United states.
Brazil.they can dress as well as they undress.
Australia. It takes hours of work .to look these effortless
United kingdom.
Japan.unique glow hmm.colourful.
France
If you dress like this u ll have a perma smug grin too.
Sweden.luke ki lives the swedish fashion code.less is more
Italy.gianni agnelli didn't need color to shine ..
First impressions count.
That, no doubt, is why few first dates take place in
lederhosen.
For the traditional Germans among us, no offense
intended.
But there's something about a sharply cut suit, or a
well-matched sweater-pant combo that hits the style
spots small leather shorts and braces can’t.
Of course in a Turkish steam bath even a pair of
board shorts would be considered over-dressed. But
that’s an extreme we needn't worry about here.
So which country has the best-dressed people?
Is it even possible or fair to evaluate an entire country
on the sartorial whims of its fashionable elite?
Probably not.
But that’s not going to stop us. And it shouldn’t stop
you either.
Which country do you think has the best-dressed
people? Share your thoughts in the comments
section.
8. United States
The global reach of its
style innovations has
matched the geopolitical
importance of the United
States.
From blue jeans and
western wear such as
checked shirts and
cowboy hats to the preppy
school and hip hop street
threads, casual American
looks have permeated cultures from Columbia to
Cambodia.
There have been missteps along the way -- leather
shoestrings and Crocs to name two -- but at its best
American fashion embodies a classic aesthetic that's
hard to resist.
Big labels such as Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger and
Calvin Klein are among the most copied brands on the
planet. Their ubiquity doesn't mean that the
Americans don't have some cutting-edge aces up their
sleeves.
Marc Jacobs is rightfully regarded as a modern master
while high-end labels such as Proenza Schouler, Zac
Posen, Tuleh, Peter Som and Derek Lam are giving the
European fashion powerhouses a run for their money.
Classic example
Steve McQueen. It takes guts to wear khakis and cable-
knit sweaters. It takes Steve McQueen to pull it off.
Essential items
Slalom sweater dress by Marc Jacobs (women;
www.marcjacobs.com ).
Where to buy
For an understated yet hip New York look a good
choice is Steven Alan Annex (103 Franklin St. in New
York ; +1 212 343 0692), where the eponymous
curator/designer fills his stores with his own creations
and judiciously selected items from the city's best new
brands.
More: 6 exclusively New York shopping
experiences
7. Brazil
The spiritual home of the
body beautiful, Brazilians
have traditionally been
seen as one of the best-
undressed nationalities.
Yet while the classic,
barely-there swimsuit/tight
trunks and Havianas combo still reigns supreme on
the beaches of Rio de Janeiro, a more subtle fashion
aesthetic has emerged in South America's largest
country.
The catalyst for this change was the advent of the São
Paolo Fashion Week at the turn of the millennium.
Now, with the newer Fashion Rio taking place in the
same fortnight, Brazil is upping the ante when it
comes to hosting extended ready-to-wear events.
The approach is paying off with brands such as Pedro
Lourenço, Osklen and Alexandre Herchcovitch making
a mark internationally with their exuberant designs.
Classic example
Carmen Miranda. Her fruit-laden hats and turbans
brought Rio's joyous Carnival culture to a wider
audience.
Essential items
Bikini from Osklen (women); classic V-neck T-shirt
from Reserva (men)
Where to buy
Alexandre Herchcovitch is arguably Brazil's foremost
designer and the prêt-à-porter and tailor-made
clothes at his store (Rua Melo Alves 561 ) are a
highlight of shopping in São Paolo.
More on CNN: Insider guide -- best of Rio de
Janeiro
6. Australia
Spinal Tap guitarist Nigel
Tufnel may have once
described a band mate’s
girlfriend as "dressing like
an Australian's nightmare,"
but the Aussie style sense
is no longer derided.
Well, not as much.
The Australian look, which is at once casual and
individualistic, is now emulated everywhere. The
friendly climate, surf culture and strong outdoor
aesthetic have all influenced Australian design.
Yet while a sense of informality rules, the refined lines
at labels such as Minkpink and Camilla and Marc are a
world away from the swimsuited and be-thonged
image of popular renown.
Brands such as Camilla and Marc go for a “tailored
casual” aesthetic a world away from elasticized
waistbands of board shorts.
Other names to drop include Josh Good and Scanlan &
Theodore.
Classic example
Isabel Lucas. The Transformers actress rocks a vintage,
hippie-inspired look perfectly suited to the perpetual
Australian summer. Her favored brands include
homegrown jewelry label Spell Designs.
Essential items
Dress by Alex Perry (women); paisley shirt by Arthur
Galan (men).
Where to buy
At 100 Squared at Westfield Sydney, emerging
designers have been plucked from various market
stalls and housed under one roof in a 100-meter-
square cube.
In Melbourne, Chapel Street in South Yarra still
impresses with its blend of on trend street fashion
retailers such as Fat and more upscale options like
Gorman.
5. United Kingdom
There's a reason so many
turn to the Brits for style
pointers.
From the approximation
of Edwardian fashions by
the Teddy Boys in the
1950s through to the
smart-casual looks favored by bands from The Who to
the Arctic Monkeys, British youth movements have
mined a rich sartorial seam.
While it's possible to put other fashion hubs into
defined boxes -- France (femininity), Sweden
(minimalism) -- British fashion largely defies
categorization.
It can mean anything from a timeless James Bond look
courtesy of famed tailor Gieves & Hawkes, classic
British brands such as Burberry, Mulberry, Fred Perry
and Lyle & Scott, or the steady stream of innovative
design talent that emerges from famed fashion schools
such as Central Saint Martins in London.
More: London's 10 most interesting shops
Classic example
Terence Stamp. British fashion was never more
influential than at the height of the Swinging Sixties
and nobody embodied the sharply dressed ethos
more than he.
Essential items
Vivienne Westwood Anglomania Accident Slim Pencil
Skirt (women; ); Barbour trench coat (men).
Where to shop
It's not exactly a British concept (it was the brainchild
of Rei Kawakubo of Commes des Garçons), but Dover
Street Market ( 17-18 Dover St.; +44 207 518 9689 )
has a distinctly London energy.
Its six floors feature lines by a host of top labels
including home favorites Alexander McQueen and
Phoebe English.
Also on CNN: World's coolest nationalities --
where do you rank?
4. Japan
Few nationalities take
dressing up to such gleeful
extremes as the Japanese.
Previous generations may
have wallowed in
conformity, but youth
fashion in big cities such as Tokyo is the antithesis of
the graceful lady wrapped in a kimono or the
business-suited salaryman.
Often provocative, Japanese street fashion draws on a
raft of influences -- both international and traditional
-- to create looks that have transcended the
boundaries of districts like Harajuku to take catwalks
and high streets all over the world by storm.
Styles include "lolita," an updated take on Victorian-
era clothing and "oshare kei," a punkish style
characterized by bright colors and different patterns.
Elements of these have been exported as a result of
the success of homegrown brands such as A Bathing
Ape, Uniqlo and, most notably, Commes des Garçons.
Classic example
Rei Kawakubo. The creative force behind the Commes
des Garçons label, Kawakubo -- with her black uniform
and severe bob -- is an avant garde icon.
Essential items
Flannel long sleeve tunic from Uniqlo (women); Skull
Face T-Shirt from A Bathing Ape (men).
Where to buy
The flagship outlet of Japan's most famous label,
Comme des Garçons (5-2-1 Minami-Aoyama; +81 3
3406 3951 ) is the first stop in Tokyo.
For more refined Japanese style, it's Xanadu ( +81 3
6459 2826 ), a boutique that stocks some of Tokyo's
coolest designers.
3. France
The French royal court
became the arbiter of style
for the rest of Europe in
the 17th century.
It arguably still is, though
today's fashion aristocracy
aren't the powdered
courtiers of Louis XIV, but the bright young things at
houses such as Vuitton, Dior and Givenchy.
It's not just the rest of the continent that takes many
of its leads from Paris -- it's the entire world.
Foreign stars such as Marc Jacobs (United States),
Kenzo Takada (Japan) and Alexander McQueen (United
Kingdom) all saw a move to France as the logical way
to further their careers.
The birthplace of haute couture, French fashion can
be too precious for some tastes.
New designers such as Yves Andrieux and Vincent
Jalbert, however, who use recycled army fabrics and
antique embroideries in their jackets and bags, are re-
injecting some edge.
Classic example
Eva Green. The former Bond girl favors 1930s- and
1940s-inspired silhouettes like high waists and
structured shoulders that evoke the classic designs of
Coco Chanel.
Essential items
Cotton tweed culotte skirt from Chanel (women);
Speedster leather jacket from Surface to Air (men).
Where to shop
The streets around Avenue Montaigne and Saint-
Germain-des-Pres are peppered with designer labels,
but the Rue Charlot area in the Third Arrondissement
is the current hot spot in Paris.
Picks include N60 for a mix of Parisian and
International brands and Yves Andrieux & Vincent
Jalbert for vintage-inspired clothes and accessories.
More on CNN: World's 10 best shopping cities
2. Sweden
Un-demonstrative yet
completely assured, the
Swedish style sense has
become the latest in the
long line of successful
exports from the
Scandinavian nation.
Whereas the country's
'70s breakout
phenomenon, pop group
ABBA, complemented their
melodic nous with
outlandish satin loon pants and facial hair, the appeal
of Swedish fashion rests in its stylistically clean,
minimalist notes.
This utilitarian approach to fashion has spread across
the globe.
Sweden's most famous brand, Hennes & Mauritz
(H&M), now has more than 2,300 stores in 41
countries and its tie-ins with designers such as Stella
McCartney and Roberto Cavalli have set the standard
for collaborations between high-street and high-
fashion brands.
Smaller labels such as Cheap Monday and Acne
meanwhile are also rapidly attaining global reach and
influence.
Classic example
Lykke Li. The breakthrough pop star epitomizes the
Swedish "less is more" fashion ethos.
Essential items
Long knitted polo neck jumper from H&M (women);
Royal Blue Johnny Sweater from Cheap Monday (men)
Where to buy
Stockholm's hippest store is the Acne flagship
( Norrmalmstorg 2; +46 8611 6411). Bargains are
found at the Acne Archive in Stockholm ( Torsgatan
53; +46 830 2723 ), where past seasons and press
samples go for up to 50% off.
More on CNN: Insider guide -- best of Stockholm
1. Italy
Italy's modern association
with style began in the
1950s.
Gucci became the jet set's
label of choice with icons
such as Grace Kelly and
Jackie Kennedy Onassis
rarely seen without one of
its handbags.
Meanwhile, on the beaches
of the English south coast, sharply dressed Mods in
tailored Italian suits showed how to cut a dash during
a scrap in their clashes with leather-clad Rockers.
Europe's kinky boot continues to fly the flag.
Prada, Miu Miu and Armani are legendary, while
fashion conscious shoppers across the world strive to
inject trademark Italian "sprezzatura" (studied
nonchalance) into their look.
With two cities among fashion's big five -- Milan,
Rome -- the world still looks to Italy for pointers,
which is good news for emerging designers such as
Carlo Contrada and Gabriele Colangelo.
Classic example
Gianni Agnelli. One of Italy's greatest industrialists, the
impeccably dressed Fiat magnate was also a worthy
standard bearer for his nation's fashion sensibility.
Essential items
Miu Miu bag (women); tailored blazer from Zanetti
with pocket square (men).
Where to buy
Italy's fashion capital, Milan remains the place to shop,
with places like Gianni Campagna (via Palestro 24; +39
02 77 88 11), where Karl Lagerfeld and Valentino go
for their handmade suits -- prices start at €3,745
($4,884) -- or the historical Galleria Vittorio Emanuele
II, home to Prada's flagship store.
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