“City girls are just country girls but with cuter outfits.”
– Sex and the City
This quote may be the case in some situations; however I do not feel many of the sleek-and-chic city dwellers consider the origins of their ultra-urbane outfits. Many of today’s popular fashion trends are from rural roots, and not from many cities we associate with high-fashion. Tweed, cowboy boots, even Uggs are just some influential rural items many hail as mainstream attire.
The most obvious rural inspired items are the infamous cowboy boots. Made for the rough terrain of the American-Midwest and certain Mexican states – this ultra rural footwear has seen its highs and lows in urban fashion for some time.
Designers like Ralph Lauren have intertwined the country theme throughout their brands giving them the staple feel of “classic Americana” – inspiring some to top off their designer threads with a pair of exotic red-dyed cowboy boots.
As influxes of young quarterlifers come in from the outskirts, to the hustle-and-bustle of cities, we are more than likely going to see these boots in droves moving from the cattle ranch to the catwalk, more and more.
(For tips on how to wear cowboy boots, check out CollegeFashion.net)
Next is another footwear favorite…the Ugg Boot; seen (unfortunately) from city streets to college campuses. This trend hails not from some an eccentric-urban designer, but from a practical background – surprise, surprise!
The Ugg Boot or “Ug,” Australian slang for ugly, (which suits it perfectly) was used practically by WWI & WII pilots, sheep herders and competitive surfers to keep their tootsies warm – yes, the fuzz is meant to keep your feet warm!
So if you live in Miami, please, donate your Uggs to someone in Greenland…thanks.
The Ugg Boot was worn out of the public eye until the Americans and Hollywood got a hold of them…then it was all over. Now we have to accept these once “no-nonsense” shoes as “fashion.”
Lastly, but certainly not least, is the Scottish Traditional “tartan,” that somehow became bastardized in America to be known by the pidgin of “plaid.”
Associated with lumberjacks and all things rustically-American, we saw an influx of flannel-plaid in the 1990s during the Grunge movement…thanks Seattle, Wa.
However, we all breathed a HUGE sigh of relief, as we thought this was said and done by the end of the 1990s; however plaid is back with a chic and haute-couture vengeance.
As CollegeFashion.net puts it “I think every year, after churning out too many flowery, summery dresses for spring, they become overwhelmingly nostalgic for the comfort of flannel.” This has to be case!
How a traditional Scottish Clan garb ends up on Lauren Conrad’s back is beyond me – but it is a fact that we all have to accept as truth.
(A List of Plaid Fashions from About.com)
Overall, these are just a few pieces of anti-urban garb that are being turned for a profit from Los Angeles to Dubai…and I have a feeling the list will continue to grow.
So I suggest, if you want to be ahead of the curve, skip the disco this weekend and head to the bull-rodeo for the inspiration for your next ensemble!
Rural Wear, Gone Urban Fashion