I just got back from London, and I noticed something almost immediately: nobody was wearing sneakers.
Okay, that's dramatic. Some people were. But nowhere near the way New Yorkers do.
In NYC, we've mastered the art of the outfit change. We leave the apartment in Sambas, carry our actual shoes in a tote bag, and somehow arrive at dinner looking completely effortless. Our going-out looks are unmatched. Nobody does the tiny top, vintage leather jacket, and perfectly undone cool-girl uniform quite like New York.
But London? London has casual dressing figured out.
Girls are running around the city in platform boots, chunky loafers, ballet flats, and even heels in the middle of the day. And somehow, they still look relaxed. Nothing feels overly styled, but nothing feels accidental either.
Maybe that's because London fashion has always been influenced by rebellion. Punk. Britpop. Camden. Vivienne Westwood. Kate Moss leaving a nightclub at 3 a.m. looking cooler than everyone else.
New York, on the other hand, is driven by hustle. The city practically invented the model-off-duty uniform. Fashion here is practical because life here is practical. We walk everywhere, commute everywhere, and somehow convince ourselves that a sneaker and a blazer is a complete personality.
Then there are the ultimate style ambassadors.
London gives us Dua Lipa, Alexa Chung, Sienna Miller, and Charli XCX: women who mix vintage, Y2K, tailoring, and a little bit of chaos.
New York gives us the Olsen twins, Chloë Sevigny, Zoë Kravitz, and every downtown girl who's somehow wearing men's trousers, a tank top, and vintage sunglasses while carrying an iced coffee.
NYC still owns nightlife. But after one week in London, I have to ask:
Have British girls quietly become the queens of casual dressing?
I think they might have.