Do visitors ask what they should wear when they come to the U.S.?
 

I've been reading all the threads about what to wear while in Europe, but do U.S. visitors ask the same question when coming here? Do they care that American men don't wear white jeans? Do Americans laugh at them because they're dressed too formally compared to the laid back style favored by a lot of Americans? I'm just curious.

Not that I've seen on this forum, at least that I've noticed. I've never understood this question from Americans going to Europe other than about climate or what is usually worn to the opera, etc.

The question would be appropriately posted on the US forum - along with "How to Americans treat the French/Dutch/Welsh/Spanish" etc

I think that the subtext to those questions is that Americans assume that Europeans are more fashionable and don't want to look like a bunch of yokels. To draw a parallel, no one has ever asked me what to wear when visiting me in Dallas, but my family and friends from here who go to New York have called me asking "what to wear up there."

As for Europeans coming here, I have never found them to be too worried. My friends and I joke about European men, often asking "is he gay or is he European?" They seem unfazed by white jeans, orange rubber wife beaters (yes, I did just say orange rubber wife beater), super modern shoes, and sleeveless dress shirts. Not what we see a lot around these parts, but hey, variety is the spice of life!

I wish they would ask, so I could gently advise against wearing speedos in public.

I must say, I recently saw any number of Italians in Olbia airport (near the snooty Costa Smeralda) in outfits that were positively toe-curling. For example, a woman in tight tiger-print calf-length tights, with a hot pink clingy blouse and a wide black patent-leather belt with a gigantic shiny silver buckle. Or the man with bright purple pants and a lavendar and purple striped shirt open down to the third button. However, these people should never ask what to wear in the U.S. because, simply by virtue of being European, they're sooo much more fashionable and have so much better taste than we tacky sorts in our jeans and polo shirts. Or so some people would seem to think.

"For example, a woman in tight tiger-print calf-length tights, with a hot pink clingy blouse and a wide black patent-leather belt with a gigantic shiny silver buckle."

Are you sure that wasn't Paris Hilton? ;)

Oh, my god! I guess I had a celebrity sighting and didn't even realize it. I guess I didn't recognize her because she left her poor little doggie at home.

We live in Hawaii and can tell which areas people come from when they walk by. I'm not sure how to describe this...but Europeans have a more "fem" style than most Americans. And to be fair we are much sloppier. I know there is no way I could walk around Europe in our "local" clothing.

And yes, someone please send out a memo that we don't like looking at speedos!

KT, it was painful just reading your description, let alone witnessing it firsthand. Your poor eyes...

Ah, but I haven't even mentioned the woman in the black backless dress with the red bra exposed, or the man in orange pants and yellow, blue, and orange sweater. And, no, I'm not making this up; and, yes, I was close enough to hear them speaking Italian.

Here's the thing, though. I really don't normally judge people's clothes that much. But when they're this glaring, and after I've read so much on this board about about the infallible taste of Europeans...well, what can I do but giggle?

:-O Now that would have definitely hurt my eyes and sent my DH into a laughing fit!

i have travelled and lived many places including the US and places that have been locked away for decades in communism...cut off from the rest of the world in terms of fashion and generally had no concept of what was "cool" in the rest of the world.

however, i have never seen a country that is so self conscious about how they look when they travel or what everyone will think of them abroad. even the former or currently communist country's citizens travel with more self-assuredness as compared with americans.

it all reminds me of the movie pretty in pink.

sorry but this is the truth.

"because she left her poor little doggie at home."

I heard the dog committed suicide. :)

I see more than my share of Speedos here too. It's really frightening when the belly is so big you can't even see the Speedo when the man is walking towards you. b(

I agree with Walkinaround completely.

hmm. I've never been turned away from a church in the states by a guard because I wore a skirt that was deemed too short. Even though I thought I dressed respectfully, I was told I had not. But it would have been ok if I had wrapped a shawl around my waist, on top of the skirt. But to me that would have been disrespectful. So the rules are obviously different, and many of us know this. We know we will be picked out of a crowd as an outsider, but we want to diminish that.

Carrybean, there was a South Park episode where PH's little doggie DID kill himslf!

er, himself.

Fun post tcl. The only thing my friends in Italy ask me when they come here is if the temperature is what they are expecting. And the answer is always "yes". And they do tend to pack more clothes then they really need. All clothes are very presentable, very tailored and in good taste. But they don't "fuss" about looking like a tourist.

I can attest to the unusual pants worn by Italian men. In the past 2 weeks we saw some amazing colors! The worst was a pair of neon yellow jeans worn with a black and neon yellow sleeveless shirt. Yeow! We also saw neon pink and neon orange pants on men. Mama mia!!!! But I gotta say that there is nothing on this earth to compare to those Italian men in their Italian suits.........Va va voom!