I think stylistically, there’s been very big changes in the manner of dressing in the US since you were here. Comparatively, and as much as you decry it, I saw more people in Prague who distinguished themselves by dressing than is currently the case here. Here, it’s increasingly a battle of the brands; people’s clothing seems more and more the same.

People in the US pride themselves on being helpful and friendly so some may be uncomfortable with your assessment. I think your points are valid based on my own experience but it’s a matter of comparatives and culture. Most people here have few points of comparison beyond the occasional vacation abroad which never provides a complete picture (this is tested domestically by visiting a tourist area; locals are more guarded than in non tourist areas).

Culturally, it’s multi-faceted. Living in an area with lots of migration (OC California) is less friendly that an area with a static population. Even the context in which you meet others matters. Cognitively, people don’t want to “invest” in caring about someone who won’t be there the next day. Groups like churches are typically friendlier for two reasons. One, there is the social expectation that they should be and two, their population is more stable. I agree it is more difficult to find friendliness; here you must work your way into hospitable social groups like churches or groups involved with social causes.

At first, I really must to laugh. Czech design!!! There is no Czech design….that’s just people don’t care what to wear…It’s not much about money, though Czech people like to buy things on sale. You see, for 40 years there was communism here and it destroyed any sort of culture. Czech people used to dress very nicely before the war, as well as their behavior was much better, nicer, gentler. The communism taught people that they don’t get any reward on what they do, so they became lazy. Didn’t care about things.

So that’s just it. They buy whatever they find first and what’s for a good price and what they feel good in, so that means they rather wear jeans and odd combinations of sportswear and classic wear, because they have no sense for design.

We used to be a big manufacturing country 70 years ago, but communism and China caused that most of our factories closed, so now we import most of the things. As for apparel, we mainly import things, there’s only one real Czech company that makes classic clothing and has their own drafting system etc. (the “Czech drafting system). It’s called OP Prostějov. So people here mainly buy from H&M, C&A, Promod, Terranova. I think mainly buy from shops as Terranova and Kenvelo, beacause they’re cheap. Ughhh…hate that.

Actually our economy is far better than “people from the west” think. We have many people in the middle class (opposite to Russia – they have no middle class, just “poor” and “rich” people). Most of our people have a nice income that covers their need without having to work too much. In America, you have to work very hard to get a living, here it’s much easier, people have 8-day jobs and they have quite some time for themselves…for us, life is not work, life is the freetime after work. We like to go to restaurants, inns, hiking, travelling.
America is, in my opinion, a very rough country. If something goes wrong, nobody helps you. You’re on your own. Here, there are still many possibilities and chances to give you a new start if you lose a job or something.

Yes, we have many pretty girls…there is no reason for it. Slovanian race always had pretty women (Slovakia, Poland, Slovenia…they all have nice girls). Women here care about themselves about as half as much as in the US…there, all women go to the manicure every week or so, visit their hairdresser very often…spend 1 hour in the bathroom every day:-) It’s a lot of money and time. We just don’t want to spend it all on appearance. There are more important things. You’ll notice, the more east you go, the deeper the minds of the people. Russia and Ukraine have the most deep thinking people I ever knew.

I think it’s really terrible how people dress here. I feel ashamed.

I will dig them out and take some pictures. I went back last year to the same store. It has changed format to carry sporting goods and clothes, but I found a pair of the same pants, lined with polyfill. Unfortunately these were too small for offspring. Fortunately, I would be happy to cut them up. I’ve carefully put them somewhere. When I remember where, I’ll send pictures.

Sport coats so reminds me of 50s and 60s (possibly earlier) movies and TV shows where almost every man wore one or was in a suit.

I have just read your tutorial series on the “camel toe”. I recently made a leotard for my daughter that has a camel toe…it could very well be my cutting out, but could you give us some pointers for eliminating the camel toe in a briefs pattern as opposed to a pants pattern. Thanks, K