NYC Culture Travels Down the L-Train

Credits to David Perell

There’s a theory that NYC culture runs along the L-train:

Culture begins in Bushwick, where rents are low, the parties are wild, and the streets are covered in graffiti.

Over time, creative ideas trickle towards Manhattan. Williamsburg takes the best of Bushwick and profit from it. Rents are high, hotels are fancy, and the fashion is eclectic.

In Chelsea, the gentrification ended a long time ago. There, you’ll find multi-billion dollar corporations such as Google and MLB Productions. From media, to technology, to the visual arts, cultural icons have laid their roots in Chelsea.

For those who don’t live in NYC, Bushwick is a neighborhood located deep in Brooklyn. As you ride the L-train toward Manhattan, Williamsburg is the next neighborhood. The final stop on the L-Train is in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood.

Much of what David described can be seen in the fashion in each neighborhood. For example, ride the L-Train and observe people’s outfits as they board the train. The Bushwick style is edgy, avant-garde, and androgynous. The Williamsburg style is hipster and trendy. I’m less familiar with Chelsea but it gives off mainstream and posh vibes.