Because I have such a diverse background and have studied Inter-cultural communications, multi-cultural marketing, and more I was prepared for the differences I have found in Berlin. I expected it to be less diverse, for facial expressions to be mundane, for the weather to be colder, even for the architecture to mirror a communistic past. However, I was not prepared for two and three inch heels! Fashion is one thing that I thought would be universal.
I took the above picture in the subway station after a few days of being baffled by the choice of such low heels. In an area with Sex and The City posters plastered everywhere I thought the median heel height would be around four inches. In my experiences the power of Sex and the City could coerce a straight man into five-inch, five hundred plus dollar Manolo’s. Shockingly when I saw the masterpiece (Sex and The City) in Germany’s capitol I thought I might see stiletto heels, but I was wrong. I saw more two and three inch heels in the theater than an Episcopalian Senior’s Bingo mixer.
This is a great culture shock to me because when the first Sex and the City movie came out I went to see it in New York, New York and every person in the theater had on four-inch heels or higher. I was one of the women wearing five-inch heels in New York. I wore the heels because of the many American sub-cultures I identify with “pop-culture” is one of them. In an attempt to understand how German’s identify with popular media, I did something we’ve been doing since the days of clogs and moccasins- I asked them.
My new German friends told me they were not so much influenced by Pop-culture but did enjoy it. I asked one if she was a Fan of Sex and the City and what she thought about heels. She said she only has two pairs of heels although she loves all heels, she can’t walk in all of them. (Interesting, her response was very logical, but what’s logical about Fashion?). An American woman in her twenties would spend her lunch money, accrue credit card debt, and even wait in a line in the cold for a pair of shoes, that squeeze her toes, hurt her soles, and twist her ankles all in the name of fashion.
What sticks out from my observation of German and American pop-culture as it relates to shoes is logic. I think in every country in every continent a killer pair of pumps is a killer pair of pumps, is a killer pair of pumps. However in a city with cobblestone sidewalks and a history like Berlin’s, prancing around in the come “f” me’s is quite illogical. In America, well it’s still illogical but its just one more price we pay in the name of fashion.
Hey Alicia, I really liked your post. Your analysis on the German way to fashion is absolutely true and accurate. I also thought about the reasons behind Germans' unwillingness to dress fashionably and I think it has something to do with the Teutonic mentality. For Germans, clothes and shoes have just to be more practical than fashionable. Nevertheless, I also admit that at least in Germany's capital, I expected to see a more glamorous way of taking care of everyone's own appearance.
ReplyDeleteI too must agree with your post Alicia. Before arriving in Berlin I had expected to see very chic "European" fashion. However, my experience has been quite the opposite. As Lorenzo mentions above people here seem to dress for practicality more so than for fashion. On the subways I have taken note of the shoes and attire worn by the passengers. Most of the passengers are wearing Adidas shoes-mainly athletic footwear. My assumption is that because people are using public transit all day and maneuvering themselves throughout different stations on bike or by walking it would be quite difficult to do so in uncomfortable shoes. In south Florida I always wear high heels when I am going out for dinner and drinks and I have attempted to do so here as well. However, not having the luxury to get in my car and just walk from my car to my final destination does make it difficult to dress according to my liking. Also, as you mentioned in your post most of the sidewalks are cobblestone, presenting another hinderance from wearing high heels or uncomfortable shoes.
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