O MEN! HOW DIFFERENT YOU ARE!

United States of America and former Soviet Union differ from each other tremendously not only as two different countries with distinct economical and political structures, but as two dissimilar cultures-each playing a major role in the way men think, live, act and look in both countries.

I have a great deal of experience living in both countries and, as a result, dating Russian and American men. My dating experience, in particular, is a fascinating journey filled with surprises and twisted anecdotes which left me, for a long time wondering what are the main reasons for Russian and American men to be so different.

But before dating comes the way Russians and Americans look. It is quite interesting that based on my experience I can distinguish between Eastern European and American men by their outfits. For example, Russian man in their early 30-40's love to wear showy clothing, especially shoes that look like Casanova himself was in charge of design. They think it is attractive to wear pointy shoes, bright jackets, hats at jaunty angle and sometimes thick golden chains around their necks. Those kinds of ridicules outfits supposedly should attract women and make their wearers irresistible.

Contrary, American men in their 30-40's wear comfortable, not flashy and often tasteful clothing, comfortable shoes, modest hats appropriate for the season of the year and reading glasses, which often imply that person likes to read and most likely spoiled his eyes while studying at some University.

I do not imply that Russian men lack in education, which is sometimes the case; I am trying to explain how life in former Soviet Union affected the way those men dress.

It is been a long time since imports were allowed to enter all fifteen republics in Soviet Union. Till early 90's people did not have a choice but to wear what was produced domestically-- gray and boring outfits. Then Soviet Union collapsed, imports flooded the market, and people started to buy whatever they could afford not having enough of time to develop some sort of a taste and to care about comfort.