We like you! We really like you!

Socks with sandals. No American would be caught dead wearing those but they do scream tourist. I am not sure which nationality wore or still wears them. I think its Northern European. Back in the 70's-80's you could see these all over. Maybe still today. They are hideous as a baseball cap worn in Notre Dame.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3VYd1VzJlg

This is how you must all dress whilst in Europa to look fabulous. >My old friend Anna Piaggi<

Thingorjus

Mimi, this is pour vous.

travelme wrote: "Socks with sandals ... are hideous as a baseball cap worn in Notre Dame. "

What a load of twaddle! Nobody should pronounce on what others should wear, or express personal preferences or prejudices as if they were objective facts.

I don't like people wearing sportswear as street clothing. It strikes me a being particularly incongruous on people who look as if bending down to pick up something would be too much for them. But I don't tell them either directly or indirectly not to wear it. It's my issue, not theirs.

Quokka, that picture is great, very atmospheric!

Wouldn't it be great if somebody organised an exhibition on the subject of tourists through the ages/around the world? I'm sure it would be an eye-opener!

I was wearing sneakers and khaki nylon hiking pants/trousers (the kind that dry quickly, as apparently you have); spouse was wearing similar and yes! a peaked cap as we ate our bread-and-cheese in a tiny park in Magny-en-Vexin. We were approached and asked, in French, for directions.

I thought, instantly, that nobody on Fodors is ever going to believe this.

Admittedly it was Saturday, a weekend day in an area where many people go either horseback riding or hiking (as we were that day; we were tracking down various megalith i.e. prehistoric, sites.)

All the same, this does rather put pay to the myth that you can't fit in, ever, when wearing 'tourist' wear.

sorry to disappoint travelme (I know you really do worry about me) - but I have never owned a RS guide -- though I have met him twice.

I have written a couple of travel guides though. . . . . .

hanl wrote: "Wouldn't it be great if somebody organised an exhibition on the subject of tourists through the ages/around the world?"

We could build a picture gallery. Some early tourists: http://tinyurl.com/6mzt72

In space, no-one can hear your clothes scream. Or the fashion nazis, for that matter.

"Posture, hair, nail "art", acrylic nails, bottle tans - you name it . . . . ."

Hopefully this was a joke...

Don't forget that the Romans wore socks with their sandals.

Nobody in europe gives a hoot what tourists wear. Bottomline.

Well, suze, I happen to have a very dear old friend in Paris who is a tour guide, and I am not infrequently invited to parties at her house where there are many other Parisian tour guides, and a HUGE topic of conversation among them happens to be what tourists of various nationalities wear (as well as other characteristics of various nationalities), so I think that at least the tour guides are noticing what we wear (and commenting on it). Not that that should be of concern to anyone....just sayin'.....

sandi_travelnut: >>"Posture, hair, nail "art", acrylic nails, bottle tans - you name it . . . . ."

Hopefully this was a joke...<<

Did you miss the &quot;<i>Even if you were nekid, . . . . </i>&quot; bit.

It must be pretty boring in Paris these days if that's a major topic of conversation.

I would have thought that at least some Parisians are sophisticated enough to realize that people do dress differently around the world, and wouldn't expect people to dress the same way they do. Of course, there will be some minimum expectations; e.g., no string bikinis or Speedos in a cathedral or fine restaurant.

Brookwood: I enjoyed your thread. Ironically, my daughters judge colleges by the number of khaki trousers (they prefer &quot;jeans&quot; colleges) even though their father, a person whom they admire, like you loves his khaki trousers best.

When in Europe, we generally wear black. Half the time it's so we don't have to wash the clothes every darn day; half the time it's so we don't stand out like we're wearing the American flag while singing the &quot;Star Spangled Banner&quot; (not that there's anything wrong with that) .

However, on our trip last year to the Netherlands, Paris, Czech Republic, and Austria, a terrible inclement summer weather forecast meant at the last minute I tucked a very nice muted teale polartec jacket into the suitcase.

I might as well have been wearing white sneaks and a pink jogging suit with a backwards baseball cap. Every single person in every country knew I was American from 1,000 yards away, I swear.

Go figure.

And one must remember that alot of the Paiseans you see well dressed in the morn, lunch hours and later in the day are those working going/coming/lunching.
I've had a few snotty Parisiennes ask me for directions to a boutique and a jewelry store and they were surprised I was a tourist. One was almost upset, because either she was running late or hated that she didn't guess I was an American.
vive La France!

As previous posters mentioned, no one will care; however, I am personally tired of seeing the matching leisure wear outfits that are a dead giveaway that you are an American tourist.

Even this American tourist is sick to death of seeing elastic waistbands and two-piece jogging suits while traveling in Europe, so please, leave those items at home or in the trash.

Anything with an oversize college or pro team logo.