Interested in knowing more about the dress practices in
other countries and cultures? So was I! I interviewed three friends from
different parts of the world whom I met through fashion classes at Accademia
Italiana in Florence, Italy. All three girls are very interested in fashion and
are continuing their fashion design studies in Florence. These girls represent
the countries of Sweden, Bulgaria and Malaysia. They provided me with
information on common attire worn in their country and how it differs from Italy and
other parts of the world. Read on to become a little more cultured
in the world of fashion!
Marielle is from
Skövde, Sweden, and describes her personal style
as a mix between bohemian, rock ‘n’ roll and minimalist.
Radoslava is
from Plovdiv, Bulgaria, and says her personal style is ever-changing, “some days
I will dress casual, with jeans and a t-shirt, and then I pull out the girly attire and wear a dress and heels."
Klobo is from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and describes herself as a “color freak,” with a love for blue and
purple, hand-dyed colorful items, gradient prints and denim in purple, pink
turquoise and yellow.
I asked the
girls the same 5 questions and here are their responses:
What are some common fashions/styles you
would see on the street in your hometown?
M:
Minimalist, or very commercial/highstreet.
R:
Mostly casual style, besides that some women love wearing more feminine clothes.
K:
People mostly wear casual outfits. Blue denim and loose crop tops or blouses,
along with short skirts and dresses in thin breathable, colorful fabrics.
 |
Marielle describes her style as "bohemian,
rock 'n' roll & minimalist"
|
Describe typical outfits people wear
(students, professionals, etc.)
M: It’s all quite stereotypical in Sweden, quite casual but smart.
Clean would be one way of describing it. Black jeans, black leather shoes and
plain t-shirts.
R: Jeans and t-shirts, loose shirts with leggings, dresses and
heels, or an a-line skirt and blouse.
K: The typical government workers are usually wearing shirts and
slacks (men) while women wear traditional ‘baju kurung.’ Sometimes on Friday,
depending on the company, they will wear ‘batik baju kurung’ or ‘batik shirt.’
The private sector workers wear a shirt, slacks and a blazer, while women wear
work dresses or a power suit. Students at private schools usually dress more
stylish because they are free to wear almost anything compared to public
universities.
 |
Radoslava enjoys dressing casual & girly
|
How do the men dress?
M: It’s quite androgynous. Female and male trends are similar and
this equalness is trendy in Sweden.
R: The majority of men wear jeans and t-shirts or jeans and shirts.
K: Men dress casual too. Denim and tees, sometimes t-shirts, but on
special occasions, such as weddings, they will wear traditional clothing called
‘baju melayu.’
How much of an influence does the weather
have on what people wear?
M: Weather is ace, as soon as the sun is out people drop their
layers and show skin even if it’s way too early in the season.
R: We enjoy four seasons of weather in Bulgaria – beautiful spring,
dry and hot summer, long and pleasant autumn and cold and snowy winter.
Lightweights are worn in summer. Warmer clothes are needed in winter and
rainwear is recommended in autumn.
K: Malaysia has 365 days of summer and seasonal monsoon rain so
weather very much affects what we wear because it is hot and humid. Depending
on the situation, it’s very rare to see people wearing coats and jackets, unless you go to the capital where many people work in air-conditioned
offices.
 |
Klobo expresses her style
through color
|
How would you compare the fashions of your
country to Italy, other European countries or anywhere else you have been?
M: I’d
say Scandinavia is more androgynous compared to the southern parts of Europe.
In Italy it’s divided into masculinity and femininity. It’s two different
fashions, whereas in Sweden everyone will wear baggy black t-shirts if it’s
trendy at the time.
R: Compared
to women in Italy, we love more feminine and elegant style.
K: Basically,
what differentiates us from other countries, such as Europe or the West, is that
people wear more colorful things because that is how we can spice up our
fashion wardrobe. I noticed how people wear lots of black and neutral color
here in winter and I will feel out of place because I will usually wear a red coat or yellow fur coat.
Anything
you want to add about global fashion? What have you noticed about fashion
differences from traveling or living abroad?
However, I think my parents began to worry about me when they noticed how many clothes my closet was accumulating in high school. I am sure it was in their best interest to worry that I was spending too much and not saving enough. However as my mother says, 'Betsy does what Betsy wants', I didn't let my parents concern stop me from having my dream closet. Furthermore, my parents can rest assured that I still have money in the bank.
