Regional Fashion Phenomena

   

When it comes to fashion, you wouldn't think there was much room for stylistic variation on an island as small as little old Blighty, but you would indeed be mistaken.
    Geography, and science and all that shiz dictates that the further a place is from the equator, the colder it will be. FACT! You would then think that accordingly, the colder the area you are in, the more clothes you would therefore wear in order to keep warm. WRONG!
    This weekend, I braved the treacherous crossing of the M25 and left London for the smokily northern city of Manchester. Wild I know, but there is nothing like visiting the north to remind you of why you pay so much to live in London.  Despite being only 200 miles (a  pifling distance to anyone but the English, but hey, I am English) or so further north, Manchester is considerably colder than London, and I chose to equip myself for a night's drinking with a coat, cardigan, scarf, and thick tights. In addition to my other clothes obviously!
    Imagine my shock then when the train into town was filled with masses of white dimpled skin, exposed to the elements, defended only by whimsical shorts and minimal vest tops. Fashion it seems has developed a strange backwards microcosm above Birmingham where the colder the weather seems to mean less clothes. Perhaps they have all been watching Neighbours too much, those Australians do love a bit of skin!