Seattleites wear fleece, gore-tex, lycra and denim. Their fashion sense is inspired by the sporty, athletic look, whether or not they’re either sporty or athletic. Some are so casual as to be sloppy.
The Milanese wear cotton, linen, silk and wool. Denim seems reserved for the colder, winter months. More women wear skirts and dresses, and more men wear suits than I ever see in Seattle. The look is lean and trim…and sexy.
Is it a matter of level of formality? Fashion awareness? Traditional mores? What drives such visible stylistic trends?
Of course these are generalizations and certainly there are a hundred other directions seen in both places. But to have just been in Seattle for two weeks, able to observe with fresh eyes, the differences are remarkable.