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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Spin off from the European myths thread, [b]I am English[/b] (so soon I won't be European :( ) and here are some of my stereotypes about Americans:

- Americans require EXTREMELY cold drinks. If it's a cold drink, it must be served filled with ice. Fridge-cold drinks without ice are not acceptable

- Americans can be identified in the summer by their shorts. [b]Shorts are worn in some places in Europe in the summer but not very commonly outside the beach.[/b] Extra American points if there is a shirt tucked into the shorts and a belt, with white socks and running shoes.

- This doesn't apply to people in NYC, but Americans love their cars, have enormous cars (even the ones many people consider to be "small" or "average" are big to me) and drive everywhere. This is a function of low gas prices and poor public transport/infrastructure

- Americans eat at really weird (to me!) times - really early. Lunch at 12, sometimes even earlier. Dinner at 6, sometimes earlier. Before I moved here, the first time I encountered this was a client coming from here who I invited for dinner; he said yes but he'd be arriving late so did I mind having a late dinner.... at 7:30. I thought he was joking, but no!

I will think of more but I think that's a start![/quote]

I see shorts--a LOT of shorts--in London every summer on young women.  Up North, I see shorts ALL WINTER (with tights) in Manchester.  A few years ago Next and other high street stores were pushing suiting for young women that consisted of shorts and blazes.  And I know multiple little boys for whom shorts are part of the school uniform (in UK).  Have you maybe not been home in a really long time?

[/quote]

OP here - I only moved here a year ago from London and I have been home several times since then! Yes, there was a trend a few years ago for shorts with tights, and "city shorts" (what they called the suit-shorts), but I really don't feel like they took off, in London anyway. Yes, kids wear shorts in school and out; I wasn't including them. I do not often see adult women wearing shorts outside of beach resorts, is what I guess I should have said[/quote]

Weird.  I guess we frequented different places in London because I really do not see much difference in attire between London and East Coast America.  There are plenty of frowsy British mums walking around in leggings and Converse, or hideous muumuu type "tunics" from Monsoon.  And shorts are definitely a "thing" up North (for teens and young adult women too). I'm a runner and yes, shorter American style Nike-type shorts for running are currently not in vogue in UK (leggings and long compression shorts, which I hate), but young women DO wear shorts.

I actually see MORE leggings in UK than I remember from the US, but I haven't actually been home to the US in three years, so the leggings thing may have exploded there as well.

On the whole, [b]I do not think the British are incredibly well dressed[/b].  They are better than Germans, though.[/quote]

Haha - I don't think I said that British people were well-dressed. I only referred to shorts. Otherwise yes, there are a lot of leggings and tunic type things and mum-wear like Boden, and odd things are very popular like the faux fur gilet! I do think that amongst *some* British people, mostly Londoners (all bets are off up north ;) ) there is a cool sense of style that is very different to here. A sort of teaming of things together that seem unusual but actually are often born out of the unpredictable weather - biker boots with a summery dress, etc. I worked in the city and women's city attire is, I think, much more stylish than the clothes I see in my office here. Maybe this wouldn't be true in NYC, but there is certainly a difference between DC and London [/quote]

The only style I see on British women that I don't remember from America is heavy eyebrow makeup.  Really, really heavy/harsh, big dark brows.  Yes, in the North the eyebrow makeup is super heavy, harsh, and dark, but even in London, women favor the harsh, stark muppet brows.  Women in UK also wear a LOT more foundation, even in London.  I see more orange fake-baked people in UK than I remember from the US, and certainly from East Coast US.  Perhaps this is because there are few examples of naturally tanned people in UK (weather), so the orange look is more readily accepted as the norm.

London is truly an international city with a lot of expats.  The last time I was shopping on Oxford street, most of the shop assistants with whom I spoke were actually Italian or Spanish or Polish.  I'm not even sure if one can refer to London fashion as a true indication of "British style", such as it is.

I still like the Alex Monroe bumblebee necklace, though, and wear mine even though MIL has deemed it "naff."  So what do I know?[/quote]

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