The London Lounge

In a month I will be going to a university in England for a year. I will be outside London.I was wondering what clothes to bring and maybe what I may need to buy. I realize that most students in England probably dress like most students in the US, so I’m not expecting much. However, I would like some pointers from UK members on how to dress more like a “native”. I realize that I’m not going to “blend in” completely, I don’t want to, but part of the point of a study abroad program is to go native as much as possible.

I expect that I will dress differently from most university students in the UK, as I do from most US students. I typically wear a collared shirt (OCBD or forward point), chinos or grey flannels, loafers, closed or open laced shoes. Sometimes I add a sportcoat and usually a hat. I have a brown trilby, panama and a tweed flat cap.

Should I bring my blazer, saddle shoes, spectators, boat shoes, loafers? What about my striped ties that have no meaning (ex. Brooks Brothers #1 stripe)? The only black shoes I have are opera pumps. Do I need black shoes? Is it still no brown in town?

A recent thread on Ask Andy asking whether members would wear bespoke to work got me thinking. Most American members said they would, but most British members said they wouldn’t. The reason was that bespoke suits have certain cultural and class-related connotations. It’s these cultural connotations that I’m interested in.

Also if any UK members are located in or around Chester maybe we could get together sometime.

Kilted,

Working as I do with UK students I am all too familiar with their dressing habits and, yes, I dare say they are not too different in this respect to US students.

However, assuming that you are fortunate enough to have the occasional visitor who will take you out to dinner I would suggest a blazer and a pair of flannel trousers. This will also suffice if you have the misfortune to be hauled in front of the Dean! To add variety, a tweed jacket and pair of cords. A small number of solid or checked shirst to go with these, ties if you wish. If you want to bring one pair of good shoes my suggestion would be a stout pair of brogues, brown or ox-blood for versatility. Given the weather you will need a warm, waterproof overcoat; a waxed or gortex field coat with a lining would be ideal. Your tweed flat cap would work well with this and a cashmere scarf would do no harm!

Curiously enough the one suit you may have most need of is a dinner jacket and trousers. This depends upon the institution and it might be as well to check how many formal events there are during your stay. My impression is that whilst students dress apallingly most of the time they do like to dress-up and party!

Have a good time and don't worry too much about convention!

The wardrobe that you suggest will be fine but saddle shoes are not worn in Britain. Chester can be cold so I would recommend a Barbour jacket, raincoat and/or an overcoat too. You will not see many trilbys or Panamas - only at the racecourse.

Sadly, Chester has been hit very badly by the recession and the best country store has closed down. For shopping, I would recommend a visit to London, Liverpool or Manchester. There is an new hourly train service to London with cheap tickets if you book in advance.

My in-laws live in the centre of Chester. I will be there from 6th to 8th September after a conference in Southport.

kilted2000 wrote:A recent thread on Ask Andy asking whether members would wear bespoke to work got me thinking. Most American members said they would, but most British members said they wouldn’t. The reason was that bespoke suits have certain cultural and class-related connotations. It’s these cultural connotations that I’m interested in.

What a strange idea What cultural connotations could possibly deter the owner of a good bespoke suit from wearing it at work, unless it is inappropriate for the specific work environment (e.g. a tweed suit in a bank)?
Bespoke is class-related? Maybe, if we take that meaning of "class" which denotes "style" or "elegance". But otherwise exiling bespoke to the imaginary island of the "rich and famous" is a complete misunderstanding of the notion, I think.

A recent thread on Ask Andy asking whether members would wear bespoke to work got me thinking. Most American members said they would, but most British members said they wouldn’t. The reason was that bespoke suits have certain cultural and class-related connotations. It’s these cultural connotations that I’m interested in.

As I wrote I think before at some thread on the LL an old Italian tailor once said " I'll make a good suit , take it ..wear it , sleep in it , eat in it , work in it , ...then it will become your suit ".
Clothes are made to be worn , I will wear bespoke on my veranda if I want to and I often do . Kilted , you worry too much , just go to England and be American as I was Greek when I studied there 20 odd yours ago ...It would have been ridiculous to try and look like or act like an English man .

Regards
Vassilis

yialabis wrote:

A recent thread on Ask Andy asking whether members would wear bespoke to work got me thinking. Most American members said they would, but most British members said they wouldn’t. The reason was that bespoke suits have certain cultural and class-related connotations. It’s these cultural connotations that I’m interested in.
As I wrote I think before at some thread on the LL an old Italian tailor once said " I'll make a good suit , take it ..wear it , sleep in it , eat in it , work in it , ...then it will become your suit ".
Clothes are made to be worn , I will wear bespoke on my veranda if I want to and I often do . Kilted , you worry too much , just go to England and be American as I was Greek when I studied there 20 odd yours ago ...It would have been ridiculous to try and look like or act like an English man .

Regards
Vassilis

I'm not trying to be English. I mainly want to avoid a costumy or "whats he trying to prove" reaction

kilted2000 wrote:I typically wear a collared shirt (OCBD or forward point), chinos or grey flannels, loafers, closed or open laced shoes. Sometimes I add a sportcoat and usually a hat. I have a brown trilby, panama and a tweed flat cap.

Kilted, it reads like you dress nicely and appropriately for your position. Don't give up your personal sense of style for the sake of blending in with an endless sea of blue jeans and T-shirts. Your dress doesn't seem costumey at all - it's just not fashion-forward.

kilted2000 wrote:part of the point of a study abroad program is to go native as much as possible.

Indeed, which is why I think that what you bring from England after spending a year there is more important than what you take with you there

I easily recall attending some Freshers' function in a suit and (as it turns out) one of my best friends from student days introduced himself with the words:
"what do you do on formal occasions". Now, of course, he knows the answer to that!

Just wanted to say thanks for the replies.

kilted2000 wrote:Should I bring my blazer, saddle shoes, spectators, boat shoes, loafers? What about my striped ties that have no meaning (ex. Brooks Brothers #1 stripe)? The only black shoes I have are opera pumps. Do I need black shoes? Is it still no brown in town?

Saddle shoes and spectators would look "different" but then looking different is what some students aim for.