When you visit different countries around the world, are you enamored by the unique style of the people? Do you notice trends that are rooted in the culture of certain cities and try to mimic them? If you are a fashionista, love to travel, and yearn for fresh ideas, SafetravelRX has five destinations that are bound to offer inspiration for a wardrobe update.
Seoul, South Korea
From fleece coats to military boots, Seoul streetwear has earned its' trendy reputation. With the vast influence of Korean culture, such as K-Pop and K-films, the South Korean capital influences styles worldwide. Combining tourism with the many fashion-related events held in Seoul, this city calls for fashionable but comfortable clothes. During the dry winter season (November-April), it is best to pack the usual winter garments such as light jackets, simple coats, tees, and long pants. The warmer months (May-October) call for more athleisure attire, such as shorts, tanks, and breathable silk dresses. Overall, the main rule to match this city's comfortable yet stylish wardrobe is to remain minimal and simple with a neutral color palette of black, nude, or brown. Most of the garments worn by residents of Seoul have little to no designs or prints, but logos still seem to be an ongoing fad, especially ones that don't have anything to do with fashion brands. Yale University, CNN, Billboard, National Geographic, Kodak, and Major League Baseball (MLB) are some of the many examples that you will see emblazoned on T-shirts.
Milan, Italy
In cities like Milan and Paris, style seems to be in the genes. Milan is one of the world's fashion capitals and with good reason. The city is home to numerous legacy couture brands founded by families and passed down through the generations, like Prada, Fendi, and Ferragamo, just to name a few. While spring and summer call for more relaxed outfits, the style is still sophisticated. Flowy sundresses, pleated skirts, cargo shorts, and polo shirts are necessities for a comfortable yet fashionable vacation. Tailored suits, bright colors like pink and purple, and bomber jackets are some of the trends for men. The overall dress becomes edgier in fall and winter with heavy leather coats, menswear-inspired clothes for women, metallics, and faux fur. Accessories include sporty sunglasses and high boots for footwear. Just don't make the mistake of wearing white sneakers with socks, no matter what time of year. The Milanese are sophisticated, and they like to dress the part.
Tokyo, Japan
Tokyo, Japan, is widely known for its Harajuku and streetwear fashion, which gained influence across the United States in the early aughts. Harajuku fashion takes its name from the area close to Harajuku Station on the Yamanote railway line in Tokyo. Harajuku fashion is a Japanese subculture inspired by the popular anime that originated in Japan. Though the Harajuku style is more fantasy and cartoonish, streetwear trends have a much darker color palette. Baggy clothes and layering are commonly seen on the streets of Tokyo. This modern-day streetwear has trickled down over the years, being inspired by new and old Japanese traditions such as the Kimono. You will see a lot of mixing and matching with different patterns, colors, and textiles, all with black undertones in each piece. Since Japan is still slightly more modest, revealing too much skin is not the norm. But you can’t go wrong with a lot of black with accents of color in long skirts, layered jackets, coats, oversized tees, and sweaters.
London, United Kingdom
London, another fashion capital of the world, does not shy away from making bold statements. Much of what's seen in the streets of London adheres to a simple yet maximalist style. Day-to-day life in London requires a fair amount of walking, so sneakers, wedges, or boots should be your go-to footwear. Vibrant color choices and layering with maxi skirts (for men and women), floral trousers, turtlenecks, color block trench coats, and logo monoprints will make you look like an insider. Stylish raincoats are a staple in London fashion in spring and summer due to the weather. Light jackets, cardigans, boxy suits, and sweaters are recommended in the fall and winter. And gender fluidity in dress is extremely popular.
Lagos, Nigeria
Okay, here's one you weren't expecting. Beautiful Lagos, home to hundreds of markets and districts, is vastly becoming a significant fashion capital in Africa and even gaining attention globally. Almost any venue in Lagos serves inspiration on a silver platter, from the clothes to the art to the music to the range of foods. Nigerian-based designers and tourists flock to places like the Lekki Market, which offer a variety of retail shops that include crafts, vibrant textiles and fabrics, accessories, and more. The everyday streetwear in Lagos consists of bright colors, tribal prints, culturally relevant patterns, etc. Most Nigerian streetwear and couture stay true to the exaggerated silhouettes of traditional Nigerian clothing. And although wearing shorts or t-shirts in Western countries is normal, most Muslim areas in Lagos do not allow them. So wear long pants and shirts in lighter fabrics to deal with the humidity.
So, whether you are looking to update your wardrobe or get in some amazing people-watching, you will have plenty of options for both in the cities mentioned above. And if you want to be on the cutting edge in knowing about upcoming trends, consider visiting them during Fashion Week in the spring or fall.
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