Short skirts and high heels distinguish newbies from local Moscow girls
Читать русскую версию.
It wasn't long ago when Moscow's professional style consultants only catered to wealthy clients. But times have changed. Today, even young, career-minded individuals holding entry-level positions want help with their wardrobes – locals and newcomers alike. Professional shopper Nataliya Mokritskaya offers a range of fashion services to her clients – including the special "Become a Muscovite" package. High heels equals physical pain - Nataliya, what exactly do you do? - A shopper is a person who helps clients select items at stores. For example, my husband is a shopper at computer and electronic stores. And his friend picks out furniture and puts together interiors from other stores. I help my clients create new images. - I know you're a third-generation Muscovite... - I've lived in the center of Moscow my whole life. I even remember when there were more Muscovites here than newcomers. In my line of work, it's important to know how things function in Moscow – the city's habits and idiosyncrasies... This is where I got the idea of offering people the "Become a Moscovite" package. I wanted to help people look like long-time residents of our capital. - And what separates a Muscovite from a newcomer?
- Moscow has been used to abundance for some time now. So few locals are real shopaholics. I mean, they feel at home here. When you're at home, you don't try to impress anyone, right? That's what you do when you're a guest in another town. For example, Ukrainian girls stick out right away. They love wearing bright clothing. A client of mine from Kiev complained the other day that after she arrived to Moscow, she started dressing in dark colors and then almost started hating herself. People mimic the city where they live. Mosow is big, loud and dusty. People rush, spend a lot of time in the subway and sit in their offices until late at night. Try doing that all day in high heels. Are you wearing heels? - Yes – and very high heels in fact. It's a habit from Volgograd. In the evenings I can hardly feel my legs... - High heels mean physical pain in Moscow. It's difficult for most women in the capital to keep in tip-top shape. Mission: Marry a Muscovite with an apartment Nataliya really got my attention. I remember when I arrived in Moscow 7 years ago to take the city by storm. The most difficult thing for me was to stop wearing short skirts. It's warm almost all year round in the south. I thought, hey, why should I hide tanned legs? But it rains continuously here. And the cold is known to bite time and again! Nataliya smiled understandingly: - Yep, a lot girls arrive in the capital with one thought: "I'm no worse than any Muscovite! I'm going to show this town what I'm made of!" - And then you try as hard as possible to find a job, and a husband. Or sometimes a husband first... - That's exactly why, of course, newcomers usually dress in bright colors, like butterflies. They want to attract attention. I remember another Ukrainian client of mine. She said: "I don't have any money, but I want to marry a Muscovite with an apartment. So I'll save $3,000 and spend it all on clothes. I need to look sexy." So I took her to a second-hand store where we picked out 20 items. She was really pleased. After half a year she called me and said she had gotten married – not to a Muscovite, but to another Ukrainian who had also arrived to Moscow not long before. I agree with Nataliya. Most Muscovites have a strong support system in the city – a house, job and family. They feel much calmer and more confident. That's why local girls care more about dressing comfortably than with flare. Nataliya says local girls usually pay close attention to the quality of the fabric. They're not likely to buy clothing that looks pretty, but fits tightly. They want clothes that are comfortable and look good.
- I recently met a very meticulous lady. She told me she wanted four suits that fit her office dress code. But when I took her to a whole bunch of stores over four days, she couldn't pick out anything. Then at the end of the week she said victoriously: "Sorry, but I told you nothing suites me!" Who needs a pricey friend? Over the years, Nataliya has seen girls from almost every profession – accountants, economists, psychologists, department heads at banks, and small- and medium-sized entrepreneurs. Most often, they just can't pick out stylish clothes themselves, or they're plain lazy. Sometimes they simply don't want to choose their own clothes, so it's easier to order a friend for 800 rubles per hour. Recently, Nataliya was visited by a young successful lawyer, who lives in an elegant apartment in the center of Moscow. She drives a new Peugeot, but her clothes were very gaudy. - When we arrived at her apartment, she opened her closet and everything was at least 5 years old. She just didn't have any time to go shopping. - Where do you usually take your clients? - I rarely take them to expensive, brand-name shops. Most fashion designers have one style to their collection. That makes a wardrobe really boring. Also my clients aren't willing to spend a lot. They want inexpensive, nice clothes. I usually take them to large shopping centers. I really love second-hand shops – although my clients typically don't. They think it's a status symbol to hire a shopper, and they don't want me to take them to markets. But those who do agree to go with me often find quality, tasteful and inexpensive clothes. A lot of the "better" stores in Moscow sell clothes from these markets at higher prices. KP's Dossier Nataliya Mokritskaya is a fashion designer. She began producing outer clothing in the late 1980s. She has taught courses on style at the Moscow School of Photo Models, and later at the Art Image educational center. She has worked as a stylist on the TV channel Kultura and a range of TV programs.
Distinguishing Features Muscovites Natural makeup, or completely without
Expensive, non-brand-name clothes
Large bags
Comfortable shoes on a normal-sized heel Newcomers Bright makeup and clothes
Sacrifice comfort for fashion – too many buttons, irregular zippers
Clothes with big logos – jeans with Dolce&Gabbana on the rear-end
A scarf with flowers around the neck
High heels
Читать русскую версию.