STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

Mia · Kate Spade

RE: Personality by Region

Meow · Coach

I was born, raised, and live in south Alabama. We are very friendly, I think. Strangers will raise their hand to wave at you when they meet you on a highway, especially county roads.

Metric · Gucci

quote:
Originally posted by: Mia
" Brazen - Do we really say "eh"? I don't know anyone who says that! I always thought it was something other people thought we said. I know Ontarians do but..."

Ok, maybe BC/West Coast people don't say it. But Albertan's totally do. My boss (who is from Whiterock) bugs me about it constantly. And since Albertan's are totally redneck/wannabe Texans, I notice lots of people starting to say things like "Y'all" alot.

bex · Chanel

quote:
Originally posted by: CarrieS
"The only things I've really heard to generalize the midwest (I'm in Iowa) are that we're friendly and hard-working. "

i'm in ohio. i think people think the same of us too. i often notice that in bigger cities (NYC or LA) they prefer to hire mid-west people b/c of the above fact...

however, i associate my personality with the Northeast- fast talking, fast moving and extremely sarcastic...

Irene · Dooney & Bourke

Hmm, this is interestnig. I have been thinking about it since yesterday.

I don't know about the rest of the Northeast but as far as people in NYC, there is no real stereotype. I say this because in NYC there are 8 million people and about 1/2 of them originated somewhere else in the US. So you have people from CA, TX, SC, KY, and everywhere is in this tiny city. And this fact, I think, makes it difficult to stereostype NYC'ers.

However, I do think there are some standards for living here: you must be quick on your feet and quick-minded. Most of us are impatient but I only think some of us are sarcastic.

I have found as of recently that NYC'ers seem a lot nicer than they used to be. At least that is my opinion.

dc · Dooney & Bourke

Hmmm.... I dunno. I guess DC is sort of part of the Northeast, and there are definitely some assholes here, but they're not from DC. Politics attracts all sorts of undesireables. People always act surprised when I tell them I am actually from here, born and raised, and say "But you're so nice!" Also, they act surprised because you rarely meet anyone who is actually from here (most of my friends are, but I've known them for like 20 years). And the thing is, everyone I know who is actually from here is very nice. It's the jerks who come here to work that are self-important bastards (which is where I got the material for my column about manners this month). Then again, I fit the stereotype in a lot of other ways, like being an east coast liberal and somewhat impatient and stressed out. And I am somewhat sarcastic, though mostly in a self-deprecating way, not in a mean way.

That said, when I go out to Santa Fe I notice a huge difference in how people are. People will strike up conversation while you're out shopping or whatever - it's very laid-back and friendly. Here in D.C. whenever I make a comment to a stranger - even in the elevator of my building -they look at me like I am a crazy lady. People just stay in their own little zone and can be sort of closed off and suspicious. It makes it difficult to meet people, and it's also frustrating because I am generally a friendly person. Last night I was at a show at the 9:30 club and my friends and I fell in with a group of strangers and ended out hanging out with them, which struck me as unusual in DC until I found out they were from Va Beach (we were like, so THAT's why you're so friendly!). People here just do not mingle. It's refreshing to me to go somewhere else like NM or even down to my parents' place in rural VA, where people wave as you drive by.

ViViDogWear · Kate Spade

This is such a funny topic! A group of us were talking bout something like this at my last BBQ. Now, none of the BF's/guys are originally from Orange County, so they have this whole thing about "O.C. girls" and even in Cali it is so regionalized, "West LA", "O.C.", "Brentwood", "Sherman Oaks, etc...

I've heard girls rudely refer to me as someone from the "Orange Curtain". But in sentiment, I am kind of the O.C. girl but not Blonde and buxom-y :P

My perception:

O.C. - generally in an upper middle to upper income families. Optimistic, friendly, conservative, materialistic, health and earth conscious (at least they try to be).

L.A. - poor to the filthy rich... it runs gamut! I would say L.A. girls think they are more savvy, street-wise, tough, sophisticated, trend-setters, do your own thing, earth conscious, health conscious, fit, and individualistic. Think they are more like NYC girls.

Northern CA - think they have more pressing issues of wordly concern than the So Cal airheads (this is IMHO what they percieve). Not so friendly until you try to talk to them and they warm up to you.

NYC - I love NY! Savvy, streetwise, natrually and effortlessly chic, fit from walking all the time, edgy, educated, and yes Sarcastic!

Southerners - I've spent many vacations in Georgia where there are some of the nicest people you'll ever meet! Texas - white people look at the Asian family in the mall like we got the ebola virus or something!

New England - takes some getting used to. ahem... everyone does their own thing. In Boston, looks like everyone stepped out of A&F or J Crew and all the guys came from Crew practice.

Northwest - laid back, modern day hippies. Friendly.

Islanders - ahhh - exuding the essence of Aloha