https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-does-geography-influence-our-personal-style Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Tue, 28 Apr 2026 10:49:50 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-does-geography-influence-our-personal-style/page/2#post-367899 Thu, 16 Jun 2011 13:48:20 +0000 rosee 367899@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>OT @ elisabeth: didn't mean it at as a dig, they should cancel the event anywhere that people don't behave. The "Red Mile" wasn't much better in Calgary. (cue, drunken: "Show us your boobs!") </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-does-geography-influence-our-personal-style/page/2#post-367757 Thu, 16 Jun 2011 05:37:26 +0000 Aziraphale 367757@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Haha Rosee, I think I know where you live. And now I get the little good-natured dig you put in about Vancouver not being able to handle the excitement of Stanley Cup finals! (Although you're not wrong. A handful of idiots have disgraced the city. At least, I'm hoping it's only a handful of idiots). </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-does-geography-influence-our-personal-style#post-367711 Thu, 16 Jun 2011 03:04:58 +0000 rosee 367711@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Great answers above!</p> <p>I can't remember what I wanted to say earlier, so I'll wing it.<br /> Climate is definitely a big influence on one's style, helping to determine the pieces one will choose, either in blending with the climatic influence or deliberately in opposition to it. Other factors influence culture and style that are related to geography: whether one lives in an urban or rural location, economic influences on regional styles, cultures within a certain area, etc.<br /> Where I live in western Canada, we are in a region between the praries and the Rocky Mountains and in a fairly large urban center with 1.2 million people. My style tends to be a bit more eclectic than what is typical here, but not compared to others in larger urban centres. Weather extremes call for a diverse variety of clothing pieces and accessories. A very outdoor culture means more gear-like and sporty pieces are present in a typical wardrobe as well. Style-wise, there are many influences from other regions as well as many people have moved here recently due to a fairly good economy. Then there is the historical cowboy influence which most people have some of in their wardrobes. My personal style has elements of all these things: classic, eclectic, retro /vintage, western, sporty, European-modern, etc. (not all at the same time, thank goodness). I think I wouldn't have cowboy boots if I lived in another city. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-does-geography-influence-our-personal-style#post-367213 Wed, 15 Jun 2011 16:33:41 +0000 Irene 367213@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I live in suburbia, and I think this factor affects my style more than climate. I kinda used to hot and humid summer, plus in my home-country in 90's AC wasn't everywhere like in USA, so I was very casual at summer, as casual as it possible in big city. But here I live in small town where most women never wear things like tailored blouses, high heeled pumps or neck scarves. Which means usually I'm slightly overdressed with my scarves, costume jewelry or mid-heeled shoes. But I left behind tailored pants, now I have chinos or jeans instead, I swapped fur coat for down coat, and cashmere coat for quilted coat, no more ladylike hats for me at fall, etc. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-does-geography-influence-our-personal-style#post-367192 Wed, 15 Jun 2011 15:51:55 +0000 Anonymous 367192@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I believe that climate and geography do play a big part in style. I grew up in Vancouver, BC and moved to northern California in my late 20's when I got married. That was a shock to my system as I dealt with shedding my layers of fleece and gear to fit in with a "designer bag" crowd. It was a much more upscale sort of style and I was definitely not upscale. I was able to make some adjustments to my wardrobe but overall, I was able to maintain my own sense of style which sways towards casual but on-trend looks. I still felt appropriate and maintained my own sense of self. The real shock came when we moved to San Diego which is a completely different planet. SoCal is so radically different than NoCal that I never really regrouped after we moved there. I am a modest dresser and not comfortable showing skin. But it was so darn hot that it was sort of imperative! Plus the street wear in San Diego is weird...lots of jammie pants with Uggs and a hoodie over tank top. Super casual, even by my standards. We lived in San Diego for 5 years and I never felt like I figured out how to dress to suit the climate or the culture. A couple years ago we migrated north and settled just outside Seattle. Ahhhh...I am home. Layers! Boots! Neutral colors! I feel like the clothes I love to wear are both appropriate for the culture and the climate and I am fitting in with everyone else around me. I think that overall, I try and dress to suit myself with adjustments depending on the culture/climate/geography. I still want to feel "appropriate" to the situation. But it does help that I am actually living in an area where my own style suits the general feeling of the area. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-does-geography-influence-our-personal-style#post-367087 Wed, 15 Jun 2011 13:59:40 +0000 celia 367087@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>It is fascinating. I do think that we incorporate the geography in the way we dress if we chose to.<br /> I came from Portugal to Canada and people dress diferently.<br /> Firstly Portugal is much warmer year around. In places like Lisbon you see much more skin showing and much more white during summer than you see in Toronto.<br /> In winter you can actually wear nice boots in Lisbon because there is no snow and no salt.<br /> Besides that I think that in Toronto, besides the black loving crowd, outfits are more 'clean', more pure lines than what you see in Lisbon where there is more of a euro-chic kind of look .</p> <p>Surely there must be a diference because last year the first comment I heard from a friend who picked me up at the airport in Lisbon was: You look more a Canadian than a Portuguese now.... Whatever than meant </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-does-geography-influence-our-personal-style#post-367043 Wed, 15 Jun 2011 10:56:28 +0000 Suz 367043@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks, everyone, again, for such interesting replies. Angie and Greg, can we have a button for "fascinating" or "educational" as well as all the other buttons? As a Canadian, I loved hearing from those of you who live in hot, desert climates and in Australia! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-does-geography-influence-our-personal-style#post-367030 Wed, 15 Jun 2011 07:58:51 +0000 Fruitful 367030@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Suz, I think geography definitely influences style.</p> <p>I've lived in Melbourne all my life. 2 things Melbourne is known for are lots of black (which I have rebelled against for nearly 20 years! It's changing now, I see more colour), and conscious layering (that is, designers using layering as an integral element - this was before "layering" became a recognised buzzword I think!).</p> <p>Our weather is very changeable. It's not unusual to shiver and sweat, be rained on and sunburnt, all in one day.</p> <p>Our winters, autumns and springs get colder than most parts of Australia (except Tasmania). Arguably, climate change has brought us fiercer summer heat than many parts of Australia, too.</p> <p>Interstaters can correct my uninformed impressions. But my cousins visited from Sydney wearing thongs (flipflops) on a freezing cold day! They wore them with neat jeans and dressy tops, which I though was weird. Is it a Sydney thing?</p> <p>When I've visited Sydney and Queensland (especially Queensland) I've been amazed how polished people look to my eye. I see more skin, more bodyconscious looks. It's more streamlined and glam - I guess not having to layer will do that for you :). It was an eyeopener seeing a woman wearing a white dress. You don't really see that here. I used to think people looked happier up North than the miserable black enshrouded Melbournites do. </p> <p>But a lot more whimsy and fun has crept in. We had a thriving rave/club culture in my day. I wonder if colour and humour has come from there? I'm sure there's lots of other sources too. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-does-geography-influence-our-personal-style#post-366972 Wed, 15 Jun 2011 04:11:52 +0000 yublocka 366972@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I grew up in an Australian city right on the beach. I think thongs (flipflops) and boardies will always be semi-acceptable to me for that reason. 18 months ago I moved from NSW to Melbourne, and can definitely notice the difference in wardrobe here. Lots more black, and less bling. I like it! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-does-geography-influence-our-personal-style#post-366971 Wed, 15 Jun 2011 04:05:55 +0000 NK 366971@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I also live in the desert, and here most everyone seems to wear shorts, t's, and flip flops. I'm not originally from here and it surprised me how casual everyone is all the time, including places I'd always dressed up for, like church or eating out.</p> <p>I was still shocked when I went to register my kids at a new school a couple of weeks ago and the office staff wore sandals and shorts. At my children's old charter school there was a dress code and the office staff dressed more like...well, they worked in an office.</p> <p>Here, whenever I wear something different, like a skirt or dress just to run around town I get asked where I'm going or why I'm so dressed up. While I'd love to say I don't let it affect me, it does. I don't want to stick out like a sore thumb or appear to be seeking out attention or look like I'm trying too hard, so sometimes I do dress it down more than I'd like.</p> <p>Several years ago I lived in southern Texas, and while it was hot there as well, it just seemed like people made more of an effort - jewelry, colorful clothing, dresses and skirts, and beautiful sandals. Of course, that was over 15 years ago...</p> <p>So, yes, I think my style is affected by my climate and also by what's typical for my area. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-does-geography-influence-our-personal-style#post-366954 Wed, 15 Jun 2011 03:30:59 +0000 Kappy 366954@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I grew up in Colorado. Everyone I knew wore t-neck sweaters, boots and jeans out on the weekends (cute ones, but still....). When I moved to DFW nobody wore those things out; everyone was far more "dressed" up. It was a big adjustment (obviously referring to when we lived downtown and waaaaaay before we had kids).</p> <p>Funny story: Also noticed a difference in "competitiveness" of dressing. In DFW, out at a club, I let someone in the restrooom know she had TP stuck to her shoe. Everyone spun around and asked me "Where are you from?". When they found out they replied that girls in Dallas wouldn't have said anything. Another time I lent someone a mini-lintroller to remove white napkin lint from her black dress and my "kindness" was again gushed over. What the heck??? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-does-geography-influence-our-personal-style#post-366776 Tue, 14 Jun 2011 21:53:37 +0000 Aida 366776@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Interesting read! I don't consider my style heavily influenced by my lifestyle or geography, but the pieces I select for my wardrobe certainly are. I'm fairly comfortable with the whole "challenging the environmental norm", so my biggest hurdle is finding ways to make my style desires play well with my lifestyle; my goal is that whether I'm in cocktail attire or in camping gear, what I wear is still "my style".</p> <p>EDIT: Now culture, that I see having a much more significant impact. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-does-geography-influence-our-personal-style#post-366710 Tue, 14 Jun 2011 19:53:23 +0000 mrseccentric 366710@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>very interesting replies to this topic! this is a big one for me - i grew up and lived in the same climate/culture/geographical location until i was almost 40 and got married. i'd been in Berkeley CA for decades - very mild, lots of fog, gets cold in winter but never gets all that hot. layering was the absolute cornerstone of my style.</p> <p>when i married i moved out the Caldecott Tunnel, twenty minutes away to near Walnut Creek - it gets somewhat colder here in the winters, but it just burns up in the summer! my first summer here we hit 114 degrees F, they had to close the highway because the asphalt melted!!! culturally, well, you can imagine Berkeley by it's reputation, out in WC it's plastic surgery, blow-outs and foils, designer handbags and shoes and jeans and and....oh, and i started getting into menopause....</p> <p>as a result all my 'old style standbys' no longer worked, and i had to do a lot of introspection, research, and trial and error. it was like a person's style is a tree - i knew what a few of the leaves looked like, but i didn't know the whole tree - bark, roots, leaves, flowers, branches.....how did they all fit together? where did i want to wear 'bark' vs. when did i want to wear a 'flower'? i ended up finding that more 'abstract' descriptions or qualifiers were very helpful. instead of 'Gibson Girl Blouse' (too tight and hot to wear in 100F!) i can take from that blouse what attracts me - delicate lace, gathers and tucks, sheer cotton and linen in ivory and ecru. then i can look for or create a garment which includes those features i love &amp; which is also wearable in the heat - a tiny blouse, sundress, flirty skirt or bloomers (!) this process worked for me.</p> <p>i've also come to the strong conviction that a truly stylish person is dressed appropriately for the climate and their activities. you may look adorable in a slinky sundress and strappy metallic heels, but if you're rushing thru the snowy slush to make a courtroom appearance as a lawyer ..... for me the dissonance between the occasion, the weather, and the outfit destroys any possible flattery.</p> <p>but maybe i'm just getting to be a cranky old lady thank you everyone for such thoughtful comments! steph </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-does-geography-influence-our-personal-style#post-366673 Tue, 14 Jun 2011 18:49:06 +0000 Charmian 366673@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I love this topic! Where to even begin?</p> <p>@elisabeth - I'm a Seattleite who gets cold easily, so the climate definitely limits my options. I got rid of my last pair of strappy sandals years ago and haven't looked back.</p> <p>@Angie - yes, I DEFINITELY let myself be constrained by my environmental norm. It's one of the things I want to overcome with the help of the YLF community.</p> <p>@chewyspaghetti - I could write a novel on this! I spent a year living in mainland China, which is a country that has seen an increase in prosperity that is hard for us to imagine (I had young co-workers who remembered the day that landlines were first strung to their village ... and now they work as programmers for a large software company!).</p> <p>Because there were a lot of "nouveaux riches", designer handbags paired with perplexing outfits was extremely common (also common: mixed labels, such as Coach shoes with Gucci bags). Since most people looked at the label and not the quality of these items, knockoffs were common. Brand dilution is the result: my husband actually associates the Coach brand with BAD quality, because he's seen so many poorly-constructed knockoffs.</p> <p>On the other hand, because China's clothing manufacturers haven't consolidated yet, there is a HUGE variety of styles/materials/etc on the street. Even better, since there aren't as many voices telling women "how to dress", there is a ton of creativity in how these already-varied pieces were styled. I adored outfit-watching, because there was so much joy and creativity in how those women got dressed! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-does-geography-influence-our-personal-style#post-366615 Tue, 14 Jun 2011 17:34:32 +0000 Aziraphale 366615@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Suz, I agree with you about how lack of proper pavement affects footwear choice! I feel completely normal walking around downtown in heels, but silly in areas where there is uneven pavement. </p> <p>We used to live in a small county just outside of San Francisco where the sidewalks were dreadful, so despite being pretty close to a major urban centre, I never wore heels there! It would have been ridiculous. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-does-geography-influence-our-personal-style#post-366596 Tue, 14 Jun 2011 17:21:30 +0000 Suz 366596@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Interesting discussion, everyone! Thanks for chiming in! </p> <p>In my younger days I was very unaffected by what others wore and was always more dressed up than they were. Largely because I could so seldom find a pair of jeans that fit, so I wore a lot of skirts and dresses in my twenties! </p> <p>Now, I'm still relatively indifferent to what others are wearing—but with the big caveat—as long as I am comfortable and feel good myself. And that includes dressing for our weather, which can be quite extreme, with cold, wet, rainy and snowy winters, and hot, humid summers, although so far, this year, summer seems to be eluding us. </p> <p>I think my footwear choices seem most limited by where I'm living. I suspect I would be more inclined to wear dressier shoes and boots in a bigger urban centre. There's just something about our sidewalks (or lack of them) that seems to discourage dainty shoes, high heels, and the like, even if I did want to wear them. I'm a big walker and can't stand shoes that give me grief, so my ideal shoes are comfortable for walking all day, but also look great. </p> <p>My stumpy legs would look a lot better with lower vamp and higher heeled shoes. But I'm not sure how far I can move out of my geographical/cultural comfort zone to wear them. And that, in turn, influences other clothing choices. </p> <p>Luckily, I can wear boots for a lot of the year! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-does-geography-influence-our-personal-style#post-366585 Tue, 14 Jun 2011 17:08:15 +0000 chewyspaghetti 366585@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Obviously climate is an influence, but I do think that that geography has it's own influences too. I live in the desert. Desert dwellers tend to be eccentric and shun the conforms of society (think of the old miners you see wandering in the dessert in TV/movies). It's a rough terrain- mountains, lots of dirt roads, open desert and most neighborhoods don't have any sidewalks. Of course, casual is the norm.It feels like fashion is frowned upon, on unless it's businesswear that people who are commuting have to wear. There is one odd exception that I see- designer bags (especially Coach). It's not uncommon to see woman here in rubber flip flops, ill fitting cheap jeans and an ill fitting junior T carrying a designer handbag that cost more than her entire wardrobe. It's bizarre, but I feel like that is the height of fashion in the eyes of most people around here. I know one woman who coupons so that she can save money out of her grocery budget for designer handbags that she collects. Personally, I'd rather have wardrobe that is higher in quality and a less expensive handbag. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-does-geography-influence-our-personal-style#post-366577 Tue, 14 Jun 2011 16:58:28 +0000 MsMary 366577@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'm right outside of Los Angeles, so really you could say anything goes culturally! In my small city I'd say there's a significant "ladies who lunch" contingent (which accounts for my spectacular success at the consignment store!). There's a good amount of interest in brand names and designer logos -- more than I personally am comfortable with. LOTS of attention to grooming -- hair, mani-pedis, makeup. And summer is definitely our dominant season -- it's not unusual to have temps in the 80s or even 90s even in December!</p> <p>I work in the legal field and I am both more dressy and more casual than most of the people around me because although I wear a skirt, heels and jacket almost every day, I almost never wear suits any more but like to mix things up. So technically I'm usually "Business Casual" (capital B, capital C) rather than business formal. But I still think I look "dressier" in my bright pink skirt and heels, polka dot shirt, and navy blazer than my colleague across the hall in her gray pinstripe suit, white shirt, and black pumps.</p> <p>Outside the office I am, like Angie and rute, almost always the most dressed-up person in the room and that is perfectly okay with me! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-does-geography-influence-our-personal-style#post-366572 Tue, 14 Jun 2011 16:55:12 +0000 Aziraphale 366572@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Yes, I'd say climate affects your personal style, but only somewhat. It doesn't change it completely; it simply limits your choices. For example, I dislike frills and ruffles or anything overly girlish on clothing for grown women, and living in a much warmer or colder climate than I do wouldn't change my opinion (although it might be easier to avoid ruffles if you live somewhere cold, because winter clothing doesn't tend to have a lot of frilly details). On the other hand, I love stylish boots, but if I lived in L.A., I'd get to wear them a lot less than I do here in Vancouver! </p> <p>I've also noticed that I spend half the winter here tromping around in Hunter wellies. They are not my idea of high style -- like, if I were to put together an outfit to best represent my personal style, it would not include Hunter boots -- but as far as wellies go, they're pretty cute, and my oh my are they ever useful when you live in a temperate rainforest. And, since wellies look oh-so-much better with skinny jeans (I really hate the farmer look you get when you try to stuff your bootlegs into them), I have found that my wardrobe now includes a disproportionate number of pairs of skinnies ('disproportionate" in the sense that skinnies are not my favourite jean silhouette, but I sure seem to own a lot of them!). So there you go -- there's an example of how climate has affected my personal style. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-does-geography-influence-our-personal-style#post-366566 Tue, 14 Jun 2011 16:44:40 +0000 greenglove 366566@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Lifestyle- teaching in an art school requires dark clothes, comfortable shoes and fashion forward, artistic clothing<br /> climate- boots, coats and jackets<br /> age- hot flashes- LOTS of layering. Many sleeveless tanks with jackets and cardigans- Boston- Did I say boots, boots and more boots. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-does-geography-influence-our-personal-style#post-366562 Tue, 14 Jun 2011 16:37:48 +0000 catgirl 366562@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Great topic! Where I live is fairly extreme - more snow, more rain, more cold, more dark in winter, more light in summer. Yesterday was sunny and 70, today it's raining and 50. </p> <p>Obviously shoes need to be fairly practical to survive the weather conditions. Layering is a must in winter, like most winter climates. Mostly people are dressed casually, as in Seatlle - but I don't let that influence me. I do what I want, when I want, for the most part. </p> <p>I have a LOT of gear for when I'm hiking, biking, camping, rock climbing, skiing, or just walking the dog. But I have tried to overcome the norm of just making that my casual wear as well, without judging those who do - I'm all about the freedom to choose. :)</p> <p>I may have posted this story before: a friend from Alaska went to Boston for a visit. When she came back she told me she thought all the men there were gay, because they were so well-dressed! I told her pressed khakis and button-downs are as much of a uniform there are jeans and fleece are here. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-does-geography-influence-our-personal-style#post-366556 Tue, 14 Jun 2011 16:27:35 +0000 Barbara 366556@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Suz, geography does indeed have a huge impact on personal style. I live in North Carolina, where the summers can be brutally hot and humid. This summer I'm stepping outside of my jeans-with-a-tee comfort zone and wearing colorful and comfortable knee-length rayon dresses. Winters are somewhat moderate so dressing in layers of knits is definitely the fun and fashionable way to go.</p> <p>I lived in Europe for 12 years (from 1988-2000) where summers were much cooler (I do miss that!) and the winters were quite a bit colder. Needless to say, I had to readjust when we moved back home to NC! </p> <p>But I love the sunny South and wouldn't want to live anywhere else. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-does-geography-influence-our-personal-style#post-366549 Tue, 14 Jun 2011 16:15:22 +0000 CK 366549@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>My climate definitely influences my clothing choices. I also live in a cooler part of the country. I'm glad we're not having the 90 degree weather some places are suffering, but it would be nice to go out without a sweater in the middle of June. </p> <p>We are also notoriously casual around here, and that does influence me as well. I want to look good, but personally don't feel comfortable when I'm WAY more dressed up than everyone else (totally my issue - one of my friends is in dresses all the time). I feel dressed up if I'm not wearing a fleece jacket. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-does-geography-influence-our-personal-style#post-366528 Tue, 14 Jun 2011 15:32:34 +0000 Jonesy 366528@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Yes, climate matters a lot! I finally understand that summer is not my dominant season, so I need to resist buying lots of cute patterned skirts that I can only wear in the summer. I live in the Great Lakes region of the US, and work mostly from home during the summer, so I have no need for scores of cute summer skirts and dresses! They just hang in my closet, mocking me! So now I can embrace boots and fall/spring/winter clothes with greater abandon :). </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-does-geography-influence-our-personal-style#post-366494 Tue, 14 Jun 2011 14:39:54 +0000 Mo 366494@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I've bemoaned this again and again. I keep moving between 2 very different climates (snowy mountains to hot beach) and my closet keeps swelling with the dominant season I'm living in, until I move back and most of it just sits there because it's way too hot/cold to don any of it. Climate and career are definitely the #1 factors. Then comes the vibe of the city/town you live in. But as stated, you can choose to buck the 'environmental norm' of your book club or moms dropping off kids at school, but there's only so much you can do, as far as dressing out of the norm, at work and still be respected or get ahead. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-does-geography-influence-our-personal-style#post-366481 Tue, 14 Jun 2011 14:17:31 +0000 rute 366481@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Of course it does!<br /> Like Angie, I'm always overdressed and I just don't care (I've learned with my mother)! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-does-geography-influence-our-personal-style#post-366477 Tue, 14 Jun 2011 14:14:54 +0000 patti 366477@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Our part of Florida - Central East - is very casual. We've got the beach, tourism, and lots of engineers for the Space Center. I've dialed down my dress-up factor quite a bit over the years. I was a suit-hose-pumps woman in Boston and DC. Now I tune in to Angie's "casual" articles and I rely on denim skirts, nice knits and shoes that breathe. Oh, yeah, it's pretty darn hot too : &gt; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-does-geography-influence-our-personal-style#post-366475 Tue, 14 Jun 2011 14:14:04 +0000 Angie 366475@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Great topic - and will you defy your environmental norm? We have had MANY discussions about that, and there are blog posts on it too. </p> <p>I am not at all affected by what people wear around me - which is anything from the edgiest grunge to the sportiest of gear. I am so much dressier than most and totally embrace it! But I am very affected by the climate because I am outside and on my feet a lot - and always cold. I would love to wear fewer layers in the Summer time, but can't </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-does-geography-influence-our-personal-style#post-366474 Tue, 14 Jun 2011 14:11:55 +0000 nicoleb 366474@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Wow I love this post and I can't wait to read some of the answers! </p> <p>For me I think it's a bit of both...we can have pretty harsh winters in MN so it can be a challenge to dress warmly and still be fashionable (or even be in the creative mindset when it's -30. Depressing!)</p> <p>But at the same time i would say it's also true that my way of life conforms to my style because i enjoy trying out trends and dressing a little bit funkier than the norm, regardless that everyone else in my town wears jeans and t shirts everyday. Or sweatpants. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-does-geography-influence-our-personal-style#post-366470 Tue, 14 Jun 2011 14:09:43 +0000 Anonymous 366470@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>The cool, damp climate that I live in most influences my style. I am outdoors a lot so practicality is a consideration in most of my purchases. My body runs chilly so coziness must be factored in for about 10 months of the year. I tend to be physically active, and a fast walker when on the street so I can't be confined by my shoes or such clothing constraints as a slim skirt that doesn't allow a full stride.<br /> On the flip side, I travel a few times a year to warmer, tropical climes and wear clothing that never comes out to play here. I actually feel most comfortable in lightweight clothing; sandals, dresses or shorts. In a sunny location bright colors work in a way they don't (for me) at home. I actully feel that this is my ideal style, but I must adapt to where I actually live.<br /> Looks like climate rules for me! </p>