Here’s a statement: New York and Miami aside … the US doesn’t have much when it comes to fashion. Maybe it’s just the Northwest, where dressing up is wearing your best fleece and closed toe shoes (I’ve seen hordes in jeans and Birkinstocks at the symphony!). I see more fashion driving past two blocks in downtown Vancouver than I see in all of downtown Seattle. Not that I’m such a fashion victim, but I like good quality clothes. Simple design, great fabrics and timeless (partly because I seem to wear the same clothes for decades). I don’t like shopping, and in Holland there were 3 stores where I would shop, and if they didn’t have what I needed, I would do without. Same with shoes. Basically I need one or two new pieces each season, and even less shoes.
When we moved here I enjoyed going to the Banana Republic, and as soon as I had some credit history, I got talked into a Banana Republic card. I refrained from getting a J.Crew card, because I am weary of the American credit card model, even though these are just store cards.
Now, almost 3 years later, I need to be saved from Banana, Gap and -because it’s the same company- Old Navy. The three stores are conveniently close to each other in the downtown shopping area, without me having to suffer through a department store or mall. Although I end up not spending much, which is good for my personal economics, but bad for my wardrobe.
So, you may think I’m just cheap, and don’t want to take my wallet “up one level” where I would find the type of fashion I claim to miss here.Well, I look at it differently. In Europe there are (or were) more mid-price stores with great stuff: Laundry Industry, A Guy Named Sue, Sissy Boy … to name a few. Plus, if I have the choice between a $200 pair of pants that are only “so so” and a night at a nice bed and breakfast during our next long weekend, I’ll spend my money on travel.
I have adapted to some things that I thought I never would; walking around in sweats all weekend (you’ve gotto love the informalness of it all in Seattle), flip flops to work (especially when I was pregnant), American bras (pre-shaped and padded – comes in handy after you’ve been nursing for 8 months).
And I must admit some new favourites: a pair of jeans from Antropologie, yoga (and weekend) gear from Lululemon, shoes from the Shoefly.
Still, I’ll go to Vancouver for my post-natal urge to reinvent myself! (combines spending on travel and on what I would consider real fashion).
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