massimop

I see Asians asking this question all the time on message boards regarding Europe. I would think most Europeans already have the answer, just like most Americans wouldn't ask the question about Canada or Mexico.

If the point is that it is really important to mock Americans who ask questions about Europe, you certainly have found your element.

ribeirasacra

The USA!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOstmKddGOA

IMDonehere

Many quite normal & intelligent people think a lot about what is appropriate and not appropriate to wear to go out, even if they are just going out of the house and down the street
______________________

I know it was first thing on Einstein's and Picasso's mind.

ribeirasacra

the last one is tongue in check ;-)
However it could explain some things about this subject of dress code.

Pepper_von_snoot

I realise that not everyone was at Bedales, but really, darling, let's be a little more sophisticated in our thinking.


You are most evidently not posh, but even someone like you can zip down to a newsagent's (most likely in an unsavoury part of your village) and flip through French Vogue.

Let's be a little more clever.

A question: if no one in Europe wore white how could the Marchioness of Douro get married at St. Paul's????

Hmmm?

Brides, sweetie, brides!!!

Finished with vous!

Thin

StCirq

At least a third of the clothes for sale at the market in St-Cyprien yesterday, whether for women or men or kids, were white - cotton, linen, antique clothes, you name it. Shirts, skirts, pants, shoes....And probably 1/4 of the visitors in the market were wearing white of some kind.

Never, ever heard of any restrictions on clothing types or colors anywhere in Europe.

I have never known anyone in Europe to "think poorly" of anyone because of the way they dress, nor known of anyone who would care about that. You should visit my village, where people dress in any and every form of rags to riches, and no one comments one way or another. It's just not an issue.

suze

Of course you can wear white in Europe.

IMDonehere

The Finnish Ski Troops wore white all winter when they fended off the Russians during WWII.

PalenQ

the only attire in Europe that some Europeans don't like is the few that wear American flags on their packs.

bilboburgler

Bedales, did that offer an education... ;-)

PalenQ

Ah yeh - the stereotype Americans have about how nattily and "proper" (whatever that means!) European attire themselves. And just a stereotype - not remotely true.

suze

<is the few that wear American flags on their packs>

I have never once seen that. I thought it was a Canadian thing?

PalenQ

Well you used to see it but I guess recently Americans do not wish to ID themselves - I never like that Canadian flag thing - I thought to let Europeans know they are not Americans but maybe just national pride?

Sassafrass

"I know it was the first thing on Einstein's and Picasso's mind"
Doubt they shared a mind,�� but anyway. . .

Don't know about Einstein, but fashion and clothing were actually very important to Picasso.
Point being that, yes, many normal, intelligent people do think about what they are wearing, even just down the street.

Picasso was enamored with English fashion, especially elegantly tailored three piece suits, which he had made in London, plus bowler hats.

Picasso also used an Italian trailor/designer, Michel Sapone, who designed clothing to reflect the personality of each of his clients. His clothing for Picasso was simpler and softer, but more dramatic than the English made clothes.

Picasso may not have been "normal" but no one could question his intelligence and genius, and he cared greatly about his clothes. Considering the amount of time he spent with his trailors, it likely "was" the first thing on his mind at times.

Sassafrass

Sorry, the emoticon was supposed to be a smiley.

IMDonehere

There are so many photos of Picasso painting in his underwear. I guess that is when he followed the fashion advice of the people on Fodor's.

Pepper_von_snoot

>Bedales<

A Bedales education enables one to make shelving for the lounge.

I've heard that the 2nd Earl of Snowdon (Bedales alum) makes formidable drinks carts (with tyres), has an 0-level in chair caning.

Thin

bilboburgler

I was in Beaminster many years ago and the saw some of David's work (a friend was training in the same workshop). I suspect he sells on the name, though the stuff is ok, it is not cutting edge.

I'm not really sure you can get an O-level in chair caning. I'm going with irony

Nikki

I wish I had a link to all the threads in which people were admonished not to wear white sneakers (apparently seen as giant clown shoes), athletic attire for anything other than engaging in athletics, shorts (only worn to the beach, people said), Mom jeans (skinny black ones were apparently approved, but only in recent years; for a long time people on this forum insisted Europeans didn't wear jeans at all), and any number of similar European fashion no-nos.

Not to mention the unspeakable sin of wearing something called a fanny pack in the US, to the hilarity of posters from the UK where that is evidently a dirty word.

After reading all these discussions, I marvel at the people who say nobody will notice what you wear, since it is obvious that many posters did indeed have opinions about the dress of people they encountered on the street.

I am happy to see that there is much less of this sort of advice these days, but I would be happier still if posters were not admonished for wondering whether the manner of dress in a place they had never visited might be different from the styles at home.

quokka

Of course people have opinions about the dress and style, or lack thereof, of people they encounter. The question is whether they will let those people know or feel their opinions. By far the vast majority will keep their opinions to themselves - unless there is an obvious affront like entering a church or upscale restaurant half naked.