German Fashion

One of the first places I made note of the current fashion here was not in the market place or on the billboards - I always take those as being "idealistic" but not necessarily representative of what most people actually wear- but when I walked into the high school.  Black, everywhere!  It was the first thing I noticed when I stepped into the common area where most of the kids were taking their break - a sea of dark colors.  It wasn't the dark fashions usually associated with more "Goth" clothing in the US, but fashionable and well-kept.

As I began my daily back and forth on the bus and people watching from the bus window, I saw that this fashion trend extended to young and old outside the school.  With the exception of very young children, I would guess that 85% of people are wearing black or gray pants, coats, and/or shoes, 15% wear other dark or drab shades of navy blue, brown, and khaki, and the remaining 5% wear other colors. The same is true for kids' backpacks, except for the early elementary age. The four older members of our family wear coats of red, tan, and royal blue and A's backpack is a bright blue and green plaid.  So, I would say that we stick out around here!

I have noticed that shoes for all ages are also primarily dark colors and, as I knew before coming, very rarely do Germans walk about in athletic shoes.  I have seen a number of girls at A's school wearing colorful converse - and a surprising number in high heels!  I have seen, perhaps, one or two boys- at the bus transit center, not the school-wearing overly large athletic shoes with the laces purposely untied.

Most of the color comes from scarves-lots of them-, hats, and other accessories.  I am curious to see if the color will come out more in spring, along with the flowers!

I have only seen about two boys with the crotch of their pants hanging to their knees - again, at the transit center, not the school.  I haven't seen any kids with holes in their knees (glad I weeded out my girls hole-y pants before we left) or otherwise sloppy dress.

One more semi-fashionable note: all of the tykes in strollers are bundled to the teeth.  I feel like a negligent mother as I see these little ones, obviously layered, wearing full snow suits or "foos-saks", foot sacks, which are basically sleeping bags from toe to arm pits, scarves, and hats.  The infants can't even be seen in their buggies under 8 inches of blankets and a zipped or snapped up quilted cradle!  I finally bought a cheap blanket to bundle O in, out of guilt, but most of the time he refuses to be bundled.  I have yet to see a German toddler fussing "I want out!".

A has also made note of the dark fashion, but, fortunately, does not seem concerned with conforming to it my requesting a new wardrobe!