Interesting. Style.

It is really interesting to see how styles of living and clothing differ so much. Possibly, influence from europeans. I hear all sorts of languages and accents all day long. I am amazed how many French there are here. Whatever the reason, I, personally, think it is great.

So, observations of style :

*simple

*sleek

*clean

*classic

*seasonal

*accessorized

I also noticed a difference between authentic groups : caucasians are definitely of a "classy" type looks, asians and middle eastern are very authentic, african americans are very ... ummmm....utah like. I know - hilarious , but TRUE. What I thought was SOOOOOO cool in Utah, is... laying in the very bottom drawer of my closet. I mean, you wouldn't dress up in kimono and feel good, and go to work with a 32 toothed grin, unless you were asian, right? So, same here. Any takers?! Just whistle! I REALLY don't want to store anything.

Styles of clothing and life are definitely , definitely different, but I found a bazillion pluses. Here are some:

"Buy for today only"

life : since there are no really big kitchens here ( well, let me re-phrase : there are NO kitchens here) , there is no point ( or room) to be stalking you cupboards ( or fridge) . BUT! There are markets , year around, 4 times a week. Fantastic prices, fresh produce, HUGE variety. Allows one to try all sorts of new ideas. Sky is the limit. And NO waste.

style: Buying for a season only. First seems like a lot, but it is really? Let's think about it.

I love the seasonal changes, and the "this season" staples. You buy less, and you wear it out. Those that are more timeless can transition into next season/year, "fashion peaks" surely use their lifespan to the max. I hit an absolute jackpot when , before coming here, I bought kids some inter-changeable outfits. Yeah, I spent a little time brainstorming at the store(s), but let me tell you : it's been FANTASTIC!

* all the pieces can go together in ANY order, creating a good number of possibilities that look good all the time( unbeatable bonus especially when hubby dresses them or they dress themselves)

*takes grand total of 3 hangers

*laundry is EASY

*although wear the same stuff over again, don't look it : hence is the beauty of inter-changeable

*always "in style", and noone needs to know that it really didn't cost you that much ( after all a true lady will never reveal how much something cost her)

"Quality over quantity"

life: there are a whole lot more people ( actually, almost all) buying organic/green everything: from food to cleaners and dishes. Did I ever mentioned that Whole Foods here is Utah's Albertsons? And prices are GREAT too. I was not going crazy when I told one of my friends that prices must vary by the store : they DO. Organic greens in Whole Foods here are the price of conventional ones in UT. Also... Bed, Bath & beyond is a new Target here. As a matter of fact, we even WENT to Target, only to figure out that BBB is cheaper ( and cooler) . Crazy. Fun, though.

style: a big taker is jewelry. You hardly ever see a caucasian person layered in blings, plastic matching bolds or gold pleated jewelry, or knock offs. It maybe subtle , but the jewelry i see here, are peaces of art, yet wearable. I am yet to see a similar, not mentioning identical , engagement-wedding ring, unless it is a plain band. Quality and design are really appreciated here. European influence? I'm sure. New England , after all. Love it.