Most Fashionable Cities In America: Did Your City Make The Stylish Cut? (PHOTOS)

New York may pride itself on being one of the chicest cities in the world, but when it comes to which town has the most sartorial savvy in America, NYC is not number one.

Bundle.com compiled data on the most and least fashionable cities in America, and surprisingly, neither New York or Los Angeles topped the list.

How did it work? Bundle selected the 50 largest cities based on population data and created a "fashion-conscious index" to rank them based on the percentage of "fashion-conscious households" in our sample, which we defined as households that had at least four transactions at top-end designer merchants in the past 30 months.

Irvine, Calif., home of "The O.C.," topped the list, ranking at nearly four times the national fashion index, while Buffalo, N.Y., bottomed things out with a 0.10 rating.

Last year, the Global Language Monitor crowned London the most fashion-forward city in the world, so don't gloat yet, Irvine: you've got some international catching up to do.

Click over to Bundle to see their amazing infographic, and check out the slideshow below to see if your city made the list of the best -- or the worst -- dressed cities in America. (#1 is most stylish, #50 is least.)

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Comments

[Susan Silverstein]

11:36 AM on 05/01/2012

I can't believe Mpls was rated lower than Milw! Mpls was declared, yrs ago, by Andy Warhol, in Interview Magazine, as America's "hippest" city. This was back in 1980's & it's still true. One important measure of style is hairdressing community. Mpls is home of Horst Rechelbacher of AVEDA, a city where many Euro & Canadian stylists w/superior skills have flocked to for years.
This is where recording artist Prince built his studio empire, Rainbow, our top recording artists also came here to record. The city planners were far ahead of Milwaukee in terms of designing
shopping areas (heated walkways for example, nightclub zones). You can shop at Sacks5th Ave in twin cities ditto for Nieman Marcus, Milw. can't afford those. Milw. is a hard labor city; it's upper class might be very wealthy, but they have to travel to Chicago, NY, Europe for lux goods. Forget finding superior hairstyling here, talented kids don't want to stay here! I recall the horrid work one of it's leading salon's did. . .a sad joke! I'm sure it's the wealth of a few putting Milw ahead, it's not a glamerous upscale city by any means. A hard mfg town ruled by labor. Twin Cities are home to one of America's largest/best Universities, U of MN; in addtion to it's computer & service industries.

[Imaginary Girlfriend]

01:16 AM on 05/01/2012

IRVINE...really?
their voting system is flawed.

[mistlesuede]

12:26 AM on 05/01/2012

Another shot at Buffalo. The media sucks. They never, ever get a story correct about this city including what the weather is doing.

[Andy Andruszko]

02:12 PM on 05/01/2012

I'm from Buffalo. And I can agree with this, we are the crappiest, least classy, least fashionable, dirtiest people in America. It's a city almost purely consisting of trash. The concepts of being in shape, showering, or wearing clothes that actually fit or look good...are completely lost on 99% of our population.

[mistlesuede]

02:15 PM on 05/01/2012

Way to support the hometown. How revolting.

[logic-a-go-go]

08:46 PM on 04/29/2012

I cannot believe that Dallas is even on this list.

[BlueRoseofTexas]

03:51 PM on 04/30/2012

You can spend a boatload of money at Nieman Marcus but still not have a distinctive style. However, this study was all about the money.

[LaurieAnn]

04:25 PM on 04/29/2012

I have a difficult time believing that Irvine out-fashions NYC.

[Hatima Transport]

03:53 PM on 04/29/2012

Dallas TX is fashionable? lol.

[emjs28]

03:22 PM on 04/29/2012

There are no beaches in Irvine, CA and "The O.C." was in Laguna Beach, not Irvine. The picture you show for Irvine is NOT Irvine. You could have shown a picture of the Irvine Spectrum shopping center. I have lived in Irvine for 25 years and although I agree it is not the most fashionable city in America, it is a unique place to live.

[Robin Hood1]

02:57 PM on 04/29/2012

That list is ridiculous. Atlanta Georgia should be top! People down here live to pretend and do they spend alot of money doing so. Atlantans are very stylish even on budget lols.

[acei77]

02:23 PM on 04/30/2012

The omission of the ATL is about the only thing that list got right!

[Susan Silverstein]

11:46 AM on 05/01/2012

I've always wanted to see Atlanta, & I agree w/U that this list is RIDICULOUS! Outrageous is another word. I just wrote up a supportive piece for Mpls-St.Paul, where I went to college many yrs ago(U of MN'70). The beautiful city planning there, great stores such as Nieman Marcus & Sacks5th/ave in addition to old Dayton's is superior to Chicago & Milwaukee. You are so right that fashion is about more than simply spending $ on designer labels. I also recall the great hairstyling scene in Twin Cities, they had big influence from Canada/Europe & of course Aveda founded there. I know Atlanta back in 1980, had a beautiful downtown historic district that set a new standard in city planning. I was sorry to hear that it was ruined 10 yrs latter by gangs, but that is true of ea. city, I'm sure Atlanta is far superior to OC California! I also lived in LA ( lived near H'wood & Vine), it was not fashion in way I use the word. Maybe BevHills community better now that stylists have entered into picture, but as you say, it's about native population having a tribal buzz!

[Robin Hood1]

05:53 PM on 05/01/2012

Atlanta is awesome! Style starts with the Atlanta airport and its exravagance and then work all the way up to Chateau Elan. There are a few bad spots but better than Chicago and Milwaukee that's for sure. Chicagoans don't even dress and their neighbourhoods within the city are so industrial like and gloomy. No curb appeal That have seen except up in the wealthier suburbs. In Atlanta City limits there are a ton of great neighborhoods VaHi, Brookhaven, West Paces, Decatur around ponce de leon, Sandy Springs, Buckhead, Northsprings, Vinings, Grant Park (some areas are sketchy), Inman/candler park, and multiple others from I20 to the north perimeter. Much safer and better looking. Not forgetting Atlantans are all about pretence and that's for all ethnic group down here. lmao So yes I do agreee that list is absurd.

[Callyson]

02:41 AM on 04/29/2012

From the bundle.com link above:

We based our index on the percentage of "fashion-conscious households" in our sample, which we defined as households that had at least four transactions at top-end designer merchants in the past 30 months.

-------

This is not about fashion or personal style--this is about spending money. And anyone who does not know that it is possible to be relatively poor but have fierce style, or to spend a lot of cash but still look trashy and/or uninspired, is frankly an idiot...

[acei77]

02:37 PM on 04/30/2012

I *heart* u....

[TuTyEm]

12:54 AM on 04/29/2012

Proud to be from the Twin Cities (Minneapolis/St. Paul) where Saks went bust! People who are comfortable in their own skin don't need someone else's name on their bags to feel good about themselves.

[PTerrys]

12:18 PM on 04/29/2012

And thanks for NOT sending us Michele Bachmann. Your neighbors to the NW... tsk tsk.

[sf girl]

07:55 PM on 04/28/2012

The fact that Irvine is #1 seems to nullify the validity of the rankings completely.

[Melinda Brunner]

05:06 PM on 04/28/2012

Where is Seattle? Aren't socks with Birks fashionable?

[Whitney Stahl]

01:38 PM on 04/28/2012

dc really? when did living in lululemon clothes become stylish? there is no style here.

[WhatevaCleva]

06:16 PM on 04/29/2012

LOL! I must admit that DC has come a long way. I spent a long day at Mazza Gallerie and all I kept thinking was how DC has so many common retail stores with the exception of CO-OP and some stores in Georgetown. The problem is you have to give up your first born for style and quality around here.

[acei77]

02:34 PM on 04/30/2012

This is perhaps symptomatic of the problem..."style" should not be conflated with "high-end shopping." DC is a desert built on a swamp...

[SJML]

12:53 PM on 04/28/2012

I think Irvine stole a beach per the pic! Keep it quiet or the really, really rich people of Corona Del Mar and Newport are going to be p.ssed! Also, Fashion Island is in Newport Beach!

[viciousvirago]

11:56 AM on 04/28/2012

I CANNOT BELIEVE that d.c. ranked number nine. Everyone here dresses the same. Suit at all times in public. Same suit, Brooks Brothers (my dream store). I worship preppydom, but even I like to get funky every once and a while and let loose with 60's styles and 70's style, but d.c. is a sea of suits. Even the women wear them constantly.

I would think only university children are any hipper than the suits. Otherwise, who is there? I haven't seen any and I've been everywhere in d.c. and the 'burbs since l968. Who compiled this list, I want names.

[alucas729]

03:54 PM on 04/28/2012

Have you ever been to Georgetown? And it isn't just university students...besides Tysons Corner Mall is one of the best in country.

[viciousvirago]

04:03 PM on 04/28/2012

I lived in Georgetown for 5 years and yeah, some people there are fashionably dressed, meaning no suits and 'power' yellow ties.

Tysons Corner is o.k., but I'm talking about people who live here. Most of them are bureaucrats and dress like lemmings.