Difficult, my ties would clash with that pattern
it is called "normcore", better be close to him, he is a trend radar
Last edited by Beestonplace (2015-11-09 00:45:20)
I think the Germans dress extremely well in general and the ladies probably the most sophisticated in Europe, but again in general. On the sartorial front Germany is underrated and other countries, less refined are still held on a pedastal, namely Italy. It's no accident the maestros of old Napoli are selling their wares to everyone, but the Italians.
France may be more refined than the US in certain parts, but like the US it has vast areas that are pretty grim. I was in Saint Etienne two weeks ago and I went for a walk around the center in the twilight and it was a MiG alley for junkies, various groups of youths of all ethnicities in gangs looking for trouble. It had the whiff of violence and getting your head kicked-in for no good reason which is very common in UK cities. I doubled back to the hotel pretty quick.
Like the IT industry before it, engineering in the oil & gas industry is being Indianized and we see a lot of the Indian knowledge export here in the Hague and elsewhere. Without exception, they are the worse dressers I've come across, all kinds of colours of coats so long as it is black. The complete opposite of the Bollywood colour schemes and none of them wear ties. They fall into normcore from what I see: I am part the higher castes so why do I need to bother?
Well, it depends. "Formal business attire" in Germany often means Lloyd brogues (!) with a rubber sole, charcoal flannels/worsted trousers, an odd jacked in mustard/taupe/brown, a button-down shirt. Especially in Germany's "Mittelstand" economy this is how the CEO/Founder dresses. Outside of banking/management consulting you will see fewer suits than for example in the UK.
Re clothes from Germany, there are a few manufacturers which are quite OK: Kuckelkorn for Shooey, Dressler, Regent. Van Laack is parts its prime. Edsor Kronen ties, anyone? The once-legendary clothing industry in Westfahlen, around Bielefeld (Windsor, anyone remember their stuff?) is nearly extinct.
I think these types of discussions are best discussed in a 'Best of Class' way. I don't think anyone here believes, or expects every national of a particular country to be well dressed.
The standard in al countries across the board is pretty grim, we all know this. Let us concern ourselves with those little oases of style and the question of do they express a national approach to style.
Indeed, they - and only they - understand how to pull off this T&A kind of look, wild shirt stripes clashing with their ties' geometric patterns
What did happen with the Van Laack BD collar? Why would you change something from so good to god awful?
I haven't bought or worn van Laack shirts for over 20 years, so I cannot comment