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By
Victor Tinnish
Harlaxton College Web Design Student
Thursday, February 28, 2008
On the streets of London, you can’t walk a block without noticing a man wearing a scarf or a woman sporting that new pair of boots. In America, these kinds of fashion accessories may not be as common, but there is a universal link between what is and isn’t in style.
“There certainly isn’t anything wrong with having an extra fashion accessory that keeps you warm” says Abbigail Armstrong, 20, a junior from Evansville, Ind.
Scarves for men have become increasingly popular among the European males. They provide warmth and a sense of style that is affordable and easily customizable at the same time.
“Guys wear scarves because they are practical in this climate,” Armstrong said.
When the temperature is in the 50s and 60s and the sky is filled with clouds, a scarf is a warm way to brighten up your outfit and make a fashion statement. This is one example of good European fashion that can be seen on any given day.
“I feel European fashion is ahead of American fashion because it plays a more important role in the culture here” Armstrong says as she talks about what is in vogue.
Britain has some of the most influential and cutting edge fashion designers, and it may be getting easier and easier to notice when you’re in style or not. Americans seem to be greatly influence by European fashion also. It doesn’t go to say that Europeans have better style, but there may be a difference in the way people are judged according to what they wear.
“People in Britain tend to dress classier because they seem to hold themselves to a higher degree,” says David McCarthy, 21, a senior from Waukesha, Wis.
Wearing a pair of trainers and jeans, for a male, certainly doesn’t mean that you are an individual of less regard. Americans seem to have a more relaxed style when it comes to fashion. Although, fashion is very important in Europe, just as many people care about fashion in America.
“They just have a different style and acceptance of what is acceptable in that specific culture” McCarthy said.
Having a sense of style is universal, but the British seem to be more independent in choosing what the wear. Often Americans visiting the U.K. find themselves making new fashion choices. Harlaxton students, particularly the women, start adding fashionable European items to their own wardrobe.
“You're always seeing girls starting to buy clothes that are in fashion here,” says Bronwyn Rout, associate dean of Ssudents at Harlaxton College, when asked how she felt about Americans that are exposed to the European culture.
One great example is the current rush to buy boots. Currently in America, the boot isn't a big deal, but since arriving here and seeing how many English women wear stylish boots has had a decided effect on the visiting students.
Rout said that “there has been a change in colors now-a-days and you often see men wearing a pink shirt with a pink tie.” This shows that among a fashion style, colors make a impact as well. At least for men, the colors pink, pale yellow, or blue certainly is smart dress for going about everyday business.
When addressing a part of European fashion that is more casual than the very popular smart business dress, people often can see that there are a few distinct groups of fashion blocks that seem to appeal to people. One being the sport related clothing style, where track jackets and football team (American soccer) jerseys fit in quite well.
Quinton Wilson, 20, from Benton, Ill., said that “you see a large percentage of people wearing their team’s favorite football jersey because it is such a big part of the culture over here.”
This is certainly true and just as Americans are proud to wear their favorite American Football jersey; the British have no problem with supporting their local football club. This shows a great similarity between fashion for both America and the UK. Sports are a big part of the culture for both regions, and we can see that the culture has tailored how people think in terms of what is in style or not.
Football jerseys, track jackets, and the occasional full jumpsuit are all a part of European fashion when considering culture and sport. The independence within each fashion style makes a statement of its own because of the versatility of something like a football jersey. Sport fans have many teams and clubs to choose from when picking favorites.
“I think British people are more independent in their fashion sense,” Wilson said when considering how much fashion can be influenced by a sport such as football.
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“I feel European fashion is ahead of American fashion because it plays a more important role in the culture here” Armstrong says as she talks about what is in vogue.
David McCarthy, who came to England wearing an Irish cap as part of his personal style, says he thinks the British are more fashion conscious in general.
