Lake District Fashion. Come help deconstruct WTF is going on?

[nevergoogledragonbutter]

What is going on in the Lake District? Do these people always dress like this or just when they go on their holidays to the lake district?

I just can't quite put my finger on it. I understand that for those getting in a bit of hiking and climbing the technical gear is essential. But I notice alot of people wandering around the shops in ambleside and keswick in gators and camelbaks just shopping or having cups of coffee. None of the gear looks like it's taken a beating on a one-man/woman 3 day hike in rough conditions. They all have all their own fingers etc.

What's with the freaky everybody wears the same thing trend?

Is it like a gore-tex fetish?

Somebody help me understand.

[ProfessorLaytonIsMyZombieSlave]

They may be at the start of a holiday, or have just done a small-ish walk. From Keswick they could have gone over Cat Bells and round Derwentwater without looking as though they've been caught up in a hurricane, but it still makes sense to do it properly equipped.

We quite often use Camelbaks on regular days out now, though. They're remarkably practical just as a way of carrying water with you as a family.

[nevergoogledragonbutter]

It's the uniformity of it that makes me uneasy.

[aWitchForLifeNotJustHalloween]

pmsl @ goretex fetish

fashion as we know it has not reached South Lakeland, I guarantee.

[nevergoogledragonbutter]

Mmmm, vibram soles.

Confession: I do own a fair amount of this gear but avoid wearing it as much as possible. It's all too practical to be stylish.

[purepurple]

It's easy.
You go to the lakes for a break. You don't take any waterproofs.
It rains a lot.
You have to buy waterproofs just to wander around in the rain.

Or you fancy a bit of shopping.
The shops only sell walking gear.
You end up buying it.

[nevergoogledragonbutter]

No PP, i'm not talking about a cheap pair of waterproofs.
People are head to to in brand new, very expensive layers of fleece, windstopper, goretex, bridgedales and vibram soles. Camelbak water carriers on their backs and I suspect a GPS to help locate the nearest Field and Trek.

[Kathyis12feethighandbites]

If you're camping you have to take a preventive attitude to getting wet because unless it actually gets sunny you'll never get anything dry again. So it's tempting to put on waterproof trousers just because there's a single cloud in the sky.
Also if the campsite is really muddy you may need your gaiters just to get to the car.

Actually I can't bear seeing people wandering around in summer dresses and wearing make-up in the Lake District. It just looks wrong to me.

[ProfessorLaytonIsMyZombieSlave]

All weddings of inhabitants of the Lake District to take place at Barrow-in-Furness or Carlisle, by order...

(or be like this, perhaps?)

[SimonHowl]

its like in salcombe everyone dresses like ellen macarthur 0 to go to tesco

[Mumsnut]

Just back from the Lake District (early half-term); can Simon have seen me??

[Mumsnut]

Sorry, Dragon Butter it was ...

[nevergoogledragonbutter]

Yes! The Salcombe things is exactly the same. Everyone dresses in surf wear (despite there being no surf in salcombe) or in sailing gear. I suspect most of them will spend most of their time eating crab sandwiches and drinking cider in the pub before pottering round the shops.

[SimonHowl]

i wore black shoes in salcombe.
i thought they might tie me to a mast then stuff me face down into a Joules bag.

[nevergoogledragonbutter]

It must be possible to holiday in these places without losing your own sense of style.
When i go to festivals I give myself a talking to before hand about buying anything to wear.

[fluffles]

erm.. because when you get back to the car and you're bloody starving and need a cup of tea you don't want to have to strip and change in the car - you just wear what you were wearing on your walk

and because it rains all the bloody time and there's no point in having a stupid city coat and umbrella - better have proper waterproof jackets and (yes) even trousers.

and because the whole bloody point of the lake district is to get out in the elements (dressed appropriately) and not ponce around town dressed for a fashion shoot!!!

[MarthaFarquhar]

to be fair, in the North-West, if it's not raining right now, then it will be in a minute.

[SimonHowl]

"not ponce around town dressed for a fashion shoot!!!"

i think you have missed the point
why do epopel not wear normal clothes to have a cup of tea. once they hit Brownhills on the M6 is there a compulsory fleelce and Goretex zone?

[hatwoman]

it's because most people who visit the lake district don't really rank their appearance very high on their list of priorities. if they are there to enjoy the outdoors (and if they're not they're in the wrong place)they're going to have practical gear - goretex etc. and they really cant be bothered to pack a load of non goretex stuff for the days they might spend mooching around in cafes. it's like when you go ski-ing - the only people who go out in the evenings wearing a non-ski-jacket coat are vain or french. normal people would rather survive the non-stylishness of going out in a ski-jacket than bother packing another coat. ditto goretex in the lakes.

[hatwoman]

why do epopel not wear normal clothes to have a cup of tea

but "normal clothes", in the lakes are ones suited to the outdoors and the rain. so wearing something different whilst having a cup of tea would mean bringing/changing into special having a cup-of-tea clothes. therein madness lies.

[brimfull]

I once went for rather energetic walk in the brecon beacons wearing a short denim skirt and wooly stockings !!
yes stockings not tights

[MmeGoblindt]

I go out with a hiking group on Friday mornings. We meet at 10am, hike (well walk swiftly) for 2 hours then have lunch in a restaurant.

Most of the women take rucksacks, some of them camelbaks, snack for our break halfway through, gaiters, sticks.

It is not as if we are going for a hike in the hills, most days we are on farm paths.

They all have the whole goretex range on.

I think they like to look like serious hikers. The Lake District tourist are the same, you ahve to fit in.

[nevergoogledragonbutter]

oh but they are ranking there appearance, and they are poncing around like models straight out of the catalogues.

it's head to toe co-ordinated!

it may not be catwalk fashion but it is most definitely a deliberate look.

my hiking gear (and don't think I'm not capable, I mountain bike, hike, kayak etc) is raggedy and worn. I have bobbly thermals and there are oil stains and rips in my trousers and old mud on my boots. But if i'm just pottering around I just wear jeans, tops, and a normal coat.

I imagine I wore make up for my striding edge endeavour. I can't see why not?

[shallishanti]

decent outdoor gear is expensive
like someone said if you live in the NW rain is inevitable and some of us can't afford 2 sets of weatherproof outerwear (1. serious stuff for the fells 2. other stuff for cafes)

[applepudding]

DH and I used to go the Lake District a lot when we were first married - DH always had all the gear because he's the sort of person who will spend a fortune on equipment whatever he's doing - even if he only does it once. The first couple of times we went I wore old leggings and jeans, but felt out of place and it wasn't long before I was head to toe in Rohan gear.

Its like anything - fashion is what others around you are wearing and fitting in.