Do men wear shorts in Athens?
 

I have a friend leaving for Athens this coming Friday. He and his wife will be doing the typical sightseeing. He "read" in some guide that men do not wear shorts in Athens. Maybe tourists do and local people don't? I was there so long ago, I can't remember - it probably wasn't important to me.

Can anyone comment please?

Linda

It's official - we have finally run out of new pertinent travel questions. Buh-bye.

None of the locals, male or female...from what I could tell...wore shorts. And it was in the mid-80's when I was there recently. Lots of tourists were wearing them and no one batted an eye. The "not important to me" is a good attitude, IMHO!

Local men do not generally wear shorts in any major European city - Athens, Paris, Rome, etc.

I didn't see any Greek men wearing shorts in Athens, but I did see some tourists wearing them. Not many (and they did mostly appear American, but maybe not), but some.

I lived in Manhattan for 35 years, and -- aside from going on picnics, or to play some sport, or going to their neighborhood store for a newspaper or a bottle of milk -- local men do not typically wear shorts in midtown Manhattan. (which would be equivalent to Central Athens).

LIved in Chicago a year, and it was the same in downtown Chicao -- tourists, shorts; local men, trousers.

Except of course for US postal service and UPS.

Local men do not wear shorts edxept at the beach. American men wear shorts absolutely everywhere - for reasons I have yet to understand.

Thank you all for your input. My friend does not want to stand out as the American tourist and to respect the local tradition...

Otzi, you obviously don't understand why the question was asked.

Linda,
Your friend will be pegged as a tourist regardless -- there are many subtle cues.

I can readily pick out european tourists in my So Calif beach town, possibly because they _don't_ wear shorts, even when it's chilly ;) But as long as they're reasonably well behaved, live & let live.

Your friend should not worry about his mode of dress, as long as he is reasonably neat, presentable, and doesn't smell bad ;)

I think boorish, loutish, or loud behaviour is _far_ more objectionable than one's choice of clothing.

Of course, if going out to a fancier Athens restaurant or bar, then long trousers are more appropriate -- just as in the US.

I wore mainly shorts and blue jeans my last trip to Athens, and I had no problems.

Underwear is popular in most countries.

Sorry, I disagree. I wore shorts around Athens during the day this past summer and no one seemed to care. There were also plenty of other men in shorts.

Really, you are in a big city, sweetie. No one will even be looking at you.

I lived in Manhattan for seven years and it is ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS to say men do not wear shorts in Manhattan in July and August. Maybe they don't wear them during the week, but TENS OF THOUSANDS wear them on the weekends. You need to walk around the green market in Union Sq. on Saturday, Miss Thing.

Thingorjus

Thinny, I agree, but I consider Greenmarket U Square a "nabe" just as Gramercy and Upper W. Side were for me, and I'm talking about during the work week in the Central parts of Major Cities -- Midtown Manhattan, Downtown Chi, Central Athens (Plaka Kolonaki) 4th 5th 6th 7th etc Arrondissements Paris, etc etc, London city & W 1, W2, etc -- there, the locals wear trousers. And we're talking about tourists being in such areas.

>Your friend should not worry about his mode of dress, as long as he is reasonably neat, presentable, and doesn't smell bad

That's a wonderful description, tom ;-) I wholeheartedly agree.

Seriously, Linda: Your friend will not be the only visitor to Athens at that time. He'll be one among thousands and thousands and thousands. Let him wear his shorts during the day - it will be warm, I guess - and use his common sense to recognize situations when some more 'stylish' clothing is appropriate, like visiting churches or upscale restaurants.

And, please, do Scots wear shorts under their kilts? (In Athens, I mean...)

OK, Jan, but since landlcochran's friend is a tourist, why is it so bad that he looks like one? Athens is a huge tourist city; people come from all over the world to see the Acropolis. No one is going to point at a male tourist and say, "Oh, he is wearing shorts, let's throw dishes at him."

Now, I wouldn't wear shorts to the Benaki Museum, or to dinner, but for walking around the Plaka they are fine.

As I wrote on a previous thread, unless you are young, thin, and beautiful, no one will even notice you.

Thingorjus

<i>Local men do not generally wear shorts in any major European city - Athens, Paris, Rome, etc.</i>

I guess Copenhagen isn't a major city? There are plenty of local men in shorts and capris, even though it doesn't get that hot. And there will be plenty of people in Athens wearing shorts. Indeed, most of the European tourists will likely be wearing them, as many go to Athens on their way to the beach.

I think this whole anti-shorts thing is a bit too much extrapolation from the UK, where shorts are not common because they are so rarely needed. Paris is a slightly better barometer, but remember that many locals leave the city during the summer months for the beach or the country, where they surely do wear shorts. Similarly, discussions about what locals wear in Mid-town Manhattan means little, as so many locals are going to or from work. Those same Manhattanites most certainly wear shorts when heading to the Hamptons for the weekend.

Finally, Athens is not exactly a fashion capital. So, I wouldn't worry overly about what the locals are wearing.

Wear the shorts. It will be hot. Being comfortable will improve your trip much more than vain attempts to fit in.

Local men don't wear shorts...often they don't because theose &quot;local men' are going to work!

In Barcelona there were more than a few &quot;local men&quot; wearing &quot;shorts&quot; which came just below the knee.

And in Athens there definitely ARE at least a few &quot;local men&quot; who wear &quot;shorts&quot;..you'll see them guarding the palace.