Clothes: US vs UK - Has your fashion sense changed?

Nope. I'm still the girl you see in tie-dyes, silly hair, bright colours, beads, flowy skirts, trainers (would be sandals, but that's impossible), bright hats...

...trainers (would be sandals, but that's impossible)...

Birkenstocks!  (with socks)  

There's a gal who rides my bus sometimes - I love when I see her on the bus, she has:  purple (or other various colours) dreadlocks (I think she is naturally blonde or light brunette), a blue tie-dye bag, green tights, wears blue Uggs, and then usually an outfit that is orange or yellow tie-dye something or other.  Oh and some kind of equally colourful furry kind of coat (not real fur).  I'm not saying it's necessarily the most stylish look, but always cheers me up to see her in all those different colours, and she looks like no one else, which is kind of cool.  

Nope. I'm still the girl you see in tie-dyes, silly hair, bright colours, beads, flowy skirts, trainers (would be sandals, but that's impossible), bright hats...

I think seeing you walk around would bring a HUGE smile to my face, it would remind me of my music festivals, flowy skirts and flowers in my hair days :-)

Birkenstocks!  (with socks)  

Except I loathe wet feet. It is the most annoying thing in the entire world.  I don't even like having wet feet just getting out of the pool- I can't wait to dry them off. 

I think seeing you walk around would bring a HUGE smile to my face, it would remind me of my music festivals, flowy skirts and flowers in my hair days :-)

Hmm.  I came from NYC to London - so I don't know that my fashion changed THAT much, although I feel like people wear things more fitted here, so that's what I ended up doing.  I bought a fair amount over with me, so I mostly wear my older wardrobe which is a lot of dresses from various places.  Some jeans, but nothing of the high end. 

But...and I must say this, even if it turns out to start a fashion war in this thread.  I am not against leggings or jeggings - IF WORN PROPERLY.  I agree that leggings are not pants, and should never be worn with a short t-shirt.  However - with a longer sweater dress?  I think entirely appropriate.  And the jeggings - now, the jeggings I came across when trying to buy skinny jeans - Uniqlo had them.  And they really are just stretchy denim jeans, not leggings made to look like jeans.  Love them.  Love the whole longer tunic look and with these, it just makes a very comfortable outfit.  That said, as with the leggings, I really think they should be worn with longer shirts/tunics, etc. 

I come in peace, I'm just saying leggings/jeggings aren't all bad.

I'm not sure that sweetpeach was intending anything personally about Ashley.  In any case, I wouldn't consider a double piercing (two sets) such as Ashley's lots of earrings.

Yes, I wasn't talking about double piercings. I was talking about lots of big hoops.

And I wasn't criticising, just saying that different styles are associated with different groups of people.

The fact is that people will judge you based on your appearance and, rightly or wrongly, will assume that you belong to a particular class of people based on the way you dress.

Similarly, I have a feeling that people make assumptions about phatbeetle's political  leanings based on her tie-dyes, beads and flowy skirts.

Just like my husband made a comment about me being a tomboy because I wear jeans a lot.

I don't see why there was a  problem with my comment, but it's OK to criticise women who wear leggings.

....but it's OK to criticise women who wear leggings.

I understood it as the look being criticised, not the women personally.  I think as with anything, we can all take care not to take comments on a forum too personally - be it earrings or leggings.

You know, I had never heard of jeggings before this thread!  So you can all call me old if you want & I promise not to be upset! 

I understood it as the look being criticised, not the women personally.  

Exactly  

Another thing to remember is that different people on this board have different lifestyles. A university student is not going to dress the same as someone who works in a bank.

I think I fall squarely (or is that roundly?) into the 'fashion casualty' group. 

But it's okay - as long as I'm comfortable-ish in my skin, I don't mind. 

This may sound really childish but I really want to buy some trendy new outfits before I go home in April so I can show off to my friends and relatives.  They all seem to think I've made a drastic mistake moving to another country, so I would love to visit looking completely cool and sophisticated.  I suppose that makes me look shallow but I can't help it, it matters to me.  I know it doesn't matter what a person wears really, but it would be so great to be able to trot out a new fashion when I know they won't see it on their store shelves for another six months!

I don't think that's shallow. Most people who haven't seen friends and family in a while might feel this way (why do people get new outfits and have their hair done before a high school reunion, for example?) and I know I did when I went back for a visit (though I ended up buying my skinny jeans and tall boots and leggings and stuff in Dallas where they were far cheaper than here... lol). I do have one Diesel top that's kind of a cut up t-shirt type thing, so it looks like the back of it was cut open and then sewn back together in the middle so it's kind of open and rock and roll'ish in the back, and I think it's pretty cool (it just looks like a funky t-shirt, really... so still pretty casual, but a bit more spicy, I guess) to the get-together I had with my friends while I was there for Thanksgiving and everyone commented on how cool it was. Hehe. 

When we went to New York City, DH (who is English) intentionally tried to dress like an American tourist.

When we went to New York City, DH (who is English) intentionally tried to dress like an American tourist.

Hahahaa! Did it work? My DB (also British) tries this also, and I'd say he pulls it off pretty well

When we went to New York City, DH (who is English) intentionally tried to dress like an American tourist.

Haha!  I know a boy who would do the same thing


Interesting posts, everyone.  I think my fashion sense did change a lot while I was living in London.  But a lot of that is because I wasn't comfortable with my body and didn't realize I didn't actually have to wear baggy clothes all the time.  Plus I lost some weight so it all worked out

I think the first thing (fashion-wise) that struck me in London was the black tights everywhere in the fall/winter..  I was used to wearing just long pants or nude tights when it got cold out, and I felt really out of place without the almighty black tights.  I finally caved and bought some and now I wear them all the time.  I love them.  When I came back, my mom said they look 'sooooo British,' ha.

I agree with most people about the leggings.  I think you have to be a certain body type to pull it off.  I hate seeing leggings with just a regular shirt that stops at the waist or is a tiny bit longer.  Totally fine to go under a dress, but they are not pants/trousers!

Overall I guess my fashion sense has expanded but it's still me.  I wear a lot of different things now but I think they're still me, and there's a lot of clothes I see on the high street that I would never wear myself.

I didn't really change my style in the UK... I could never afford to and I hated most of the plus sized offererings there anyway. However, if I had the money and I keep the weight off, there are several stores that I would love to get back to and shop 'til I drop: Monsoon, East, Principles.

I always felt like my makeup was too bright (I wear bright lipstick), my hair too curly, and my clothes too bright there. But I didn't let it bother me... I spent my high school years rebeling against most fashion norms, so it wasn't anything new!

Re leggings: American Apparel has begun to put "These are not Pants" on the inside of all their leggings. So fab.