Personal Appearance in Hungary

I noticed how personal appearance is important to people in Hungarian cities. Hungarians tend to be very good dressers. Especially among the older generation one is expected to dress appropriately for going out in public. Even among the young, fashionable dress is very important.

It is interesting that in the new shopping centers it is difficult to find a hardware store but no lack of anywhere to buy clothes, shoes, or a handbag! In a new shopping center with almost 400 stores, eighty percent of them sell clothes, shoes, perfumes, accessories and beauty products!

Unfortunately, people in the villages cannot always follow this pattern because of their poverty, but some of their handmade folk costumes are equally beautiful even if they do not fit the latest fashion.

This also fits the tradition of my Latin heritage. My father would tell me about how poor they were as a family of nine and he and his brothers began working at ten years old to help pay the light and gas bills. But even though they were poor, my grandfather had a wealthy friend who gave him suits and my grandmother would wash and starch his shirts, mend his socks, and send him out to work looking like a gentleman. My own father follows this tradition as a gentleman with great taste and always appropriately dressed for whatever occasion.