A lot of people think that Ukrainians dress like "gangsters"... or even that they are gangsters!
This is totally false...
In truth, Ukrainians like to "dress up" especially when they are strolling downtown... But their "taste" in clothes is a bit different from what people from America are used to...
Younger men in Ukraine tend to wear "pointy" black dress shoes...even with jeans...this is considered to be very fashionable...
The typical male "dress code" might be a short "squared off" black jacket (leather if possible)...with black jeans or slacks...with the trade mark pointy shoes.
Kakki pants are very rare ...as are sneakers...if found at all...they are usually on younger guys!
A lot of younger men (18-34) also have shaved or close cut hair...this is often mistaken for being a "skin head" ...
To the "newbie" American in Kiev...this typical male fashion and hair style can be mistaken for being "gangster" or "racist." It's not...its' just a local fashion preference.
Women in Ukraine also go for higher fashion dress...high heels are common even on the roughest pavements... This tendency toward "chic" dress should not be mistaken for being a prostitute or sex trade worker....
So what's the point...?
Well...the way the typical young Ukraine dresses is different from what many Americans expect... Most Ukrainians are not overweight...they are rather on the thin side compared to the average American...and they like to dress up accordingly...
Why? Who knows....perhaps because they can!
Also there are a lot of "knock-off" high fashion items sold at the local "flea" markets...called "Rynoks"...which are often attached to or very close to the Metro Stations...
A lot of "shopping" in Kiev is done very close to the Metro Stops...the undergrounds are packed with tiny "shops"...this is for convenience in getting items back to your apartment...
Everyone, of course, lives in an apartment...mostly within walking distance to your Metro stop...
The one Rynok at Petrivca is especially large...and is stuffed with clothes sold from hundreds of small "stalls".... The typical American might find these "fashions" to be a bit "over the top"...or tacky...but that's the kind of thing Ukrainians like...
Petrivca Rynok also has a 7 day used book market attached to the regular market....
This Rynok also tends to sell a lot of "tacky "knock off fashions...at cheap prices...
So do not assume that every younger Ukrainian you meet on Kreshatik Street is a gangster or a prostitute...
You'll get used to the "Gangster Dress Code" after a few days...so don't panic...
