Well, San Francisco, how are we feeling today? How are we looking? Pretty good! I did a little lunchtime survey of what San Franciscans are wearing on the street. And as you can see from these photos, some people are putting themselves together with style and imagination. But everyone I spoke with bemoans the fact that not enough people dress up to go downtown anymore. Ever since casual Friday originated during the dot-com days, a dressed-down mentality has permeated every day of the week.
And according to a GQ survey that I read about on SFist, of the 40 worst-dressed cities in the United States, San Francisco came in at 20. Smack in the middle--not the worst, but not good either. The City's style ranked so-so. While we didn't need GQ to tell us that San Franciscans often dress in what is easy and not necessarily exciting or fashionable, the survey placed us between Houston and Jersey Shore. That's just not right.
I've worked downtown for years and I often try to pick out the most stylish people in the crowds walking to and from work. I see a few, but I would love to see more. It's mostly a sea of ordinary denim, fleece and khakis. But today I was happy to discover these inspiring dressers. It makes me feel good to see people who make an effort and show their personalities in the way they dress. It's also showing a bit of respect for yourself and others. And it sure makes walking down the street more fun!
The snappy dressers are out there! Nowadays, you just have to look for them. Hopefully more people will start dressing up to go downtown, or anywhere.
Remember, style is a terrible thing to waste and only YOU can rock your style.
It's true. Dressing with inspiration makes me feel inspired!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great post.
People appear to wear downtown what they wear to hang around the house. Sloppy dressing has permeated our society and we are the worst for it.
ReplyDeleteIn recent months there has been a lot of press about SF and our lack of style -- and how our fair city is not setting the standard any more, falling behind Paris and New York among others. This past weekend I really paid attention to the people I saw on the streets of New York and sadly I have to admit they're right. True originality and the effort to dress, even while dressing down, is much more prevalent in NYC than here. Thanks for looking for, and sharing, some examples of those who have that spark here!
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