Sofia Visco discusses the differences between UK and Italian fashion
Being an exchange student, in these first few months of my stay here in England I have to admit that I have been subjected to various shocks of all kinds, some bigger than others, but one of the things that struck me most is the big difference that you notice in people’s clothing. Whether it’s about kids my age or an older audience, the change of style that happens across society is immediately noticeable.
A curious example I can give was the first day I started college here. I, being used to a very strict dress code for girls, was more than amazed to see some girls wearing very short skirts or low-cut crop tops and nobody telling them off. In Italy, despite never having uniforms to wear, there is a rather strict dress code. In fact for girls it is not possible to wear clothing such as revealing skirts or shorts or tank tops, even in the summer months. Often, however, it is not the same for boys, who can wear whatever they like.
However, one of the clearest differences that can be noticed immediately between the two countries is the freedom of expression that young English people are able to express through their clothing. You can notice guys who wear more unique outfits or even plain clothes, and in both cases you can notice a certain freedom with which they wear such garments, a freedom that I personally in Italy have never noticed.
There has always been a certain sense of conformity in the place where I come from, in the sense that the way that each one of us dresses is based on comforming to a certain social group. I have certainly noticed this also among English students, but it is present in a more relaxed and free way. But obviously, as the Italian saying goes: “the whole world is a town” and the differences that currently exist between the two are unlikely to last long. In fact, the presence of shops like H&M or Primark make sure that the way kids dress is fairly similar across many countries, despite the distance between Italy and the UK. Although one difference that still exists is that in many of these high street chains in England there is a particular focus on clothing used for physical activity or training, which is not so noticeable in Italy.
So, despite the differences between young people’s attire, this should not be perceived in a negative way. I think we can both learn from each other in order to avoid seeing these differences as strange.
