Why are dc and nova women so basic?

[Anonymous]

One thing to keep in mind is that many of these other cities that people keep bringing up as being soooo stylish have much milder climates than DC, so people can invest in outfits that can be worn year round. In DC, you have to have a complete summer wardrobe, a decent winter wardrobe, and stuff that can flex. If money isn't an issue, then no big deal. But for most of us, money is an issue, and our clothing budget has to stretch across a fairly wide range of tempatures.

For DC, the Average high in July is 89 degrees; the lowest average monthly temp is 25 degrees in January. That's a 64 degree differential! In contrast, San Francisco only has a 25 degree differential; London has a 34 degree differential. Paris has a 40 degree differential; Copenhagen has 41 degree differential. Miami has a 20 degree differential. NYC, Atlanta, and Tokyo are closer to DC, but even those cities don't have quite the extreme average temperature swings that DC does.

[Anonymous]

I think UMC women are basic by nature. It’s mostly the ease of being able to just afford many pieces from well-liked brands and creating a uniform around skinny jeans.

It’s not just DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
"Basic" means plain and unremarkable in appearance regardless of income and upbringing. It can also apply to your personality and attitude. Not sure about the middle class designation since in Britain class is social. In the U.S. class is determined purely by income. I've only heard the term applied to women. For the most part women who are called basic don't believe that they are. I don't know anyone who brags that they are basic.
As far as the OP I see plenty of stunning and fashionable woman of all shapes and colors around town. Their comment is obviously based on a very narrow sampling, their co-workers, social circle or who they choose to pay attention to. Also, a lot of women in the area come from somewhere else so they bring their blah fashion sensibilities with them.

No it isn't.

Yes. It entirely is. The people who claim they are the highest class in this country are the ones who had money a couple centuries ago. Now, 300 years later, they've built rules around what constitutes class. It wouldn't happen without money.

[Anonymous]

I would not consider myself highly fashionable. I do my best, choose classic pieces and wear what works for me. What I really do not understand is why anyone would care how another person dresses? How does that affect you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would not consider myself highly fashionable. I do my best, choose classic pieces and wear what works for me. What I really do not understand is why anyone would care how another person dresses? How does that affect you?

Nobody cares but sometimes you see people and think "gosh, with just little effort they could look so much better" and then you go on about your day. Or, at least, I go on about mine because if you don't care how you look, I certainly don't care how you look.

That said I am a black woman, I am vain, I care about how I carry and present myself in public, I love to look pulled together, am never aiming to disappear or be frumpy or blah and I doubt anyone is looking at me and thinking "she must be stupid because she has on clothes that are fashionable and fit well, and has enhanced her beauty with makeup."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would not consider myself highly fashionable. I do my best, choose classic pieces and wear what works for me. What I really do not understand is why anyone would care how another person dresses? How does that affect you?

Nobody cares but sometimes you see people and think "gosh, with just little effort they could look so much better" and then you go on about your day. Or, at least, I go on about mine because if you don't care how you look, I certainly don't care how you look.

That said I am a black woman, I am vain, I care about how I carry and present myself in public, I love to look pulled together, am never aiming to disappear or be frumpy or blah and I doubt anyone is looking at me and thinking "she must be stupid because she has on clothes that are fashionable and fit well, and has enhanced her beauty with makeup."

But no one is actually aiming to look frumpy or blah. We all have limitations in terms of time, money, and energy, and where you have created space in your life for your appearance, other women have not for whatever reason. It’s not a matter of what you aim for so much as what happens despite your best efforts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would not consider myself highly fashionable. I do my best, choose classic pieces and wear what works for me. What I really do not understand is why anyone would care how another person dresses? How does that affect you?

Nobody cares but sometimes you see people and think "gosh, with just little effort they could look so much better" and then you go on about your day. Or, at least, I go on about mine because if you don't care how you look, I certainly don't care how you look.

That said I am a black woman, I am vain, I care about how I carry and present myself in public, I love to look pulled together, am never aiming to disappear or be frumpy or blah and I doubt anyone is looking at me and thinking "she must be stupid because she has on clothes that are fashionable and fit well, and has enhanced her beauty with makeup."

Actually, going back to OP’s original post (and many follow ups), people very well might be looking at you and saying “eeeewwww- why is that lady so basic?!?” According to OP and her friends, doing your makeup and hair isn’t enough. According to OP and her friends, having well-fitting current clothing isn’t enough. You have to meet some standard (that they won’t explain), but seems to have to do with buying certain European brands, wearing really expensive scarves, and probably extremely uncomfortable shoes. I’m sure that you look very nice, but they’d probably consider you ‘basic’ just the rest of us.

[Anonymous]

What’s wrong with being basic? Basic is much better than trying too hard.
I’ll take basic good fit jeans, cashmere simple sweater and well-made leather shoes over bunch of trendy things.

[Anonymous]

In DC, we prioritize elegance over stylish. Simple, basic, clean, effecient. Depending on your job, overly stylized can be seen as frivolous. People who are mission focused are attracted to this city. It’s about the power, less about what you look like and how much you make. Also, so many of the jobs in town center around politics...I’m not going to go visit government staff in an Armani suit. I’d look like an out of touch ass.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I guess they're too busy getting their educations and working to stay up to date on fashion.

Try doing both. Not hard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One thing to keep in mind is that many of these other cities that people keep bringing up as being soooo stylish have much milder climates than DC, so people can invest in outfits that can be worn year round. In DC, you have to have a complete summer wardrobe, a decent winter wardrobe, and stuff that can flex. If money isn't an issue, then no big deal. But for most of us, money is an issue, and our clothing budget has to stretch across a fairly wide range of tempatures.

For DC, the Average high in July is 89 degrees; the lowest average monthly temp is 25 degrees in January. That's a 64 degree differential! In contrast, San Francisco only has a 25 degree differential; London has a 34 degree differential. Paris has a 40 degree differential; Copenhagen has 41 degree differential. Miami has a 20 degree differential. NYC, Atlanta, and Tokyo are closer to DC, but even those cities don't have quite the extreme average temperature swings that DC does.

So this made me curious, as an ex-Northern Virginian. By this measure, Minneapolitans should be even more basically dressed as we have an average high of 83 in July and average low of 7. But we’re no more basically dressed up here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In DC, we prioritize elegance over stylish. Simple, basic, clean, effecient. Depending on your job, overly stylized can be seen as frivolous. People who are mission focused are attracted to this city. It’s about the power, less about what you look like and how much you make. Also, so many of the jobs in town center around politics...I’m not going to go visit government staff in an Armani suit. I’d look like an out of touch ass.

Come on, now. We recently heard from a DC transplant that was concerned about wearing lipstick to work, because the women in her office are so incredibly basic. This isn't about wearing Armani suits. This is about women feeling pressured to cease taking pride in their appearance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In DC, we prioritize elegance over stylish. Simple, basic, clean, effecient. Depending on your job, overly stylized can be seen as frivolous. People who are mission focused are attracted to this city. It’s about the power, less about what you look like and how much you make. Also, so many of the jobs in town center around politics...I’m not going to go visit government staff in an Armani suit. I’d look like an out of touch ass.

Come on, now. We recently heard from a DC transplant that was concerned about wearing lipstick to work, because the women in her office are so incredibly basic. This isn't about wearing Armani suits. This is about women feeling pressured to cease taking pride in their appearance.

This is true. DC has it's own fashion, which is fashion oppression. This is very different from a provincial city where everyone is behind the times, or everyone is oblivious to what anyone else is wearing. To fit in in DC requires adoption and enforcement of the frump code. That said, I think OP didn't describe DC frump at all well, that version of basic--balayage hair in loose waves--does just sounds like suburbia.

[Anonymous]

I wonder why posters are SO MAD about it. Just look better than everyone else and feel superior about it. If everyone looked great, you'd have no one to feel superior to. Be glad.

[Anonymous]

If you look at me when I’m walking my kids to school...yes, I’m basic with a touch of charm.