Canadian Retail Thread

[GreatTallNorth2]

Germany isn't known as a high fashion country. I would say Italy, UK, France, Netherlands...most western European countries - the people dress classy. This doesn't mean that some Canadians don't dress well, but a higher percentage dress bad and I mean really bad. I worked at a busy shop in a major tourist town in the UK and believe me, we could all pick out the Americans and Canadians before they said a word. No one in Europe wears Columbia outdoor pants and Tilly hats as a fashion statement except North Americans. The UK is obviously highly influenced by Europe, but it also has its own sense of style and a lot of distinctly UK stores that define their look. And it's not just youth that dress cool, it's adults too. Having said this, after shopping a bit at Hudson Bay, I think that they have some great clothing brands there and my hope is that with all the European shops and influence growing in Canada, that people will put aside their track pants and lululemon clothes and dress better.

[ue]

^ Simons' expansion into the ROC also is helping things, not to mention Nordstrom entering the market.

Originally Posted by miketoronto

No. Stuttgart.

Maybe that's why. I don't know much about Stuttgart, but I'm guessing it isn't as cosmopolitan as Berlin, the Rhine, or Hamburg.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by GreatTallNorth2

Germany isn't known as a high fashion country. I would say Italy, UK, France, Netherlands...most western European countries - the people dress classy. This doesn't mean that some Canadians don't dress well, but a higher percentage dress bad and I mean really bad. I worked at a busy shop in a major tourist town in the UK and believe me, we could all pick out the Americans and Canadians before they said a word. No one in Europe wears Columbia outdoor pants and Tilly hats as a fashion statement except North Americans. The UK is obviously highly influenced by Europe, but it also has its own sense of style and a lot of distinctly UK stores that define their look. And it's not just youth that dress cool, it's adults too. Having said this, after shopping a bit at Hudson Bay, I think that they have some great clothing brands there and my hope is that with all the European shops and influence growing in Canada, that people will put aside their track pants and lululemon clothes and dress better.

Highly unlikely, imho. We are blessed to live in a country where appearances count for very little.

[eemy]

We're talking about high fashion Britain here?

[bikegypsy]

Originally Posted by jeremy_haak

We're talking about high fashion Britain here?

Ha ha ha! Gotta love Little Britain. Girls like these actually exist; i've seen quite a few angrily pushing their baby carriage on the streets... with a cigarette in their mouth

[GreatTallNorth2]

Yes, there is a percentage of the population that choose to dress chavy. However, there are probably more thriving fashion stores per capita in the UK than any country in the world and I believe a lot of those stores are making their way to Canada and the USA. I don't know of any Canadian clothing company that is taking their business abroad, but UK shops like Topman, Jack Wills, All Saints, Ted Baker, FCUK have already come to US/Canada and lots of others are rumoured to come.

[north 42]

Roots!

[Acajack]

We make a lot about how people dress differently but my observation is that in western developed countries, generally there is a huge "middle" population everywhere where people generally dress quite similarly. I find this is true of, for example, Calgary vs. Paris.

It's the outliers that stick out in our mind when we travel but if we really looked at things more closely they are only a small fraction of the population. (Though their percentages may seem higher depending on specific neighbourhoods of cities or events that draw a certain demographic, etc.)

But sure, there are those outliers like the British Chav women from Little Britain. You don't see that so much in continental, although a Slavic variant does start to appear a bit more frequently once you get more into central and eastern Europe.

Some of the differences I spot in my part of the world is the greater prevalence of the "Gino Camaro" look in Quebec. It's similar to the Mike the Situation look from Jersey Shore, but much more likely to have his hair spiked and much less likely to wear sneakers on his feet. Likely to have neon lights *under* his car. You don't see this look very much at all in Ontario for example, outside of a few immigrant communities in Toronto. People from Ontario often make fun of these guys when they visit Quebec.

On the other, what I call the sci-fi Dungeons and Dragons geek look is much less common in Quebec (virtually non-existent in fact) in Quebec than elsewhere in Canad and the US. This is the guy in his late teens or early 20s, with often uncombed hair, sneakers that have seen better days (even though he hasn't done any sports since high school), a slight belly bulge under a generic computer company t-shirt, and very plain jeans with no belt.

But once again, these are only a small fraction of the population. But you do tend to notice them when travelling.
__________________

[GreatTallNorth2]

Originally Posted by north 42

Roots!

Nope, no Roots stores anywhere but Canada and 2 stores in the USA. There is no way they could compete with the shops in Europe or USA. Why people pay $68 for baggy track pants is beyond me.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by Acajack

We make a lot about how people dress differently but my observation is that in western developed countries, generally there is a huge "middle" population everywhere where people generally dress quite similarly. I find this is true of, for example, Calgary vs. Paris.

It's the outliers that stick out in our mind when we travel but if we really looked at things more closely they are only a small fraction of the population. (Though their percentages may seem higher depending on specific neighbourhoods of cities or events that draw a certain demographic, etc.)

But sure, there are those outliers like the British Chav women from Little Britain. You don't see that so much in continental, although a Slavic variant does start to appear a bit more frequently once you get more into central and eastern Europe.

Some of the differences I spot in my part of the world is the greater prevalence of the "Gino Camaro" look in Quebec. It's similar to the Mike the Situation look from Jersey Shore, but much more likely to have his hair spiked and much less likely to wear sneakers on his feet. Likely to have neon lights *under* his car. You don't see this look very much at all in Ontario for example, outside of a few immigrant communities in Toronto. People from Ontario often make fun of these guys when they visit Quebec.

On the other, what I call the sci-fi Dungeons and Dragons geek look is much less common in Quebec (virtually non-existent in fact) in Quebec than elsewhere in Canad and the US. This is the guy in his late teens or early 20s, with often uncombed hair, sneakers that have seen better days (even though he hasn't done any sports since high school), a slight belly bulge under a generic computer company t-shirt, and very plain jeans with no belt.

But once again, these are only a small fraction of the population. But you do tend to notice them when travelling.
__________________

So true that it practically symbolizes the dark side of the river for many folks in Ottawa. I don't know whether it's still true but the same guys tended to wear Cuban heels when they dressed up (to make up for their lack of height).

On the other hand, the British chav women would be totally at home in Downtown Kitchener!

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

So true that it practically symbolizes the dark side of the river for many folks in Ottawa. I don't know whether it's still true but the same guys tended to wear Cuban heels when they dressed up (to make up for their lack of height).

Had to look up Cuban heels and still not sure, but yeah you see men wearing boots with heels here. Not high pointy heels (talons aiguilles) of course, but thick heels - sure. It's not uncommon.

I am fairly tall and I definitely feel taller walking through crowd in the mall at Les Promenades than I do at Bayshore.

And I stand out more in Trois-Rivières than I do in Regina.

Probably another anecdotal non-scientific example of how many, many French Canadians have recessive aboriginal bloodlines.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

On the other hand, the British chav women would be totally at home in Downtown Kitchener!

You can see people resembling British Chav women here and there across Anglo-Canada. I've seen them in Australia too.

Whereas the stereotypes of lower class Québécois people are almost reminiscent of the negative stereotypes some people have of the Roms:

http://content6.flixster.com/questio...649168_std.jpg

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

So true that it practically symbolizes the dark side of the river for many folks in Ottawa.

Gino Camaro is a name used for them across French-speaking Canada.

In the Outaouais and also francophone Ottawa there are also local names: Jos Gat, Jos Gatineau and Ti-Jos Gatineau.

[Acajack]

Oh, and I almost forgot Jos Gatineau's faithful (OK maybe not always faithful) companion: Ginette Spray-Net!

[kwoldtimer]

Ginos and Ginettes was what my circle always called them.

Example of a (fairly high) man's Cuban heel.

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by GreatTallNorth2

Nope, no Roots stores anywhere but Canada and 2 stores in the USA. There is no way they could compete with the shops in Europe or USA. Why people pay $68 for baggy track pants is beyond me.

the track pants are so worth it, they are so comfy compared to other ones i have tried

anyway joe fresh is expanding overseas, theres a canadian brand

la senza (which started out canadian) has a number of overseas stores, south africa, UAE, saudi arabia

Roots has 75 outlets in taiwan and 16 in china

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

Ginos and Ginettes was what my circle always called them.

Example of a (fairly high) man's Cuban heel.

Yeah, I see men wearing stuff like this sometimes here. What about in K-W? Or Ottawa?

[OTSkyline]

Canadian fashion explained in one outfit? THIS --)

[Boris2k7]

Originally Posted by OTSkyline

Canadian fashion explained in one outfit? THIS --)

*shudder*

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Yeah, I see men wearing stuff like this sometimes here. What about in K-W? Or Ottawa?

I've never noticed it in Ottawa. In K-W you might see them on some ethnic types (Portuguese, Salvadoran) but I think that would be the rare exception rather than the rule. I once embarrassed myself by referring to the look as "greasy" only to realize that the person (born in Portugal, raised in small town Manitoba) to whom I had said it was wearing shoes with Cuban heels! I have had a peculiar sensitivity to them ever since.