A few months ago, I left the University of Birmingham (in England) behind to spend a semester studying abroad in Minnesota, USA.

As you can imagine, studying abroad in America has given me a bit of culture shock. But it’s also been an eye-opening experience.

Over the past few months, I’ve spent some time soaking up American fashion and observing how it differs from what we wear in England. And today, I want to share what I’ve learned with you.

{RELATED POST: City Girl Outfits: 10 Looks Inspired by US Cities}

Before I get started, I want to point a few things out.

First, while I have done lots of research, most of the information is based on my own experiences.

Second, most of the research I came across on this subject was very, very stereotypical and because of that, parts of this post may follow suit.

Finally, keep in mind that I am studying abroad in a northern Minnesota city. While I love it here, I know it is not the fashion capital of the world. I know fashion differs from state to state, and I’m sure what I see here in Minnesota is a world away from what I’d see in New York.

So, to sum it up, I know there are many, many exceptions to these ideas, and this article is not meant to suggest that everyone in either country dresses the same way. I’m not trying to lump people into categories – my aim is simply to lay out the overarching style themes I have noticed while studying abroad here in the US.

Emma Watson hit the nail on the head when she said, of British Style:

“It’s so funny because now that I’m in America, I’m more able to define it. Before I didn’t have an awareness of another style.”

This was precisely how I felt when coming to the US.

I’d heard that our high street was famous around the world, but as I would shop there on an almost weekly basis, I had no idea that it was so special.