Dos and Don'ts: Czech Fashion

Looking around, it’s hard to pinpoint what might characterize “Czech” style. I’m not suggesting it’s non-existent, just that the nation’s fashion sense is as varied as anything else.

This means a suit, tie, dress pants and dress shoes for a guy and blouse or formal dress for a woman. It doesn’t have to be an evening dress, unless you’re going to a ball in which case it’s almost always the rule. One thing is for certain: denim is a no-no.

One item which seemed very popular a few years back and can still be spied in business environments is the mobile phone case. You know the one. It’s made of leather and sits horizontally on a person’s belt. When I first started working here it seemed de rigeur amongst business people, so much so one expat friend of mine bought one to ensure he looked professional enough for his clients.

A piece of formal clothing which you might want to avoid is anything with an argyle print. A couple of friends told me that the local nickname for this diamond design is the same name for a part of a woman’s body. You won’t cause offense wearing it, but people might chuckle behind your back.

Another type of attire which is quite popular is military garb. This is particularly popular among the so-called tramp sub-culture: these are people fond of cottages, acoustic guitars and country and western music. It would appear the trend is dying out, though spend anytime at a cottage community and you’ll see young and old in camo gear.

On the subject of cottages, don’t be surprised that during the summertime you see the amount of flesh you’d usually see at the seaside. Again, it is a generalization, but Czechs seem to be less body conscious than most people from English speaking countries. When it’s hotter it’s not uncommon to see woman in swimsuits while they tend to their garden or men going shirtless. This same lack of reserve is not found in the cities or towns.

On occasion, people at work will also wear indoor shoes. When I worked for a large Czech company I saw both younger and older colleagues in suits or shirts and tie with indoor shoes on.

Hopefully, now you won’t make any fashion blunders.

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