Long overdue response: Brooklyn style

A couple of months ago, I sent out a challenge to my readers: I asked anyone to give me a topic, and I promised I would write a post about that topic.
I have already addressed the three topics provided by my verbose sister, but I have neglected (until now) to respond to the one topic proposed by Sarah B., an old friend of mine from back in the day (elementary school, that is).

Here is what Sarah B. wrote to me:

"Here's a topic - Brooklyn style. Is there one? Thoughts? Are beards ironic? "

ANSWER:

This is a tricky subject, Sarah B. It is difficult for me to feel justified in any attempt to define "Brooklyn style," as Brooklyn is such a massive NYC borough, with widely varying modes of dress and grooming. Also, I've only lived here for nine years. I suppose nine years is a decent amount of time to get a read on a place, but I am well aware that there are tons of folks who've lived here longer than myself.
And... having lived here through most of my 20s, I can't really say how fashion/style differs here from other locations. I have developed my own style, and my friends have developed their own styles, while living inside an NYC bubble, for the most part.

I am most familiar with the 20s-30s demographic, specifically college-educated kids who moved to Brooklyn after graduation and have now lived here for 5-15 years. I am describing most of my friends here:
-On the whole, we dress stylishly but with comfort in mind. Lots of jeans. Lots of second-hand clothes from hip second-hand stores, lots of mixing and matching carefully chosen items from less expensive stores like Uniqlo and H&M. Most of us are artists, so there's not a lot of disposable income for sartorial indulgences, but we can be creative with what we've got. I've seen my friends grow into their own styles over the years without even realizing it. Personally, I splurge on nice jeans (I live in jeans), but top off most of my outfits with $7 shirts from Old Navy.
-Brooklyn is definitely more casual than Manhattan. There seems to be less of a need to impress here. Folks wanna look good, but they do it mostly, I think, for themselves. Trends and brand names are less important than personal taste.

I think style has a lot to do with how you present yourself with body language, etc. You have to have some level of confidence to stick it out in NYC for any length of time, and I think that translates into personal style. You can get away with a lot, clothing-choices-wise, if you believe you look good and present yourself that way.

As far as beards go...I will say that an inordinate number of the males in my life were found sporting beards this past winter - a couple of them even retained the facial hair into the spring and summer.
I don't think the beard choice was an ironic one for most of them. And if it were, I'd be likely to make fun of them for it. I do think, however, that the sudden beard-sprouting was possibly influenced by the likes of music groups such as Band of Horses (I'm not kidding - I really believe this).
If you start venturing into certain Brookyn neighborhoods where the ratio of hipsters to everone else is high (think: Williamsburg), then it's quite likely that you'll run into some irony (or plain stupidity) in grooming choices. I tend to avoid those neighborhoods.

Final thought:
I think the beard is a totally justified winter option in Brooklyn. We don't live out in the country or anything here, but we do spend a helluva lotta time walking around outside - more so, I am sure, than in many other parts of the country - and a little face protection couldn't hurt in that daily cold walk from the apartment to the subway to the job to the subway to the drinks with friends to the subway to the apartment, etc.

Was this a more straight-ahead approach to your question than you were expecting, Sarah B.? I suppose I am in a very non-ironic frame of mind these days, and that's a good thing. Eh, I've never been a big fan of irony.
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