dr greg
One Too Many
- Messages
- 1,590
Having spent many years selling vintage clothes, I find it remains a truism that people are larger now, and it's difficult to fit them into the smaller vintage garments, however I notice one thing, it's the shoulders that are often the problem: I work in an area with a LOT of tourist traffic, and Aussies and Americans for example, are larger in the shoulders than say the French or the English, let alone the Japanese (who strangely never seem to buy vintage clothes, which is a puzzle considering the size of the repro industry there, but I digress).
My theory is that, putting gym-junkies aside, the dominant ball sports of the respective countries seem to be a determinant: soccer, more prevalent in Europe, doesn't require any real upper body skills, (apart from being able to throw one's arms in the air as one falls down occasionally ) whereas gridiron and the various rugbies are tackling games, requiring a tougher trunk, and Aussie Rules is generally very physical, therefore young people develop according to the game they play at school or professionally.
Then again, maybe those of us in warmer climes swim more..........
My theory is that, putting gym-junkies aside, the dominant ball sports of the respective countries seem to be a determinant: soccer, more prevalent in Europe, doesn't require any real upper body skills, (apart from being able to throw one's arms in the air as one falls down occasionally ) whereas gridiron and the various rugbies are tackling games, requiring a tougher trunk, and Aussie Rules is generally very physical, therefore young people develop according to the game they play at school or professionally.
Then again, maybe those of us in warmer climes swim more..........