New York is for lovers

So I went to New York last weekend. Every time I go back, I am reminded why I love it and why I belong there.

I'm in love with Manhattan. I'm talking passionate, unyielding, crazy stupid, in love. Coming back to Oxford was like breaking up with my true love to go back to an ex who I still like but no longer have strong feelings for. Depressing, to say the least.

There are lots of reasons I love New York. The people are friendly. (No, really, it's true.) Central Park at 11 a.m. on a spring day. The feeling of the subway whizzing by. The huge abundance of stuff to do.

And the fashion. Yeah, yeah, New York is the fashion capital of the world. When someone who has never been to New York thinks of that, she might be inclined to think that everyone walks around in haute couture, drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes whilst making sure everyone knows why they are better than them.

But it's not like that. I think the reason NYC is considered the fashion capital of the world is because, generally speaking, people who live in New York simply make an effort to dress well.

Casual wear in Oxford consists typically of Nike shorts, an oversized T-shirt and Rainbow flip flops. This is a Rainbow and North Face campus. It's unfortunate, to say the least.

But in New York, casual wear consists of dark skinny jeans, a fashionable top of some sort and cute flats, paired with a cute bag and jewelry. It's not even necessary to spend a ton of money to look cute, and New Yorkers are a prime example. I've never been in an H&M that wasn't packed to the brim, and many people I know from the area rave about stores like H&M and Uniqlo. Just because you're a New Yorker doesn't mean you have to spend lots of dough to look cute.

Walking around New York is like being in a candy store of fashion. Rarely do you see something awful, and even people who dress in a manner that I would consider poor at least have their own style. Bad clothing in Oxford tends to be not only fugly but also typical. Pretty miz. At least in New York, people who dress badly do it in their own way.

I did see a couple atrocities though. I saw a kid with a rat tail. Really? People still sport those? He was in the airport so I'm not really claiming it as New York City. But still. People who either have rat tails or let their kids have rat tails need to be learned a thing or two.

I also saw a woman on the subway who was just awful. She was beautiful with a kickin' body - it wouldn't be surprising at all if she modeled professionally. But her outfit was tragic. She had on a satin ankle-length skirt with a ruffled slit up to her thigh, paired with a sequin and bead embellished spaghetti-strap top and dangly faux pearl earrings.

It was just off. Nothing matched and everything was too embellished: ruffles, beads and pearls. All too much.

It was actually quite shocking-considering she looked like a model and was in the fashion capital of the world. But I guess even New Yorkers eff it up sometimes.

Until next time, majorly yours.