Eccentricity would have to be at the top of the list. While we marvel at New York professional polish or LA’s laid-back cool, we Brits possess a certain nerdy quirkiness that manifests in chunky, hand-knitted jumpers, heritage fabrics, and off-beat accessories—we championed ‘ugly’ trends way before they hit the mainstream. Our muses include Alexa Chung, Vivienne Westwood, and Cara Delevingne—all wonderfully weird in their own ways yet also undeniably cool.
Joy Montgomery, assistant editor at Who What Wear UK.
Ms. Montgomery is describing key elements to British style and her quote is part of a longer article about where the Brits think Americans go wrong with their “style.” (Flip flops, hoodies, baseball caps.)
And apparently they secretly but politely laugh as us.
AGREE! BRIT DRESS has been quirke -oven into classic ETC. Humans seem to go in& out of various moods of dress & style?
I’ve always thought British women are unique, in that they would rather look interesting than beautiful — not that they aren’t beautiful as well!
Great illustration by Zoe Taylor! And I’m a fan of Selvedge magazine.
British fashion clearly has its charm but please where hoodies are concerned…. politely laugh if you must, but the iconic American hoodie will ever die. At least in my wardrobe it won’t!
Haha. I agree with you, Lori about the hoodie. I love mine! I think hoodies can be worn stylishly.