I used to never really care about fashion. Felt like a stupid status symbol. But I once went to a big city in east asia, and I was impressed by how nicely everybody dressed. Everybody felt like they complemented the environment, and I felt like I stook out like a sore thumb.
I feel like that’s an underappreciated side of fashion. Dressing up to fit the environment, to avoid ruining overall aesthetics. It’s less about the individual, more about the community. In this asian city I also noticed that people weren’t as loud and disruptive in public spaces. It feels like the same concept. You try not to make loud noises to disturb others, and you try not to dress so badly as to clash with the environment.
It really feels like a cultural difference between the east and west, and I feel like the west could learn a bit from the east here.
So if you’re going to a fine dining restaurant with ornate decor and chandeliers, dress up in fancy clothes. If you’re just walking around a popular spot in the city, casual is fine but look at how people are dressed around you and try not to clash. The goal isn’t to look amazing and draw attention, the goal is to avoid looking out-of-place.
I used to never really care about fashion. Felt like a stupid status symbol. But I once went to a big city in east asia, and I was impressed by how nicely everybody dressed. Everybody felt like they complemented the environment, and I felt like I stook out like a sore thumb.
I feel like that’s an underappreciated side of fashion. Dressing up to fit the environment, to avoid ruining overall aesthetics. It’s less about the individual, more about the community. In this asian city I also noticed that people weren’t as loud and disruptive in public spaces. It feels like the same concept. You try not to make loud noises to disturb others, and you try not to dress so badly as to clash with the environment.
It really feels like a cultural difference between the east and west, and I feel like the west could learn a bit from the east here.
So if you’re going to a fine dining restaurant with ornate decor and chandeliers, dress up in fancy clothes. If you’re just walking around a popular spot in the city, casual is fine but look at how people are dressed around you and try not to clash. The goal isn’t to look amazing and draw attention, the goal is to avoid looking out-of-place.
That definitely wasn’t my wardrobe approach. One of my main inspirations as I was learning how to dress better was Chalky White from Boardwalk Empire.
I like colors. Tended toward the ostentatious. But I was working in politics, so it helped to be eye-catching.