WWD Designers Speak out about Americans

[AlexN]

My school even started a facebook group called "anybody who dresses up for class is an idiot"

That is just mindnumbingly stupid. They say that hoping that people are like, "Oh no, I'd better look like crap!" so no one looks good and everyone can be accepted for looking like sh*t. I want to punch everyone at your school. It is definitely reverse-snobbery. People feel badly about themselves so they make it cool to look as homeless as they do. People are weak; it always takes an entire herd.

 

[greeen]

I think I'm ashamed to be american lol.. I get alittle more flack now because I tend to dress nicer than I did in the past. Not always extra fancy, but put together and with alittle makeup. I tend to dress down in certain areas/cities so I don't get looks from nasty men.. but I wish I were around like minded people alittle bit more.
It's odd because here, you're damned if you do and damned if you don't. Most people dress so horribly in sweats and tees and tennis shoes.. You look like crap and the majority of them will say, "omg..can you believe she looks like that" a week later, you look reallly realllllly nice the same people will say, "Who the f*** does she think <i>she</i> is...completely over the top!" It's so ridiculous. But it's all just envy, so many people get irritated because your polished look puts them on blast...it's like putting a huge bulls eye on their forehead that just screams, "LOOK AT THIS FASHION MISTAKE!" I know this is true..I used to feel this way when I was way younger, scoff at people who were dressed up cause I was in boooring clothing. I've since seen the light

 

[greeen]

It's almost like a reverse discrimination, except this time if you're not wearing sweatpants and a university sweatshirt or some nasty jeans/new balances then you are the ostracized minority.

OMG that's sooooooo true on my campus.. new balances + college sweatshirt ..and maybe some flannel pajama pants on a good day

 

[stilettogirl84]

I want to punch everyone at your school.

Uh. . . Thank You!

 

[Erin]

sweatpants, baggy t- shirts, track pants, sneakers- these things belong at the gym- or at home- that's IT!

Meh, I don't agree.

I'm not sure if most of you have to walk to work each day, but I walk about 3-4 miles daily and you couldn't pay me to give up my Pumas. I throw on my knit pants, my yellow Pumas, and pea coat and GO. There are times when you must sacrifice comfort for fashion, and I do it every day. I'm also a bit of a fitness-addict, so it makes sense that I would want to move smoothly and swiftly in a pair of comfy running shoes (cool ones, though, may I add) rather than a pair of boots or whatever.

I'm sure people are surprised when I whip out my Vogue or Elle or I-D on the train... they probably look at me and see a complete oxymoron... tennis shoes + makeup + "athletic pants" + fashion magazine? Crazy! I dress to my comfort levels during the day (makes my job easier, too... nobody sees me... so I want to be super comfortable, may as well be), and dress to the nines at night and when I go out on the town. When I'm doing other things... work, running errands, etc... I NEED to be comfortable. It's just how I am.. and this has just inspired me to want to start a new thread on Chic Comfy clothes... hmmm...

But overall, I think it's fine that people want to dress how they want to dress (in America). I'm not insulted by how other people dress. I'm very liberal with that. It makes dressing up all the more special, in my opinion.

 

[Zen]

I was just reading in WWD and Article about how women in the U.S. Dress...A few of the designers mentioned how casual everything has become. Nicole Miller states" The country has gotten too casual. I hate the way people dress even in airports" Carmen Marc Valvo said" I wish people would dress up more as opposed to dressing down" I was just wondering others opinions on this topic. I feel the same, I have been saying it for a while, I hate how everything has become so casual, I love to get dressed up. Even my first instinct is to put on a pair of jeans and dress them up with a cute top, bag and shoes, but that is not what it is all about. It would be nice to go out and see more people really dressed up....

I agree completely!!! People have dressed down alot in America....it's a bit embarassing in a way, really.....I almost see it like a sign of laziness. Here is a country where sellers are saying image is everything and yet people dress to go to a party in sweats....literally sweats.....It's hideous! I think Americans are caught up more on tech toys, oversized SUV's more then anything else....maybe all their money is going into that and people just can't afford to buy decent clothes .....but still there is no excuse for wearing sweats to your best friends birthday party Ellen!!!! (ellen, my best friend since the 6th grade)

 

[Trista]

I have to agree about parties/evening events because it looks tacky if I'm at a birthday party (which is never) and I'm wearing nice cropped slacks and someone is wearing sweats. For a birthday party it is polite to at least wear nice jeans and a nice shirt unless you're going ice-skating or doing something physically active.

 

[J'aime_la_mode]

wow I always thought it was just America that has gone sloppy-casual crazy but after reading this thread I see that people from many different parts of the world are complaining of the same thing......now I feel depressed.....