Módní peklo

Now Expats.cz have dared to ask this delightfully entertaining self-appointed style guru everything you ever wanted to know about Czech style but were afraid to ask…

Socks with sandals, or disgusting feet with sandals. Baggy unwashed jeans. Jeans, jeans, blue jeans baby for you every single time.

Czechs also don’t know how to dress for the occasion, be it job interview, wedding, opera, a date, or dinner. Czech women often try to be sexy and overdo it. It looks vulgar, or worse, pathetic. Czech men can be like teenagers, as in “I will wear this worn-out sweatshirt no matter what mommy/anyone says“. I think the umbrella crime out of all of these might be the general contempt for fashion. Occupying yourself with what you wear is seen as shallow and is frowned upon.

Yes. Women want to dress nicely. Most men don’t.

The idea was born in the streets. Literally. I love writing, and one day as I was walking somewhere and idly looking around, it occurred to me I could write about what we wear.

Less superficial, maybe, but I tend to think it’s the other way round, as I said above. The fear of superficiality itself turned into superficiality; some people take great care to dress to look like they don’t care at all how they look!

Poor choice of shops? I still remember communism – buying nice clothes then was mission impossible, yet people managed. Now there’s a gazillion different shops,  and people still whinge that they can’t buy anything they like.

Less money, yes. Not anyone can chuck away thousands on fashion every month. But then again, there are so many second-hand shops, internet auctions, a good sewing machine can also be bought pretty cheaply… You can always manage, if you know how to use your brain.

I would say Praguers are more courageous. The anonymity of a big city frees you. People from the small towns are more afraid of what their neighbours would say, of envy and gossip.

Sadly, I have to agree. Not all, but still too many women stop caring for themselves as they get older. Some do it when they marry and give birth to their first child, some wait till 40 or 50.They chop their hair off, get fat and switch to the most comfortable clothes they can find, usually bootcut or cropped jeans, loose T-shirts, sneakers and outdoor jackets. They probably think: “I’m married, I have children, I don’t need to be attractive anymore.  And taking care of the family is too time consuming to waste time with fashion.“

Maybe we should blame it on capitalism instead — the commercials, the magazines, the images of celebrities are telling us what to wear. Either your mind is free and cannot be ruled by any ideology, or it is not and just follows what it sees as an authority, be it Communism, Vogue, mommy or the classmates dressed in brands.

Right now yoga pants and a T-shirt, because that’s my favorite homewear. When I go outside, I prefer brightly colored pants (emerald green, fuchsia, royal blue, naples yellow, to name some of my favorites), a matching top, and on that I throw a wrap or pashmina or a jacket. I wore dresses in summer, but the weather now sadly calls for warmer clothes. But I also like dresses with long sleeves and colored opaque tights, which can be worn in autumn and winter. I like grab bags, earrings, scarves and nice shoes.

As for the designers, I like Klára Nademlýnská, Ivana Mentlová, Zdeňka Imreczeová and Jakub Polanka. I also like the Pietro Filipi brand.

Not taking care of oneself.

Related articles