I’m a native Atlantan who moved to New York City. Then back to Atlanta. Eventually back to New York City. Then back to Atlanta. Therefore, I am always fascinated by what outsiders think of Southerners. Especially their fashion sense. Most Southerners are stylish, and many people find that surprising. It shouldn’t be.
We’re not quite the hillbillies everyone outside of the South believes us to be. One of my favorite memories of first discovering this Southern stereotype outsiders had was from an NYC fashion director. He flew down to Dallas for an event and came back to Manhattan. On his return he said, “Wow, I was surprised. People dress really well in the South. I saw some fierce Gucci and Valentino.” Another time a co-worker who visited Atlanta for the week was shocked to find that “people dress really well there and take some fashion risks.” She was astounded to see both women and men donning high-end designers at a charity dinner. Yes ma’am, Southerners are stylish.
In addition, if you ever question whether Southerners are stylish, take a trip to Charleston; Atlanta; Nashville, New Orleans, Dallas or Houston, and look around. Remember that Atlanta is the only other city in the country to have had a Jeffrey Fashion Cares outside of New York. And a little birdie told me the event is returning in some form or… ahem, fashion soon. So get ready for that.
The NBAF Fine Art + Fashion, Forward Arts Luncheon and Corps de Ballet luncheon are other sartorial events with a scene that always wows. SCAD Fashion brings designers like Zac Posen, Ralph Rucci, Oscar de la Renta to Atlanta and Savannah. Virgil Abloh’s Figures of Speech showed at the High Museum after it left The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. We don’t play.
Now, maybe that isn’t true everywhere across the South. There are plenty of rural areas that don’t have access to high-end fashion like a Neiman Marcus or a dedicated Dior store. Therefore, those residents usually care more about what kind of hunting or horseback riding gear they have on than if they own expensive designer shoes. (And that’s actually what makes them so lovable.)
Still, there are many places South of the Mason-Dixon that do focus on fashion. But, even if they don’t have a Saks or a YSL, they sure know how to find the best thing at whatever department store is nearby. And they can always pair it with something from a local boutique on Main Street. And it’s almost always accompanied by a full face of makeup. What always struck me about those comments from my co-workers and friends who weren’t Southern, was the surprise about the “styling” of the pieces.
Women and men in the South have truckloads of style. Boatloads. Have you heard that saying, “In the South, bare feet and pearls go with any outfit?” Hell, we dress up for the occasion, even if it doesn’t call for it. After all, we’re the only region in the country that wears dresses and fancy clothing to football games and Sunday suppers. Even my sister spent our childhood dolling up to go to the grocery store and wearing sunglasses the whole time. (She wanted to be a TV and film star even then!)
If you haven’t seen The Atlantan’s D’anne Heckert (pictured below) dress up for apple picking or a backyard party and then turn around and go to a black-tie gala the next night, then you’re missing out. Or interior designer Liz Moore McDermott of Palm Beach, New York and Atlanta. McDermott can turn any boat ride in Nantucket or small dinner party into a fashion show. She also can charm anyone with her Southern hospitality. Then there’s PR maven Marsha Archer (pictured at Jeffrey Fashion Cares) who I’ve never seen make a fashion misstep. I also adore Tami Reed who is always mixing high and low fashions on her beloved blog, Talking with Tami.
Not to mention Marsha Chin-Glover, Danielle Rollins, Jada Loveless, Shaye Strager, Elizabeth Schulte Roth, Sarah Bray-West and Amy Nelson. (I know I’m missing beaucoups of mentions here.) And then there’s the men. I immediately think of the dapper Dedrick Thomas, Alex Hitz, Michel Smith Boyd, Wes Gordon and the late Mychael Knight among countless others.
Above all, those same fashionable Southerners can find a fabulous handmade leather purse at a country store in the mountains. Or a pair of one-of-a-kind cowboy boots at the horse and feed store on their way out to the farm. They may even pair them with their Balmain sweater and Derek Lam pants. After all, that’s what makes them Two-Sided Southern.
Of course, Southerners have a way of making denim, bandanas and comfy cowboy boots look fabulous too. All with little effort.
