Thread: So what are you Russians really like??

Originally Posted by Curious Cat

Russians have a much better fashion sense

Are you sure you understood them right? Some europeans told me that russian fashion is to wear black.
Maybe you speak about russian women only, but they don't feel the fashion sence, they just "dress like whore". Seriously, one german guy told me that he was pretty much surprised when he have seen ordinary russian women. He thought the street is full of prostitutes.

Originally Posted by Curious Cat

Another stereotype that I noticed personally, was that Russian men have a better sense of chivalry. e.g. they never let the lady pay for anything etc. In the West, the whole feminist movement kinda destroyed chivalry, which (I think) has caused a lot of problems in society.

I've heard vice versa. Russian women who married western men say western ones are kind, gentle, thoughtful while russians are rude, drunk and lazy. Anyway, russian women appreciate men who earn money for them more than men who kiss their hands.

Originally Posted by Curious Cat

As for Russian movies, any recommendations?

Try 9th company, it's not the worst post-USSR movie. Almost all good movies were pruduced in USSR era, now there are only few with raiting "not bad".

Originally Posted by Curious Cat

WoW a lot of good details!!

Another stereotype that I noticed personally, was that Russian men have a better sense of chivalry. e.g. they never let the lady pay for anything etc. In the West, the whole feminist movement kinda destroyed chivalry, which (I think) has caused a lot of problems in society.

Not much of chivalry, but the absence of feminists makes it appear so.

Originally Posted by Curious Cat

As for Russian movies, any recommendations?

You can browse through this subforum and this thread in particular.

Originally Posted by Curious Cat

As for for the culture question, fair enough. I won't ask for a total description. I just wanted to know what aspects changed specifically. I am one of those who think nations don't change much with time. But there can be sudden superficial shifts, and I am sure the revolution and the fall of the wall had impacts. But I guess that is still too broad. I guess I'll just visit Russia sometime in the future and find out for myself

It IS a way to get to know the culture of a country. You can find the culture and history subforum interesting.

Originally Posted by Siberian.Bear

Are you sure you understood them right? Some europeans told me that russian fashion is to wear black.
Maybe you speak about russian women only, but they don't feel the fashion sence, they just "dress like whore".

Now that's where I should disagree. I seldom see women who are dressed like a whore on the streets and I live in the biggest Russian city. That's a misconception that comes from some not very clever jokes, etc. I can admit that Russian women try to appear feminine and seductive when they attend a party or in some other social entertainment, but you won't see them dressed like this at work. Compared to women I met in Europe, Russian women tend to follow fashion trends while Europeans tend to ignore that and wear things they feel comfortable in. As for these 'dress like whore' notions, then yes, if you visit a night club you'll hardly see modest clothes on the girls there, but that's only natural, isn't it?

Originally Posted by Siberian.Bear

Seriously, one german guy told me that he was pretty much surprised when he have seen ordinary russian women. He thought the street is full of prostitutes.

I've seen German prostitutes in Hamburg. Lord, after this I'll find a gorilla female attractive! No wonder that your German guy was surprised. As I said, Europeans simply ignore fashion and dress in whatever comes handy. The resulting appearance is a bit disappointing for men, but women there doesn't care. Russian women do care, that's the difference. Yes, now and then you can find an extreme example of bad taste in clothes, but this is common everywhere else as well.

Originally Posted by Siberian.Bear

Russian women who married western men say western ones are kind, gentle, thoughtful while russians are rude, drunk and lazy. Anyway, russian women appreciate men who earn money for them more than men who kiss their hands.

Of course those, who'd made to the West would say so, it's their own tragic story, after all. I personally know two women though who said exactly the opposite after they'd divorced their foreign husbands and returned to Russia. Where does it lead us? Each case is unique and you can't really deduce a general rule from such stories.