Midwest Street Style

[marrimoda]

Like I said, I did not see any style in the several years that I lived in the midwest, and believe me when I say I approached with an open mind. I interacted with people in every range of the economic spectrum...so for someone to even bring up wealthy people in Michigan missing the point. Style is not about what you can go out and buy to out-do others with your spending. My criticism of the midwestern style is that it seems very predictable, super commercial, and conservative. Its not that midwesterners dont know how to put an outfit together, its that it seemed very ...hmmm...matchy and obvious. Thats not to say that doesnt exist everywhere...its just that people in other areas seem to have access to more clothing ideas that are not so mass marketed. I'm certainly not the first/only person to observe that -- just read the other posts that complain of not having any variety of shopping.

 

[lele]

what a bunch of BS... style can and does happen ANYWHERE...

if you know where to go in Saint Louis you can find anything...
Play
Laurie Solet
Byrd
Lusso
If you need it Saks Fifth Avenue
and we are one like like 17 states that have Neiman Marcus

American Eagle, Gap, JCrew sure they are all here but they are in every mall all over america including LA and New York... this pisses me off. I have seen people looking like sh*t in New York, LA, St. Louis, Chicago, London... all over the place... style is not for a city... HOW STUPID are these comments.

that picture of the St. Louis girls... does not look anything like what I am used to...

 

[Sloan]

what a bunch of BS... style can and does happen ANYWHERE...

if you know where to go in Saint Louis you can find anything...
Play
Laurie Solet
Byrd
Lusso
If you need it Saks Fifth Avenue
and we are one like like 17 states that have Neiman Marcus

American Eagle, Gap, JCrew sure they are all here but they are in every mall all over america including LA and New York... this pisses me off. I have seen people looking like sh*t in New York, LA, St. Louis, Chicago, London... all over the place... style is not for a city... HOW STUPID are these comments.

that picture of the St. Louis girls... does not look anything like what I am used to...

Thank you. I was reading some of the comment posted and thinking how shallow! There are people with fashion and lack of EVERYWHERE!

The St. Louis picture was just one that I found on the web....I liked the second outfit from the left, but I have seen girls dressed like that.

 

[NOE]

I agree that good fashion is everywhere, as well as bad fashion.

For instance people in LA think that they are all the rage...so therefore that makes the entire west coast fashionable? Take a look at Fresno and I doubt you'll find incredible shopping there. I'm sure that there are other places in the state of NY that are less than desirable on the fashion front. I'm just saying that even if you lack the resources (which fortunalty is not the case in Chicago) there are plenty of ways to be creative...even if you only shop at friggin WalMart.

I guess I'm just defensive of it b/c I live for fashion and work in the industry.

I think also that there is a great amount of eclectic dressing going on in LA and NY b/c most people there work in the Arts of some sort and it's well accepted to dress however one wishes. In many other areas (such as the mid-west), many work in very buisness type setting where the dress is expected to be much more uniform, tailored, and traditional. But when the weekend comes...I like to think that us Chicagoans look foreward to mixing it up and expressing ourselves in the way that we know best...STYLE.B)

However, I certainly agree that NYC and LA know how to do it up...I love the fashion there, Don't get me wrong.

 

[Erin]

I like to think that us Chicagoans look foreward to mixing it up and expressing ourselves in the way that we know best...STYLE.B)

However, I certainly agree that NYC and LA know how to do it up...I love the fashion there, Don't get me wrong.

Beautiful statement!

 

[Fade to Black]

Referring to those Xanga's... i didn't know anyone dressed like that, i thought it was just stereotypes!

haha just kidding, a lot of people here are dressed like that (I think it also trickles down from Long Island...lotta kids here from New York and dress like that too)...I'd do Trish BTW.

 

[As You Like It]

My thought at the moment is that if you feel too stultified by the local culture to do your own thing, then perhaps your own personal style is not that strong, or that you lack the courage to put your creativity into action.

I speak from considerable personal experience as a lifelong Midwestern girl with a very distinctive, if frequently idiosyncratic style. If you've got the brass 'nads to work it, you can look and act practically any way you like. Not saying your modus operandi will be generally appreciated, just saying that you can be stylish wherever you've hatched.

If I were to sum up midwestern style, however, I'd say that our area of the country is where "the girl next door" comes from. No matter the race or ethnicity, I see a lot of very fresh-faced, appealing young women around Kansas City, who have a vibrant, youthful beauty enhanced by simple, classic, and harmonious clothing.

If the nice weather we had today holds though the weekend, I'll get out and see if I can prove my point.

 

[Fade to Black]

My thought at the moment is that if you feel too stultified by the local culture to do your own thing, then perhaps your own personal style is not that strong, or that you lack the courage to put your creativity into action.

I speak from considerable personal experience as a lifelong Midwestern girl with a very distinctive, if frequently idiosyncratic style. If you've got the brass 'nads to work it, you can look and act practically any way you like. Not saying your modus operandi will be generally appreciated, just saying that you can be stylish wherever you've hatched.

Well said, AYLI. I've pretty much decided to buck the trend and dress up however, whenever I want, going against the grain of looking like an average sloppy college student.

 

[Honore]

Geography + Fashion[2a-4c] = Nothing!

As a resident of the midwest, and a fashinista, the only thing I can add to all of this is that I have met some very wealthy fashionable people, and some very fashionable people on a budget. The difference between the two? The girls on a budget were very creative, and looked fabulous, while the girls who spent loads of money at the "right" stores were not at all creative, had high credit card debt, and looked fabulous.

I think of all of the American cities that I have travelled to, loved, and lived in, Chicago is my favorite for fashion. In New York, the women seem to be desperate to one up each ther, in a race to be hip, "in", and unique. In LA, things seem flashy and gross. In Chicago, fashion seems easy, chic and elegant, but there remains that crowd of folks with the raw edge that you cannot see in Missouri, for instance.

In the end, geography has never equaled taste and creativity to me. There will be duds in my beloved Chicago, and there are, of course, a bevy of beauties in New York and LA that will always get it right.

 

[model_mom]

No pinning ceremony for us I guess.

 

[Nemova]

My thought at the moment is that if you feel too stultified by the local culture to do your own thing, then perhaps your own personal style is not that strong, or that you lack the courage to put your creativity into action.

I speak from considerable personal experience as a lifelong Midwestern girl with a very distinctive, if frequently idiosyncratic style. If you've got the brass 'nads to work it, you can look and act practically any way you like. Not saying your modus operandi will be generally appreciated, just saying that you can be stylish wherever you've hatched.

If I were to sum up midwestern style, however, I'd say that our area of the country is where "the girl next door" comes from. No matter the race or ethnicity, I see a lot of very fresh-faced, appealing young women around Kansas City, who have a vibrant, youthful beauty enhanced by simple, classic, and harmonious clothing.

If the nice weather we had today holds though the weekend, I'll get out and see if I can prove my point.

*Stand-up ovation*

 

[sohoxchic]

i don't really think it matters where you live. There are people in nyc and la who don't have any style. In a lot of areas you see abercrombie, ae, gap, the generic brands. personally, i dont really wear any of those. I do have my own style. Its more of having knowledge about fashion, and just having personal style, than the area that you live

 

[steftastic]

I live in Michigan. And most people here have no(if you must) style , because we've only got "generic brands" as in we basically only have the stores that sohoxchic listed. I wouldn't go so far as to say we don't have style though, because we don't have much to work with. Not everyone can afford Christian Dior and Louis Vuitton and Chanel and such, let alone afford to travel to New York, or LA or wherever to get them. Most people here work with what they're provided and add their own touches that gives them their own style.

I will see if I can take some pictures around school . . people here are more stylish then you may think.

 

[NOE]

^^I'm from Michigan and there is TONS of fantasic shopping. I'm wondering where you live exactly (cause I realize there are areas that are less than amazing). Royal Oak, Bloomfield Hills, Troy, Birmingham....All wonderful places to shop at unique boutiques and theres always Somerset the massive mall with anything one would want...Saks, Neimans, Fields, Nordstrom, the list goes on and on.

 

[marrimoda]

Let me say this first of all...style, as well as beauty, is a quality that is relative and subjective. I am not going to argue the point that some of you think I was making...and perhaps I miscommunicated...but I was expressing an opinion...one persons opinion. I dont think its healthy nor reasonable to have a discussion board on something as subjective as style, where a variety of opinions is not allowed...that would be repressive, and I didnt think that was what we were about here.

Having said that...I feel the need to clarify...I said earlier that I lost motivation to be creative. I did NOT say stylish...where I lived in the midwest there simply were not the shopping options to maintain my creative style, and I certainly didnt have time to hunt. Also, the conservative attitudes were such that if I wished to maintain my professional appearance I would have to accept a conservative-style, not creative-style. What I was trying to say was simply that, in my observation, people who were creative in their dress were not regarded as creative so much as "quirky" or "odd". Each region generally has its own flavor. The flavor where I was living in the midwest was vanilla. period. I lived in a city in Ohio. And as you will see in other early postings in this thread from other people in cities in the Buckeye state, the mainstream there has an overwhelming influence, and that influence is conservative -- and as a result the market is conservative and so are the retailers who buy for that region. I learned this directly from the retailers. So, if you happen to work, or socialize in certain circles there, you will be affected. Its not about having "nads" to do your own thing, as someone put it...thats not always going to be a winning strategy in the working world, in a conservative city.

I know first hand, from living in other cities, ones which are more open than the one where I lived in the midwest, that I can, as a professional still dress creatively, without having to sacrifice my professional reputation. That's my main issue and challenge.
I did travel quite a bit in the mid-west, enough to form some initial impressions, but I will say I'm not qualified to speak about style in other midwestern cities, and I should have stated in my post which offended some of you that I was referring only to the area of the midwest that I knew best. I am not apologizing for my opinion on that. I just know that when I first moved to another city, upon seeing the professional women, my first thought was -- you are actually wearing that to work?? and -- you actually CAN wear that to work?? These were not suggestive or revealing clothes either just to be clear. I hope this makes sense.
By the way, I also never said that the style headquarters is New York or LA...and I never implied it either. I just think we should all just let our defenses relax -- just a little -- it's only fashion afterall -- its not anything so critical as a disaster, world hunger, or war.

 

[lele]

Let me say this first of all...style, as well as beauty, is a quality that is relative and subjective. I am not going to argue the point that some of you think I was making...and perhaps I miscommunicated...but I was expressing an opinion...one persons opinion. I dont think its healthy nor reasonable to have a discussion board on something as subjective as style, where a variety of opinions is not allowed...that would be repressive, and I didnt think that was what we were about here.

Having said that...I feel the need to clarify...I said earlier that I lost motivation to be creative. I did NOT say stylish...where I lived in the midwest there simply were not the shopping options to maintain my creative style, and I certainly didnt have time to hunt. Also, the conservative attitudes were such that if I wished to maintain my professional appearance I would have to accept a conservative-style, not creative-style. What I was trying to say was simply that, in my observation, people who were creative in their dress were not regarded as creative so much as "quirky" or "odd". Each region generally has its own flavor. The flavor where I was living in the midwest was vanilla. period. I lived in a city in Ohio. And as you will see in other early postings in this thread from other people in cities in the Buckeye state, the mainstream there has an overwhelming influence, and that influence is conservative -- and as a result the market is conservative and so are the retailers who buy for that region. I learned this directly from the retailers. So, if you happen to work, or socialize in certain circles there, you will be affected. Its not about having "nads" to do your own thing, as someone put it...thats not always going to be a winning strategy in the working world, in a conservative city.

I know first hand, from living in other cities, ones which are more open than the one where I lived in the midwest, that I can, as a professional still dress creatively, without having to sacrifice my professional reputation. That's my main issue and challenge.
I did travel quite a bit in the mid-west, enough to form some initial impressions, but I will say I'm not qualified to speak about style in other midwestern cities, and I should have stated in my post which offended some of you that I was referring only to the area of the midwest that I knew best. I am not apologizing for my opinion on that. I just know that when I first moved to another city, upon seeing the professional women, my first thought was -- you are actually wearing that to work?? and -- you actually CAN wear that to work?? These were not suggestive or revealing clothes either just to be clear. I hope this makes sense.
By the way, I also never said that the style headquarters is New York or LA...and I never implied it either. I just think we should all just let our defenses relax -- just a little -- it's only fashion afterall -- its not anything so critical as a disaster, world hunger, or war.

what in the world on you wearing?????

 

[Honore]

Let me say this first of all...style, as well as beauty, is a quality that is relative and subjective. I am not going to argue the point that some of you think I was making...and perhaps I miscommunicated...but I was expressing an opinion...one persons opinion. I dont think its healthy nor reasonable to have a discussion board on something as subjective as style, where a variety of opinions is not allowed...that would be repressive, and I didnt think that was what we were about here.

Having said that...I feel the need to clarify...I said earlier that I lost motivation to be creative. I did NOT say stylish...where I lived in the midwest there simply were not the shopping options to maintain my creative style, and I certainly didnt have time to hunt. Also, the conservative attitudes were such that if I wished to maintain my professional appearance I would have to accept a conservative-style, not creative-style. What I was trying to say was simply that, in my observation, people who were creative in their dress were not regarded as creative so much as "quirky" or "odd". Each region generally has its own flavor. The flavor where I was living in the midwest was vanilla. period. I lived in a city in Ohio. And as you will see in other early postings in this thread from other people in cities in the Buckeye state, the mainstream there has an overwhelming influence, and that influence is conservative -- and as a result the market is conservative and so are the retailers who buy for that region. I learned this directly from the retailers. So, if you happen to work, or socialize in certain circles there, you will be affected. Its not about having "nads" to do your own thing, as someone put it...thats not always going to be a winning strategy in the working world, in a conservative city.

I know first hand, from living in other cities, ones which are more open than the one where I lived in the midwest, that I can, as a professional still dress creatively, without having to sacrifice my professional reputation. That's my main issue and challenge.
I did travel quite a bit in the mid-west, enough to form some initial impressions, but I will say I'm not qualified to speak about style in other midwestern cities, and I should have stated in my post which offended some of you that I was referring only to the area of the midwest that I knew best. I am not apologizing for my opinion on that. I just know that when I first moved to another city, upon seeing the professional women, my first thought was -- you are actually wearing that to work?? and -- you actually CAN wear that to work?? These were not suggestive or revealing clothes either just to be clear. I hope this makes sense.
By the way, I also never said that the style headquarters is New York or LA...and I never implied it either. I just think we should all just let our defenses relax -- just a little -- it's only fashion afterall -- its not anything so critical as a disaster, world hunger, or war.

Right, but this website is called "The Fashion Spot" not the "Disaster, World Hunger, or War Spot"

So allow the overall wearing podunks from the midwest to defend themselves, ya'hear?

 

[Sloan]

So allow the overall wearing podunks from the midwest to defend themselves, ya'hear?

Wow! Obviously you are not here to make friends.

 

[steftastic]

^^I'm from Michigan and there is TONS of fantasic shopping. I'm wondering where you live exactly (cause I realize there are areas that are less than amazing). Royal Oak, Bloomfield Hills, Troy, Birmingham....All wonderful places to shop at unique boutiques and theres always Somerset the massive mall with anything one would want...Saks, Neimans, Fields, Nordstrom, the list goes on and on.

I'm in Howell. Basically I have Twelve Oaks and the Meridian Mall as my choices . . .

 

[Honore]

Wow! Obviously you are not here to make friends.

Sloan, I AM from the midwest, I was being sarcastic and responding to marrimoda.