It may be completely un-British to laugh at other people’s style choices (we British are way too polite for that), but I’ll say that as a British guy who has lived in Los Angeles for over 12 years, I’ve picked up on certain American fashion trends, which I found pretty distinctive and funny. I remember being surprised on my first brunch date in Santa Monica when everyone looked like they’d just stepped out of the gym (with no sweat, of course). This is a far cry from the UK, where you would never meet friends for lunch in yoga pants or sports gear unless you plan on exercising. (Full disclosure: 12 years later, I now look like I am going to the gym too.)
While we love to express our admiration for the classic French style here on Who What Wear, it is the British who take more style risks, exude a more edgy aesthetic, and are downright individual in their style decisions. Joy Montgomery, Assistant Editor of Who What Wear UK, describes some of the key characteristics of British style: “Eccentricity should be at the top of the list. While we wonder about New Yorker’s professional polish or the laid-back coolness of LA, we Brits have a certain nerdy quirk that manifests itself in chunky, hand-knitted sweaters, traditional fabrics, and fancy accessories – we’ve advocated “ugly” trends long before that used hit the mainstream. Our muses include Alexa Chung, Vivienne Westwood and Cara Delevingne – all wonderfully funny in their own way, but also undeniably cool. “
So what are the pieces that Americans wear that the British think are a bit funny? Scroll below for my firsthand fashion watch.
