Black leggings and ballet flats (with a new ankle-strap twist) continue their reign in Belgium, paired, of course, with some big sacklike thing on top, such as a bright blue designer raincoat (which is completely useless against the rain) or a cute little baby-blue cotton dress. Don’t forget to throw a short, tough jacket over it all to balance out the tweeness and remind people that you have an ass. White high-top Vans over black tights is a brave look, with shades of “business lady on the way to work in the 80s” chic.
Belgian girls who refuse to wear the ubiquitous cute dresses will go for a classic tomboy look, with skinny black jeans and some sneakers with a hint of un-tomboy zing, like gold or metallic accents. And the more layers on top, the better. Pile it all on like you’re about to play a really intense game of strip poker: a tank top, a girly shirt, some loose drapey stuff, a cardigan, another cardigan. Keep going till you can’t even bend your arms anymore.
Belgian boys are keeping things classic and neat, with the exception of the occasional dandy who, God help him, still thinks wrapping a dingy piece of t-shirt around his forehead is a daring fashion statement. Add in some pointy ankle boots, aviator glasses, and a large grandma scarf jumbled ever so artfully around the neck area and you’ve got yourself a sensitive Belgian poet.
Otherwise, Belgian boys will be Belgian boys, sticking with skinny-but-not-too-skinny blue jeans and classic Vans. Cardigans are huge for boys as well as for girls and are preferably worn with a plain t-shirt. An important detail is to leave it unbuttoned, or with just the middle buttons done, for a more desired “Hey, we’re all just people” look. Longer overcoats are left hanging open as well, giving you plenty of roomy access so you can do that nervous-tic thing where you stick your hands in your pockets and jangle your keys around.
One more thing: If you want to walk around town all dressed in designer stuff, be sure to make it look like you found all your clothes in a dumpster outside of the welfare retirement home. Belgians are not a flashy people. Even the last surviving mutations of the new-rave Ed Banger fad aren’t that garish. An American Apparel green-and-blue duotone hoodie under a secondhand leather jacket? About 123 percent of Belgium’s kids still walk around in ’em, but things could be worse. The nerdy glasses are cute, and funny beat-up old Velcro sneakers are a nice alternative to overpriced “limited edition” sneakers with, like, Popsicles all over them.
Photos: Jens Mollenvanger