#Santa #Fe 16th #Worst #Dressed

                      As noted in the  New Mexican’s El mitote gossip column, July, 2011:   “Santa Fe made another top list – only this one is for being the worst-dressed.  GQ Magazine picked us as the 16^th worst-dressed city in the country, laying some of the blame at the feet of Georgia O’Keefe.

                       Stayton Bonner writes, “Ever since her New Mexico paintings hit Manhattan, New Yorkers have clogged the City Different with New Age lameness and Yankee notions of how the American West should look (and it doesn’t look good.)  As a consequence, modern-day Santa Fe is Western like an Outback Steakhouse is Australian.”  At 16, Santa Fe is ranked between Atlanta (17) and Provo, Utah (15).

             Santa Fe Reporter: Ouch! Santa Fe is 16th Worst-Dressed City in US  GQ's admittedly unprofessional ranking system derides SW-chic By Alexa Schirtzinger

                   I've never been reluctant to criticize such style missteps as Val Kilmer's 
             abhorrently huge bolo tie--but even I can't stand being ridiculed by GQ 
             magazine. “                                 
                    Another local response: “When I discovered that Santa Fe was named number 16 on GQ’s The 40 Worst Dressed Cities in America, I was steamed.   The truth: we’re not so fashionable here.   But, REALLY, “western like an Outback Steakhouse is Australian”? That hurts.                                
         “It’s not so much that we dress badly. In The City Different we dress, well, differently- from you and from each other. As befits a western town, it’s chock full of individuals. Yeah, you see outrageously great and expensive cowboy boots, tall Stetsons, concho belts and amazing silver and turquoise jewelry around town, especially when the big markets bring a lot of visitors in.  
           But, that’s only part of the story. Dress is eclectic in this casual city. You’ll see anything and everything from broomstick skirts to linen pants, from western shirts to Polo.   At the Santa Fe Opera and in some of the high-end restaurants, black tie is sitting next to jeans and they don’t bat an eye, either of them.  We all dress the way we want It’s part of the charm. They just aren’t fashionable and most people probably don’t give a hoot. And ultimately, who cares? But couldn’t GQ have put us on the list and called it a day?                                                                       
        Signed:  And proudly thin skinned.”                               
        COMMENT:   My personal attitude, whenever there is silly criticism and even sillier responses: be proud, never shameful.  Yes, people in Santa Fe dress like escapees from Mad Hatter’s Dude Ranch.  And the tourists, with colorful Bermudas and high, black socks, resemble sculptures criticizing the middle class.                                                                            And we should be proud of that.  Our fashion “errors” set trends in New York and make us look like Chicagoans on vacation.  Yes, we seldom dress up, almost never wear suits (unless we have been recently indited), and can no longer tie a tie because we haven’t worn one since we arrived in Santa Fe.  Be a Santa Fean and be proud!