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Why Charlestonians Wear Sandals with Coats, the Salmon Pants phenomenon
and other Lowcountry Musings
There sure are a lot of unique things about Charleston. This vacation hub has been noted by Condé Nast and Travel + Leisure as one of the top cities in the world several times. Charleston literally has something for everyone. It also has a few little quirks that I thought would be interesting to point out to visitors so you can keep an eye out for them on your vacation!
First, a little background on why Charleston is so great. We are uniquely situated on a peninsula surrounded by Charleston Harbor and the city is practically bursting with history; from the old walled city preventing pirate attacks, to the tragic sinking of The Hunley, and not to mention all the ghost stories haunting the historic buildings of downtown Charleston. This city also has an amazing shopping district on King Street that arguably rivals 5th Ave. in NYC and Rodeo Drive. There is a wide variety of high-end as well as independently owned shops with unique gift items and souvenirs as well as a few treats for yourself. We have plenty of outdoor fun-in-the sun activities too (aka the beach), kayaking, dolphin tours, harbor tours and parasailing. The city is super unique and super quirky. Now, on to the quirky part!
1) Wearing sandals with coats:
Yes, I did it recently myself. The weather can change rather quickly in the spring and winter, so you learn how to layer a sweater on top of a t-shirt on top of a tank top, etc. Bring some clothing options (or buy some on King Street!) You might get caught wearing your summer sandals with a warm leather jacket. Hey, it happens to the best of us.
2) It is perfectly socially acceptable here to cancel plans due to rain:
Ya’ll, when it rains here it tends to pour. Downtown lacks some things to be desired in flood control. Luckily, we have many indoor activities including great museums, a fabulous aquarium and the famous covered Charleston City Market downtown to peruse while you wait for the showers to pass. Not to mention all the great pubs and restaurants you can duck into while you wait for the rain to pass. The rain can stop here as quickly as it can start.
3) The salmon pants phenomenon:
I don’t know where it all began; maybe the first salmon pants pioneers were inspired by the beautiful houses on Rainbow Row. Downtown does tend to feature this lovely color throughout the building facades, but it has also become a fashion-trend amongst the gentlemen of Charleston. Do play a game of spot-the-salmon-pants when you’re touring downtown.
4) Speaking of fashion, sandals tend to be considered business-casual here.
It certainly goes with the friendly laid-back vibe. Don’t be surprised if someone shows up dressed nicely for a business meeting while wearing flip flops. Rarely do you find high-heels here as the old-world charm cobblestone streets tend to discourage this type of footwear. If you’re a southern belle who grew up in Charleston you probably have a story about tripping over a cobblestone in your heels and decided never to do it again. However, the women who do, must be extremely brave, well-season high heel wearers, and passionately dedicated to the art of fashion.
5) Hurricanes are a locals' rite of passage here:
They don’t happen often but most locals have to be told by family and friends elsewhere that a hurricane is coming.
Personally I tend to find out a few days to a week beforehand. This may be due to my particular experience of burying myself in work and avoiding the news, but Charlestonians tend to accept hurricanes as a part of living here. We do flood the stores in droves to buy necessities such as toilet paper, water, and candles, but stocking up on your favorite imbibe of choice tends to be considered a necessity here as well. The grocery and liquor stores are busier than Thanksgiving Eve here! Stormy weather and canceled work gives folks a perfectly acceptable excuse to have a hurricane -party to distract from the roaring winds and threat of floods.
7) The houses downtown tend to be a little crooked:
I live in an older home downtown and the walls and floors tend to warp in buildings on the peninsula. It’s not usually a structural problem that I am aware of, just a feature of these historic homes battling the humidity for years. If you’re looking to buy a house downtown and the crooked walls alarm you, don’t be; it’s just a characteristic of the houses.
8) *Bonus Quirk of Johns Island: Wandering Farm Animals.
It's not uncommon on the Johns Island Nextdoor or Facebook group to see people posting about wandering farm animals and wondering who they belong to. It may even escalate into a virtual troll-battle debate on whether or not they are goats or sheep. We've had a pig and 3 sheep come to visit Sailor's Rest on two separate occasions. We called The Goatery nearby of course and they came and scooped up the wandering trio who now live at their wonderful animal sanctuary.
9) Not everyone in Charleston has a southern accent.
Although my father has a smooth North Carolinian drawl, I personally am not blessed with the sweet-sounding accent. People remark on this all the time. I'm not sure why though as most of my friends do not either. Although I do notice it myself sometimes when I talk fast or talk to someone who does have an accent. You'll usually note this accent in the previous generation though. I suppose so many people are moving here from out of state that this signature accent is getting watered down over the years. It is a beautiful way of speaking though and very lyrical.
10) The Holy City also happens to be
The Yoga City.
If you're into yoga then you have found a hidden gem of Charleston: The city's yoga culture. There's many yoga studios and teachers here offering variations from hot power yoga to yin yoga and everything in between. I personally love Charleston Power Yoga, which has a location downtown and in Mt. Pleasant.
Sailor's Rest also offers private on-site yoga classes and our yoga retreat at Sailor's Rest is currently slotted for Spring 2022. I haven't come across a weekend yoga retreat in the area that offers food, lodgings, and various classes such as Ayurveda, meditation, massage and Reiki yet, so we are offering something very unique to visitors.
Make sure to ask us about the private lesson upon booking to secure your spot as it's based on teacher availability. If you're interested in learning more about our yoga retreat or booking a private class contact us for details.
We look forward to hearing from you!
-Sarah
January 10, 2022
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