What do Manhattan Girls Look Like?

I recently caught a reflection of myself in a shop window as I was walking down Manhattan, and I thought to myself that I look like a typical Manhattan girl (no, I don’t live in Manhattan and am not planning on it, but I am there nearly every day). My hair was still wet, I carried a handbag and a gym bag, wore flat shoes with a second pair in the bag, and I barely had any make-up on. This is what I looked like as I was walking home ater the gym, and this is what most Manhattan girls look like before or just after work.

I already wrote on Just Like NY about the distances we have to brave every day here, so it’s only natural that when you leave home in the morning, you’re trying to pack so that you can survive the entire day. Wet hair (since it would be a waste of time to blow-dry it) and an extra bag is the most popular image you will see. What the extra bag contains is:

(1) High heel shoes – walking around Manhattan in those, especially when you have to change the subway lines several times, would amount to sheer idiocy – I guarantee that you will do it once and never repeat the mistake again. Very few women here wear high heels, unless all the distance they have to traverse is a bloc or two. That’s why most people wear flat shoes (the so-called ballerinas, but also running shoes). As soon as the ladies enter the building they work in, they put on the high heels.

(2) Lunch – The pressure to eat healthy is strong here, which is why everyone prefers to pack their portion of kale leaves at home instead of being tempted by fast food during their lunch break.

(3) Sport clothing  – Visiting a gym prior or just after work is a part of NYC life style (which I wrote about recently here).

And what do Brooklyn girls look like…? You will find a more colorful picture there, and I will tell you about it soon.