French (Paris vs. Rome). I was surprised at French fashion, lots of black low toped converse and black pumas, where in Italy woman and men were more likely to wear boots and more classic shoes. I also think the European color palette is more subdued than the American and none ever seems to wear white sneakers or some of the awefully fitting clothes you see here, helps that the Europeans are thiner overall - but in larger American cities, e.g., NYC or Miami, you see thiner people and better fashion then I've seen from tourists from the mid-west small towns or the small towns in the South. Chicago is big city, so I don't mean there.

 

[DansLAir]

Okay, I actually have my own take on this whole issue...at least now that I've been living here. I'm going to write about this on the blog.

Hint: The whole "French girls are tiny supermodels that know how to work it" thing...it's a myth/stereotype. Really.

 

[jun3machina]

okay, well as an american, i must say that the style here in the states is a major dissapointment. I live in southern california, but have been the new york, milan, florence, london and germany.

while my opinions may piss some folks off, i must say americans for the most part, wear what the magazines tell them to wear or the celebrities in the latest gossip magaiznes. the thing about american style that really just disgusts the hell out of me is the sh*t cycle of style. it starts at the heirarchy of celebrity, and trickles down from there. example? nciole richie was photogrpahed in some dress somewhere....so the magazines carry it and show you how to get the look for less (which is most likely made out of some cheap-*** fabric and made by third world labor). the stores rip off the expspensive labels, make them out of cheap material, by cheap overseas labor and after being eaten and crapped out about 5 times down the line, from nordtroms to macys to gap to old navy to target.....the end product is on everyone in some deranged maifestation by the end of the season. this of course is a generalization. every once in a while, i'll see that chic lil walflower...but not often enough. gothwear/punk/nurave? buy it all at hottopic. casual and the faulty eco-consumer trend made by underaged asian children to support african kids in poverty? the gap and old navy. (also that godamn tourist khaki fanny pack casual tee 'im an american' look can be blamed on them...)

i must say overall, americans have the most stagnant unoriginal style, and the people here look the least comfortable and the most self conscious about what they wear. i believe this is because too few really buy things that suit their shape, are made out of compfrtable fabric and are truely for their style, but rather they bought it after seeing it in a magazine, on a celeb, or told by some sort of editorial that if they look a certain way, they should dress like a. b. or c.....according to the cosmo survey.

while i was in london, i saw a lot of people who had a more personable form of their own style. while i would consider it perhaps a bit more dowdy, it's still a style, and i saw a lot of people put interesting takes on simple things.

florence and milan, the thing that stood out to me the most, is while some were incredibly chic, and others very casual, they all seemed very happy and COMFORTABLE in what they were wearing. there was none of that american, self conscious 'are they looking at me' energy. people were laughing and happy and confident and that was what made them look so chic. it was their demenour.

i think it's the self consciousness of americans that make them less stylish. so many are walkign around in heels too high, they cant walk in those things and look stupid....but they still go out and wear these things that dont fit properly, aren't them, because they were told that that IS what's in and they SHOULD be wearing..........

 

[jun3machina]

/\ wow...now that's a rant! (if i ever saw one!) haha...didn't realize i wrote that much...

 

[carioca]

I agree, and I think it's rather funny that so many Americans have this idea that Europeans are all these perfectly polished super models that sit around in cafés smoking cigarettes and discussing existentialism. B)

that's so true. Americans tend to idealize the Europeans including the way they dress and act.

Like Witchbaby said, America is a huge place and most of the population is concerned with saving a few dollars and shopping at Wal-Mart than really spending time on how they look which is understandable, Americans are more of an on-the-go country compared to Euro countries.
But what I've noticed about Americans (based on the cities i've lived in America) is that they try to achieve one look, for example the whole vintage look with skinny jeans or Abecrombie/AE/Hollister etc etc. They all pretty much look the same in dressing. But for Europeans, you can travel throughout Europe and see people wear their own style that expresses them, even though sometimes it borders on looking absolutely RIDICULOUS, yet at the same time you admire that they have their own sense of style. basically in a nut shell, i find Europeans to have their own unique personal style while Americans (not all but a lot) tend to copy trends or the people around them and end up looking like clones. on another note, i personally find the Danes and the Swedes have better fashion sense than the French street fashion imo. fin.

 

[Witchbaby]

that's so true. Americans tend to idealize the Europeans including the way they dress and act.

It's silly really. I have French family members, and let me tell you they have morning breath and fashion disasters just like the rest of us. I remember traveling through Europe and just cringing at some of the (often ridiculous, like you said) outfits that I saw, wondering why their mothers let them out of the house.

One thing to say (though it probably isn't a problem on this forum). . .Europeans, please do not, under any circumstances try to dress in any sort of 'thug' or 'hip hop'-ish manner. It's embarrassing enough when white Americans do it.

 

[hautecoco]

when you really look at it and compare, american style is very cheap looking - regardless of whether or not the clothes are actually cheaply made. when you look at european style, you can automatically see the difference in overall appearance of cheap vs. classy.

 

[baRose]

I think the casual nature of American clothes is just a reflection of our lifestyle: wake up, rush to work/school, work all day, race through lunch at our desks, rush home, long commute, take care of kids, rush through dinner, rush rush, rush. Of course, this is a generalization, but that was definitely my life (minus the kids) for years. Looking back, I didn’t have time, resources or knowledge to dress in anything other than a basic dark shirt and “mom” pants off the discount rack and I was only 20.

I think busy lifestyles complete with full-time jobs and/or school, kids, needing to maintain a household, relationships, wondering where your health insurance will come from, how you’re going to pay for that $2000 dentist bill, <2 week vacations (if you get any holiday at all), etc = not a whole lot of time worrying about clothes and make-up JMHO (and one point of view).

 

[DJCNOR]

I think that one of the main differences between European and US fashion is the fabrics, and in particular, how those fabrics may be washed. When I lived in Krakow, Poland, in 1995-6, American visitors always commented on how well dressed Poles were. They just could not believe that they dressed so well on such small salaries. There were several reasons for this. The Poles tended to choose neutrals, or low chroma colors so that all their pieces could be worn with the others. Many Poles knew how to sew, to alter their own clothes to fit, and custom made items, particularly for business wear, was readily available. It wasn't cheap by Polish standards, but a Pole might have one suit and do a thousand different things with a few added pieces. Poles knew quality fabrics and were not afraid of non-washable ones. In fact, many Poles did not even own washing machines. It seems to me (having lived in Denmark, Poland, and now the UK) that all Europeans share this. They are willing to handwash. Handwashing makes good wool and linen and silk acceptable and the fabrics stay good looking for longer when treated this gently and thus still look good when handed down through several generations.

 

[seanutbutter]

I think the casual nature of American clothes is just a reflection of our lifestyle: wake up, rush to work/school, work all day, race through lunch at our desks, rush home, long commute, take care of kids, rush through dinner, rush rush, rush. Of course, this is a generalization, but that was definitely my life (minus the kids) for years. Looking back, I didn’t have time, resources or knowledge to dress in anything other than a basic dark shirt and “mom” pants off the discount rack and I was only 20.

I think busy lifestyles complete with full-time jobs and/or school, kids, needing to maintain a household, relationships, wondering where your health insurance will come from, how you’re going to pay for that $2000 dentist bill, <2 week vacations (if you get any holiday at all), etc = not a whole lot of time worrying about clothes and make-up JMHO (and one point of view).

You've hit the nail on the head, and I completely agree with your points. The American lifestyle is completely different than a European lifestyle, or any other lifestyle for that matter. Yes, I know I'm throwing around too many generalizations for my own good, but it's the truth for the most part.

I live in a country filled with stressed, overworked, unhappy people. The last thing on most of their minds is what they're going to wear tomorrow, which definitely reflects in their choice of clothing.